Dr. Lynn Westphal, MD

A specialty is the branch of medicine in which a doctor has completed advanced clinical training and education. Most doctors are board certified in their specialty. To receive the best healthcare for your needs, consider choosing a doctor who specializes in your particular medical condition. A specialist will concentrate on your specific needs and will be familiar with the best methods of treatment. 

Examples of specialists are a pediatrician who focuses on the physical, emotional, and social health of children from birth to young adulthood; or a cardiologist who specializes in diseases and conditions of the heart and blood vessels. 

A doctor may have more than one specialty, along with one or more subspecialties. For instance, a doctor could specialize in internal medicine and have a subspecialty in infectious disease. A subspecialty is a concentration within a specialty. 

Your primary care doctor (who is often a specialist in family medicine or internal medicine) can help you choose the right type of specialist. In fact, some health insurance plans require a referral from your primary care doctor before you visit a specialist.

Board certification requires extensive training and a rigorous review of a doctor’s knowledge, experience and skill in a medical specialty. Board certification also means that a doctor is actively improving his or her practice of medicine through continuing education. A board-certified doctor is more likely than a non-board-certified doctor to have the most current skills and knowledge about how to treat your medical condition. 

A doctor who is board certified has taken an important step beyond getting a required state medical license to practice. Some doctors choose not to apply for board certification. A doctor who is not board certified may be an excellent doctor who is fully licensed to practice medicine in his or her state. 

If you are considering a doctor who is not board certified, consider asking the doctor why he or she is not certified. This information might provide you important background information to help you decide whether or not to see that doctor.

Residency is a medical training program that a doctor completes to gain expertise in a specialty. To receive the best healthcare for your needs, consider choosing a doctor who has completed a residency and therefore specializes in the area of your particular medical condition. A specialist will concentrate on your specific needs and will be familiar with the best treatment methods.

Examples of specialists are a pediatrician who focuses on the physical, emotional and social health of children from birth to young adulthood; or a cardiologist who specializes in diseases and conditions of the heart and blood vessels.

Residency training takes place in accredited hospitals or other healthcare facilities under the supervision of experienced doctors. Residency training lasts from three to seven years, and the exact duration varies from specialty to specialty. Residency is required for specialty board certification.