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 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.

Optometry is a medical profession that deals with the eyes and eye health. Optometrists can look at patients’ eyes to address abnormalities or irregularities as well as diagnose diseases of the eye. These doctors may also refer patients to surgeons who can correct eye problems. While optometrists do also focus on helping people find corrective lenses that can improve their vision, their focus extends far beyond glasses and contacts to include overall eye health, including management of eye diseases.

Thoracic surgery is a surgical subspecialty. Its focus is on the organs of the thoracic cavity. Most of the time, this means the heart and lungs. Patients who need thoracic surgery may have any number of problems, such as heart disease or needing a lung transplant.