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 its practical application are essential when it comes to maintaining our state of health.

In addition to this, it is also one of the companies with the largest number of branches, specializations and subspecialties, currently having around fifty. And that is why in this article we are going to make a brief mention of some of the most important ones through a summary of the branches of medicine.

• Related article: "The 12 branches (or fields) of Psychology"

Types and branches of medicine

Medicine has, 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.

Here we will do 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 health 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

Medicine centered on the clinic is the one that appears in the collective imagination when we talk about this science. It is the type of medicine in which the professional deals directly with the patient, makes a diagnosis and proposes and implements a treatment. It includes the majority of specializations and is usually the basis from which it is started to redirect towards other types of professionals when direct treatment on their part is not possible.

2. Surgical

Surgical medicine is one that 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 excising a problem 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 previous two, in which both surgical and clinical procedures are used. This is the case of some highly 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 They work from the analysis or samples of elements such as blood, urine,feces, sexual fluids, secretions or biopsies or that of diagnostic tests such as magnetic resonance imaging, plates or CT scans. Yes Well, 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.

5. Forensic Medicine

Generally, when we talk about medicine, we think of medicine that is dedicated to diagnosing and treating diseases in living patients, but what It is true 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 death of a person.

6. Occupational medicine

Occupational medicine is one that 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 usually used as a part of the clinical process itself, is the one that specializes not in treating a current situation but in trying to prevent a disease from arising, to be able to detect it as soon as possible so that it does not generate a serious problem or that 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 sport, 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 his exercise an integration of both types of knowledge in medical practice.

10. Complementary medicine

Complementary medicine is understood as a type of medicine in which they are used together with their own methodologies and common practices of medicine along with other traditional practices that are intended to serve as a complement and not a substitute for first.

The 24 branches or medical specializations

Within the above 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 in which they are focused.

Although there are many more, below we show you twenty-four of them to be able 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 in a part of the specific organism but has a general knowledge of most areas and usually responds to the most common health problems. general. This is usually the doctor we see first. If necessary, you can refer to a specialist.

2. Pediatrics

Pediatrics is one of the branches or types of medicine to which the most importance is usually given, since takes care of the health problems of one of the most vulnerable age groups: the childhood. It 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 the possible loss of information derived from difficulties in expressing the type of discomfort on the part of the less.

Within it, in addition, there are multiple possible subspecialties.

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 disease, are some of its fields of application. In some cases it can be linked to another specialty, cardiovascular surgery.

4. Pneumology

It is the branch of medicine that deals 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.

With regard to obstetrics, it is dedicated to the study and maintenance of health in the process of pregnancy and childbirth, as well as postpartum. His work is both with the mother and with the child.

6. Otorhinolaryngology

Otolaryngology 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 with the male reproductive and genitourinary system, treating problems that can include areas such as the testicles, penis, adrenal glands or the peritoneum. It is sometimes confused with proctology.

8. Endocrinology

The endocrine system is one of the important building blocks 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 related 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 physical therapy and rehabilitation, as well as surgery.

11. Oncology

This branch of medicine deals with one of the types of problem that generates the greatest concern for 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 action focuses on the elderly, working with common health problems or even dementias.

13. odontology

The teeth, gums and the masticatory system in general are the object of study in dentistry.

14. Gastroenterology

Gastroenterologists are specialists in digestive problems, their work being focused on stomach and intestinal problems.

15. Nephrology

This branch of medicine studies and works with all those problems related to the kidneys and their functioning.

16. Infectology

Although this specialty is not one of the best known by the general population, it is the one in charge of the study of infectious diseases, be they viral or bacterial.

17. Toxicology

This branch of medicine is in charge of studying and working with all those cases in which it has produced some type of poisoning, be this food or drug consumption or contact with some toxic.

19. Hematology

A type of medical specialty focused on blood-related problems.

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 conform to the usual functioning of what most consider a doctor, the Radiology consists of the study and performance of diagnostic tests with techniques that use some type of establishment.

22. Proctology

Branch or type of medicine that is responsible for working and analyzing all those problems related to the organs linked to excretion: the colon, the anus and the rectum.

23. Rheumatology

This branch of medicine is responsible for the study, diagnosis and treatment of problems related to the joints and muscles.

24. Immunology

As the name of this specialty tells us, we are facing the branch of medicine focused on the study of immune system and the problems and diseases it may have, treating problems such as HIV infection or lupus.

Other types of medicine

All the aforementioned branches 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 enjoy scientific evidence and that are usually guided by spirituality or tradition. We are talking about traditional medicine and alternative medicine, which are attended by a large number of people and enjoy a certain popularity despite that there are hardly any studies on its efficacy and the few that do exist are generally contradictory or do not demonstrate greater efficacy than the placebo.

Bibliographic references:

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• Sastri, V. (2013). Plastics in Medical Devices: Properties, Requirements, and Applications. Elsevier.