Primary Care M.D.s deliver the basic diagnostic and preventive medical care that patients most often need. They usually have one of these specialties:

Family Medicine: Family medicine physicians provide comprehensive medical care with an emphasis on caring for all members of the family. Family medicine builds upon a core of knowledge derived from other disciplines, primarily pediatrics, internal medicine, OB/GYN, geriatrics, surgery and psychiatry. The family medicine physician plays the role of personal physician.

Internal Medicine: A broad-based medical field in which physicians rely on their knowledge of major organs to diagnose and treat patients. Internists treat a variety of afflictions, from colds and heart problems to infectious diseases. Internists often serve as a patient's primary doctor, coordinating all that person's health care.

Pediatric Family Medicine: A doctor who specializes in the health care of children, from birth through adolescence. By focusing specifically on kids, they gain a lot of expertise about health issues of babies and children.