A general surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery on patients. General surgeons typically perform common surgeries and have attended college and medical school to learn the skills needed to perform them successfully. They also care for their patients before and after operations and can give an accurate prognosis after the surgery is complete and the patient has had time to heal.

An infectious disease specialist is a medical professional who has been trained to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases. They see patients who are exhibiting signs or symptoms of an infectious disease and perform a variety of tests to determine the type of disease and prevent it from spreading.

An internist or Internal Medicine doctor is someone who specializes in diagnosing and treating illnesses, diseases, and health problems. Most internists are also primary care doctors and treat patients on a regular basis. They can diagnose and treat common illnesses or more serious problems. Most people see an internist regularly. Those with chronic illnesses may do so on a monthly or even weekly basis. Internists are the most common types of doctors.