Which doctor to see for a physical exam?

Family practice shall do.

A GP won't do much. Internal Medicine Specialist would
be my choice.

Internal Medicine Specialist sounds fancy for a physical.
Plus, depending on what type of insurance he has he would need to see his primary doctor, and his primary doctor would be able to do a physical, I think.

That's true superjuly, but hopefully he's got good insurance
and can bypass a primary. jt hasn't had a physical in
years, so I'd suggest a more thorough one - EKG included,
depending on his age of course.

jt_ct -Many internists are primary care physicians. I agree that an internist is the best place to start for a physical exam. You need to check your insurance coverage, especially if you belong to an HMO.

Usually your primary care physician is an internal medicine specialist. At least that has been the case for me in the past 15 years.

OOOps that is what Phoenix said.

I guess I'm kind of confused at the statement about "bypassing" a primary. It seems like the poster might be confused. Primary care physicians, regardless of whether they completed their residencies in family medicine or general internal medicine, are equally capable of performing a thorough and adequate physical, from the physical exam to an ECG or blood work.

No, I'm not confused about bypassing a primary nutmegs
I am well aware that a General Practitioner is capable
of doing a physical, however I do trust a specialist more.
It's just my experience.

If you have a HMO insurance you have no choice as
to go to a primary first, with PPO you pay more, but you
get better service and can bypass a primary.

i have always had my primary physicial done by our family physician. if any further tests were to be done i've been referred to a specialist. if i were to go to an internal med spec who had not seen me on a regular basis, i would think he might not be quite familiar with my complete medical history - even if he had access to my records -. i have always found if i asked our family physician for a referral/second opinion i've had no problems with him. hbg

None of us have any idea of how old jt_ct is, what country he or she is from, and whether or not he or she has a reason triggering an interest in going to the doctor; further, what facilities are available nearby for jt_ct.

I not only pick an internist as my primary, I picked an internal medicine group, when I moved north about five years ago, and still have connections with med associates in my former city. But then I worked in the med field for about twenty years, and live in California.

It may be that getting to a local clinic will be a good step for Jt, we don't know enough.

Thank you everyone!

Re: Which doctor to see for a physical exam?


From the question, I am inferring that jt_ct has not been to a doctor in some time. If so, a new G.P. would not have any more knowledge of this patient than in internist. To me, this is an even more pressing reason for him/her to go to an internist, who may be more highly skilled than a G.P. in terms of diagnosis.

One other thing if you are a woman, you can usually choose a primary care physician as an OB/GYN and in many cases make an appointment with an OB/GYN without getting PCP referral first even with HMOs.

Re: Which doctor to see for a physical exam?

sorry, just can't stand for this myth to keep being perpetuated...

If you are a man you go to a woman doctor in internal medicine. This is 2005.

I recently had my annual physical and my woman doctor delegated the task to a pretty Physician's Pracitioner (PA) and she did a fine job. I let the doctors run the show as long as they don't become redundent. For example I told the PA she could dispense with the rectal exam to check my prostate because that stuff is horse and buggy. My chemical tests revealed that my PAE results were fine.

(I have nothing wrong anywhere up there sweetie so I'm saving us both some inconvenience as well as some mild embarassment.)

It's 2005, no guy doctors and sure as hell no male nurses for Jack Webbs.

by the way, what all is included in a Physical Exam? I never had one...

Go to the Yellow Pages, find a doctor, make an appointment for a physical examination and when you arrive they will do everything needed to complete your physical examination. You will learn as you go.