The 24 Branches Of Medicine (and How They Try To Cure Patients)
Medicine is one of the most important scientific disciplines given that its evolution and practical application are essential when it comes to maintaining our state of health.
In addition to this, it is also one of those with the greatest number of branches, specializations and subspecialties, currently having around fifty. And that is why in this article we are going to briefly mention some of the most important ones through a summary of the branches of medicine
Medicine is, as we have indicated, a broad science, with around fifty branches and official specialties. However, and although we are actually talking about the same science, It is possible to make different classifications and typologies of this type of science
Below we will carry out a small separation of medicine into several basic types of specializations.
However, it must be taken into account that there are a large number of professions within the healthcare field, without being medical. The clearest examples are nurses, assistants, psychologists or pharmacists. That is why we will not see them among the following branches or types of medicine.
1. Clinic
Clinically focused medicine is what appears in the collective imagination when we talk about this science. This is the type of medicine in which the professional has direct contact with the patient, makes a diagnosis and proposes and implements a treatment. It includes most specializations and is usually the basis from which to redirect towards other types of professionals when direct treatment on their part is not possible.
2. Surgical
Surgical medicine is that which is mainly dedicated to the treatment of a previously diagnosed problem, generally applying an invasive methodology in which professionals work directly by altering the body, either by removing or extirpating a problematic part or by placing devices that can improve its functioning.
3. Medical-surgical
We could understand this type of medicine as a mix of the two above, in which both surgical and clinical procedures are used. This is the case of some very recognized specialties, such as ophthalmology.
4. Laboratory
Within this category we can find all those branches that focus not on providing direct treatment to the patient, but rather on They work from the analysis or samples of elements such as blood, urine, feces, sexual fluids, secretions or biopsies or diagnostic tests such as magnetic resonance imaging, plaques or CT scans. Although we do not usually think of them when we talk about doctors, without their service it would not be possible to diagnose or treat a large number of problems.
Generally, when we talk about medicine, we think of medicine that is dedicated to diagnosing and treating diseases in living patients, but the truth is that there is also a type of medicine whose objective is to assess the existence of injuries derived from criminal activities or investigate the causes of a person’s death
6. Occupational medicine
Occupational medicine is that which is dedicated to analyzing and treating illnesses and injuries that can occur within the workplace
7. Preventive medicine
This type of medicine, although it is generally used as part of the clinic’s own process, is what It specializes not in the treatment of a current situation but in trying to prevent a disease from arising be able to detect it as soon as possible so that it does not generate a serious problem or, in the case of an already present disease, prevent it from worsening or reappearing.
8. Sports medicine
The type of medicine dedicated to the field of sports, usually treats muscle and bone problems, as well as ligaments and tendons. They can also treat other problems, as well as perform prevention tasks.
9. Integrative medicine
A type of medicine that aims to combine the knowledge of scientific medicine and that of alternative and natural therapies seeking in their practice an integration of both types of knowledge in medical practice.
10. Complementary medicine
Complementary medicine is understood to be a type of medicine in which the usual methodologies of medicine are used together with other traditional practices that are intended to serve as a complement and not a substitute for the former.
The 24 branches or medical specializations
Within the previous types of medicine we can find specializations focused on different aspects such as the area of the body in which they focus their studies or the age on which they focus.
Although there are many more, below we show you twenty-four of them to get an idea of their great variability.
1. General and family medicine
General and family medicine is the basic branch of medicine, which is not specialized in an age sector or a specific part of the body but rather has general knowledge of most areas and usually responds to more general health problems. This is generally the doctor we see first. If necessary, we can refer you to a specialist.
Pediatrics is one of the branches or types of medicine that is usually given the most importance, given that it takes care of the health problems of one of the most vulnerable age groups: childhood. This is a peculiar specialty, since in addition to the fact that children require a more particular type of treatment, the important role of the patient’s parents must be taken into account both in obtaining information and in making any decision and possible loss of information derived from difficulties in expressing the type of discomfort on the part of the minor.
