Okanagan General Physicians

The General Practitioner (GP) or Family Practitioner(FP) is a physician or medical doctor who provides primary care. A General Practitioner or Family Practitioner is the first step anyone person or patient takes to receive medical care from the Practitioner one gets referral if the Doctor recognizes the patient needs a physician that specializes in the specific illness discovered and or if the General Doctor can not pin point symptoms than he will send patient for further consultation to specialist. Therefore the General Practitioner (GP) or Family Practitioner (FP) treats acute and chronic illnesses, provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. Some General Doctors that have the education do general surgeries and or obstetrics. A common problem nationally is that there is not enough doctors to pacify the public so often one can not get family doctor so one goes to a clinic and sees a doctor provided to see everyone but not a specific list of patients. Find Okanagan Physicians here.

Canada has newly qualifying Practitioner (GP) and as a medical student at this level the choice to stay on as a Family Practitioner (FP) or to continue in this field as specialty, family medicine is the most popular. To become a General Practitioner (GP) or Family Practitioner (FP) a medical school resident will spend two or three years in an accredited family medicine program, at this point doctor residents are eligible to be examined for Certification in the College of Family Physicians of Canada www.cfpc.ca many regions require this certification. Maintaining their certificate doctors must document ongoing learning and upgrade activities to accumulate "MainPro"credits. Some doctors choose to continue their education in emergency medicine and can be additionally certified as (CCFP) College of Family Physicians of Canada (EM) Emergency Medicine. The College of Family Physicians of Canada is a national voluntary organization of family doctors whom require continuity of medical education of its members mandatory and also keep track of accredited achievements of family doctors, hence MainPro credits. General Practitioner is required to submit a total of 250 credits every 5 years. Sanders Medical Aesthetics

Adolescent Medicine: is a medical professional whom diagnosis pediatric care or baby and child care.
 
Allergy/Immunology: provides diagnosis on the care of patients with, anaphylaxis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, urticaria, food allergies, immunodeficiency diseases and autoimmune disorders. .
 
Cardiology: is the branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the heart and blood vessels. The profession is commonly divided in the branches of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease and electrophysiology. Okanagan Physicians specializing in this medical field are called Cardiologists.
 
Cancer: is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these cells to invade other tissues, either by growth into tissue through invasion or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis. A Pathologist examines tissue supplied by biopsy or surgery. Internists are one physician that deals with cancer depending on type of cancer there may be different doctor involvement.
 
Diagnostic: is a doctor that obtains a history of patient illness by diagnosing medical tests performed by measuring blood pressure, checking the pulse rate, heart rate, urine tests, fecal tests, saliva tests, blood tests, medical imaging, electrocardiogram, hydrogen breath test and occasionally blood tests.
 
Dentistry: is the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of conditions, diseases and disorders of the oral cavity, mouth and teeth.
 
Dermatologist: is a branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its appendages (hair, nails, sweat glands etc). This is a specialty medicine and does require a Dermatologist Doctor.
 
Ear, Nose, Throat: (ENT) is a specialty doctor specializing in ear, nose and throat problems.
 
Geriatric is a branch of medicine that focuses on health prevention and treatment of disease and disability in later life. Physicians who are certified in Family Practice or Internal Medicine qualify to treat such patients.
 
Internist: is a specialist of internal medicine.
 
Kidney/Dialysis: is diagnosed by the kidney organ which produces urine. A cytologist is a scientist who studies cells.
 
Neurologist: is a doctor who practices or specializes in neurology. Neurology is the branch of medicine that deals with the nervous system and its disorders.
 
Obstetric and Gynecology and Maternity: whereas gynecology is the study of medicine specializing in medical problems of women, especially disorders or the reproductive organs. The physician dealing with this aspect is called a Gynecologist. Obstetric is the care of women during and after pregnancy.
 
Maternity: is a state of being a mother also a department in a hospital which babies are born.
 
Ophthalmology: is a specialty doctor that specializes in the treatment of the eye.
 
Orthopedic: doctor is a specialist that deals with the prevention or correction of bones and associated with muscles.
 
Palliative: care is a division of the hospital that specifically is designated by the doctor because the disease is usually incurable. The doctor takes the responsibility of minimizing the progression of a disease.
 
Pediatric: is a doctor that is dedicated to the health and well-being of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults referred to as a Pediatrician.
 
Psychiatry: is a doctor that studies medicine that diagnoses treats, and studies mental illness and behavioral conditions. The doctor that specializes in this is referred to as a Psychiatrist doctor.
 
Plastic Surgeon: is a specialty that uses surgical techniques to improve the appearance and function of patient's bodies. Some surgeries are called cosmetic and some are called reconstructive. Reconstructive surgery corrects or masks birth defects and the destructive effects of trauma, surgery or disease. Cosmetic surgery performed by doctors to appease the patient's body which they find unattractive.
 
Podiatrist: is a doctor specialty field that is the study and treatment of foot, ankle, knee, leg and hip collectively known as lower extremity.
 
Rheumatology: is a specialist that is devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases. This doctor specialist is referred to as a Rheumatologist.
 
Spinal: surgery is often performed by an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in the spine. Just recently a spinal surgery was performed by neurosurgeon and an orthopedic surgeon combined to perform lumbar surgery slipped disc. Birth defects also warrant spinal surgery to correct the spine.
 
Thyroid: health problems are best tended to by a doctor called an Endocrinologist, or the alternative is a holistic doctor depending on your needs.
 
Urologist: works on anything pertaining to urine, bladder etc. often work done by a Urologist doctor diagnosis often is done by scopes and is performed in an operating room on a day surgery program.

By: Elaine Harrison