Primary Care Provider (PCP) vs. Specialist

Different types of doctors can help you get a 360 on your health. Medical doctors (MDs) fall into two categories: primary care providers (PCPs) and specialists. Here’s the difference.

Primary Care Providers (sometimes called family doctors, internists, or general practitioners) are doctors who have been trained to be a patient’s first point of entry into the health care system. If you're looking to get your annual physical or need to see a doctor about something that's wrong with your health, they’re great resources because they’re trained to be able to diagnose a wide variety of medical conditions. They’re also experts in helping you track your health over time, or in coordinating care when you’re seeing a number of specialists (think of them as the quarterbacks on your wellness team).

Specialists are doctors who have advanced training and degrees in a particular branch of medicine, such as heart health or bone health. Depending on the field, many can also perform surgery. If you have, say, a suspicious mole, your primary care provider may recommend that you follow up with a dermatologist so he or she can check it out and possibly remove it surgically. Many health insurers require you to get a referral to a specialist from your primary care doctor, but with Oscar, you don't.