Within it, there are also multiple possible subspecializations.
3. Cardiology
Cardiology is probably one of the best-known specialties in medicine, being the subdiscipline in charge of working and studying the cardiovascular system, specifically the heart. From arrhythmias to heart attacks, through congenital problems or heart diseases, are some of its areas of application. In some cases it can be linked to another specialty, cardiovascular surgery.
4. Pulmonology
This is the branch of medicine that works with typical problems of the respiratory system, especially the lungs. Examples of typical problems in which they may be linked are cystic fibrosis or COPD.
5. Gynecology and obstetrics
Gynecology is the medical specialty focused on the problems and health of the female reproductive system, both at the genital and breast levels.
Regarding obstetrics, it is dedicated to the study and maintenance of health in the process of pregnancy and childbirth, as well as the postpartum period. Her work is with both the mother and the child.
6. Otorhinolaryngology
Otorhinolaryngology is dedicated to the study of the auditory system, the larynx and the pharynx, working on problems that can range from infections to hearing loss.
7. Urology
Urology is the branch of medicine that works and studies the male reproductive and genitourinary system, treating problems that can include areas such as the testicles, penis, adrenal glands or peritoneum. It is sometimes confused with proctology.
8. Endocrinology
The endocrine system is one of the important slabs of our body despite being generally undervalued. It is this system related to hormones that is the object of study of endocrinology, which can treat hormonal problems, growth problems, thyroid problems or diabetes.
9. Dermatology
The skin and its problems and diseases are the main object of study in dermatology, treating problems linked to pustules, cysts, burns, freckles, abscesses, eczema or even melanomas.
10. Traumatology
Traumatology is the branch of medicine that focuses on the effects of bruises and blows, usually with breaks or dislocations. It is frequently associated with physiotherapy and rehabilitation, as well as surgery.
This branch of medicine deals with one of the types of problems that cause the greatest concern to the majority of the population: cancer.
12. Geriatrics
A specialty that, instead of a disease, focuses on the common problems of a certain age group. In this case, their work focuses on the elderly, working with common health problems or even dementia.
13. Dentistry
The teeth, gums and the chewing system in general are the object of study in dentistry.
14. Gastroenterology
Gastroenterologists are specialists in digestive problems, with their work focused on stomach and intestinal problems.
15. Nephrology
This branch of medicine studies and works with all problems linked to the kidneys and their functioning.
16. Infectology
Although this specialty is not one of the best known to the general population, it is the one responsible for the study of infectious diseases, whether viral or bacterial.
17. Toxicology
This branch of medicine is responsible for studying and working with all those cases in which some type of poisoning has occurred, whether it is food poisoning or due to drug consumption or contact with some toxin.
19. Hematology
A type of medical specialty focused on problems related to blood.
20. Ophthalmology
The branch of medicine that studies the functioning and disorders and diseases linked to the visual organs: the eyes.
21. Radiology
One of the specialties that least conforms to the normal functioning of what most consider a doctor, radiology consists of the study and performance of diagnostic tests with techniques that use some type of radiation.
22. Proctology
Branch or type of medicine that is responsible for working on and analyzing all those problems linked to the organs linked to excretion: the colon, anus and rectum.
23. Rheumatology
This branch of medicine is responsible for the study, diagnosis and treatment of problems linked to the joints and muscles.
24. Immunology
As the name of this specialty tells us, we are dealing with the branch of medicine focused on the study of the immune system and the problems and diseases it may have, treating problems such as HIV infection or lupus.
Other types of medicine
All the branches mentioned above are specialties of medicine which follow the scientific method and they have been shown to be effective in treating their problems through various studies.
However, there are other types of medicine that do not usually have scientific evidence and are usually guided by spirituality or tradition. We are talking about traditional medicine and alternative medicine, which a large number of people go to and enjoy a certain popularity despite the fact that there are hardly any studies on its effectiveness and the few that do exist are generally contradictory or do not demonstrate greater effectiveness than placebo. .
