Asu Gurung - NP
Who do I go see if I am having symptoms? What are all of these acronyms?
We are always saying – “if you are having symptoms, please go see your doctor!” So, who do we mean you should see when we say this, and where should you go?
Medical Specializations
In a scenario where you are experiencing worrying symptoms, but do not have a prior established family doctor, you are likely either going into the ER, an urgent care or walk-in clinic, most likely you are seeing an emergency medicine or internal medicine provider.
If you are scheduling an appointment or establishing care with a primary care provider (PCP), you would most likely be seeing a provider specializing in family medicine, internal medicine or who is a general practitioner.
Types of Medical Providers
I am a Family Nurse Practitioner (NP) working in a primary care clinic. “I never get sick”, “I only go to the doctor when I am sick” or “I don’t like going to the doctor’s office” are some of the common statements I hear from patients. One of the things I love about my job is that I get to educate patients about the importance of primary care and having a primary care provider (or PCP).
If you were to schedule an appointment to discuss your symptoms, you can see a doctor, which would tend to be a Medical Doctor (MD), or an Osteopathic Physician (DO), or you also might see an NP, or a Physician Assistant (PA) all of which could be your PCP.
NPs and PAs are also known as Advanced Practice Providers (APP) who are trained to provide care for the patients in many specialties. NP and PA programs were created to increase access to healthcare, particularly in areas where there is a shortage of doctors. The number of NPs and PAs are increasing every year. NPs/Pas tend to work in primary care clinics, specialty clinics, and in hospitals.
The Importance of Primary Care Providers
The PCP is the provider that one sees regularly for any health issues and for wellness exam. For optimal health, everyone should have an annual routine visit to their PCP. This is when the PCP would review family, medical, social, and surgical history, and recommends screening tests as needed. It is important to know family history of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, mental illness, cancer, etc.
It is important to know the age when the family members were diagnosed with cancer and when they had their first heart attack or stroke. It is also important to inform PCP about any genetic illnesses in family so appropriate referral can be made if one needs genetic screening.
What is most important, please make sure to have a primary care provider so you can get your routine health check ups and also get examined when you are not feeling well. Whether this is an MD, DO, NP, or PA - please do not avoid your symptoms.
Young Adults – Leveraging Your Options
As young adults, if you are experiencing symptoms that might indicate the possibility of colorectal cancer, without regular screening options like colonoscopies, your PCP is your best first line of defense. With their help you can monitor issues over a shorter period of time and ideally receive the required medical attention sooner than later.