The various types of doctors in Germany

What does a family doctor do?

Family doctors are, for example, so-called general practitioners, general practitioners, internists or pediatricians.

A family doctor does not specialize in a specific area of ​​the body. A family doctor looks at the whole patient.

The family doctor asks questions about your health and examines you. The family doctor helps you with acute and chronic illnesses.

The family doctor can assess whether you need another specialist and which specialist you need to go to.

The family doctor also helps with preventive and aftercare, for example with vaccinations or after a hospital stay.

What does a pediatrician do?

Specialists in pediatrics and adolescent medicine are often simply called pediatricians.

Pediatricians are responsible for treating infants, children and adolescents up to the age of 18.

An important task of pediatricians is to carry out preventive examinations. Preventive examinations are used to check whether children are developing well for their age.

The pediatrician advises the child’s parents. For example, about vaccinations or if the child has an illness.

When visiting the pediatrician, you should always take the child’s U-booklet and vaccination record with you.

Pediatricians also help chronically ill children.

A pediatrician also helps if a child is not feeling well emotionally. For example, if they are often sad. The family doctor can then help you and send you and your child to a specialist.

Children and adolescents can also receive medical care from a family doctor.

What does a dentist do?

A dentist is a specialist who takes care of the health of teeth, mouth and jaw.

The dentist helps with tooth decay, inflammation or pain in the teeth, for example. He can also treat dental problems such as gingivitis, misaligned teeth or tooth loss.

The dentist also carries out what is known as prophylaxis. This is also called dental preventive care. Prophylaxis is, for example, professional teeth cleaning. Teeth cleaning is intended to help keep teeth and gums healthy.

It is important to have regular check-ups with the dentist in order to identify and treat potential problems early on.

What does a gynecologist do?

A gynecologist is responsible for women’s health. They are also called gynecologists.

The gynecologist looks after girls and women in different phases of life.

They help with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases that affect women. This includes cancer screening, for example.

The gynecologist looks after pregnant women and monitors births. They also look after women after birth.

The gynecologist also provides information about contraception. Contraception includes, for example, a condom or the so-called contraceptive pill.

What does an ophthalmologist do?

An ophthalmologist is a specialist who looks after eye health. He examines and treats diseases, injuries or vision problems that have to do with the eyes.

The ophthalmologist checks the eyesight and can prescribe glasses if necessary.

He treats, for example, eye infections, glaucoma or cataracts. An ophthalmologist can also help with retinal diseases, squinting or injuries to the eye.

What does an ENT doctor do?

An ENT doctor is a specialist who looks after the health of the throat, nose and ears.

The ENT doctor helps with hearing problems, for example hearing impairments or ear infections.

He also treats diseases of the nose, such as colds, sinus infections or allergies.

In the throat area, he can help with swallowing difficulties, sore throats or laryngitis.

An ENT doctor is a specialist who looks after the health of the throat, nose and ears.

The ENT doctor helps with hearing problems, for example hearing impairments or ear infections.

He also treats diseases of the nose, such as colds, sinus infections or allergies.

In the throat area, he can help with swallowing difficulties, sore throats or laryngitis.

What does a dermatologist do?

The dermatologist deals with the diagnosis and treatment of skin and sexually transmitted diseases. Dermatologists are also called dermatologists.

The dermatologist is responsible for the prevention and aftercare of diseases of the skin, mucous membranes, nails and hair.

Common reasons for visiting a dermatologist are venous diseases, such as varicose veins, and also skin cancer prevention or sexually transmitted diseases.

Many dermatologists also treat allergies. The dermatologist can use a test to find out what you are allergic to.

What does a neurologist do?

Neurologists treat diseases of the nervous system, from the brain to the legs.

These include epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Stroke patients and people with dizziness and paralysis are also in the right place here.

What does an orthopedist do?

An orthopedist is a specialist who looks after the musculoskeletal system. These are bones, muscles and joints, tendons and ligaments.

The orthopedist examines and treats illnesses and injuries to these parts of the body. He helps with broken bones, back pain or joint problems, for example.

An orthopedist also helps after operations or with chronic illnesses such as arthrosis or rheumatism.

What does a radiologist do?

Radiologists help to confirm or rule out a finding.

Radiologists perform procedures such as computer tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

They also offer digital X-rays and digital mammograms. A mammogram is an examination of the breast.

What does a urologist do?

A urologist is a doctor who deals with the problems of people who have difficulty urinating or have problems with their genitals.

He examines and treats such problems, for example bladder infections or testicular infections.

The urologist also carries out preventive examinations to detect and treat problems early.

If necessary, he can also perform surgery to restore the health of the urinary tract and genitals.