

A General Practitioner can do minor procedures, for example, treat skin lesions.

What type of work does a General Practitioner do?Ī General Practitioner counsels and examines patients for injuries or diseases. Voluntary board certification may also be obtained.Ī General Practitioner is a healthcare professional who practices medicine and is licensed by a state board.

Specific exams are required, then the doctor must become licensed in the state in which he or she will practice medicine. An additional 1 - 3 years of fellowship is necessary for those wishing to add a specialty or additional qualifications. Additional procedures may involve in-office surgical procedures such as lancing and draining abscesses.Īfter completion of a Bachelor Degree with a strong emphasis in one of the science fields, a candidate must attend at least 4 years of education at an accredited medical school, followed by a 3 - 7 year residency program. General practitioners may prescribe medications and offer nutrition and activity advice, in addition to making recommendations for specific patient lifestyle changes. These doctors may recommend or perform lab procedures such as taking blood and performing x-rays. General practitioners use interviews combined with a physical examination to make a diagnosis or to check up on continuing health and wellness. Others include hospice, sleep medicine, and sports medicine. General practitioners can obtain additional qualifications in areas such as adolescent medicine and geriatric medicine. While the medical issues treated by these doctors may be exhaustive, some of these conditions may include: General practitioners treat both acute and chronic illnesses of nearly every type that do not require the services of a specialist. The general practitioner was common in the past, but has mostly been replaced by newer titles such as the family doctor and the primary care physician. Their patients may be healthy or may have one of multiple health care problems. These doctors use a holistic approach to treat patients. This type of doctor also offers preventive health care and patient education for maintenance of health and overall well being. A general practitioner is a medical doctor that treats patients for illnesses, whether they are long term or short term in duration.
