Rush University Medical Center - Specialty Definitions

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Specialty Definitions

Addiction Psychiatry: Changed from Addiction Medicine; Addiction Psychiatry is the official ABMS subspecialty
Adolescent Medicine: A branch of medicine dealing with children from puberty to the age of maturity.
Allergy and Immunology: A branch of science that deals with the phenomena and cause of immunity and immune responses.
Anesthesiology: The branch of medicine that deals with administration of pain relief during surgical and clinical procedures.
Audiology: A specialty focusing on hearing disorders through identification and evaluation of hearing loss, and the rehabilitation of persons with hearing loss We have this in our database because we have audiologists in the database; departure from ABMS list
Cardiac Electrophysiology: Cardiac electrophysiology is the science of the electric functioning of the heart. It is concerned with the normal and abnormal transmission of impulses from the cardiac pacemaker and its influence on contraction
Cardiology: The study of the heart and its action and diseases. Departure from ABMS. Official name of specialty, per American Board of Internal Medicine, is Cardiovascular Disease. We use this more commonly understood term.
Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery: Thoracic and cardiovascular surgeons specialize in the treatment of diseases and injuries of the heart, lung, esophagus and major blood vessels by surgical repair and removal of damaged tissues. This is a "specialty" that we have created--to distinguish from from Thoracic Surgery, General, which is what Dr. Higgins wants to call it. Note that the board certification is actually Thoracic Surgery for all these guys.
Child and Adolescent Psychology: The branch of psychology that studies the social and mental development of children. Specialty per American Board of Professional Psychologists is Child and Adolescent Psychology
Child Neurology: Diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the nervous system which include illnesses involving the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and muscles in infants, children and adolescents. Child Neurology rather than Pediatric Neurology per ABMS; also that''s what RHA uses.
Congenital Cardiac Surgery: Subspecialty of Thoracic Surgery. Approved 2007; first issue 2009
Dermatology: A branch of science dealing with the skin, its structure, function and diseases.
Diagnostic Radiology: This is the certification, per American Board of Radiology
Emergency Medicine: A branch of medicine where unforeseen combination of circumstances call for immediate medical attention.
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism: A branch of medicine dealing with the endocrine gland system and HORMONES (for example, cortisol, testosterone, insulin, thyroid hormones), the coordination of METABOLISM, body WEIGHT, movement, reproduction, and sensory perception depend on chemical cues, substances synthesised and secreted by specialized cells. The endocrine system consists of several glands, in different parts of the body (for example, pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, insulin-producing islets, testicles and ovaries), that secrete hormones directly into the blood rather than into a duct system. HORMONES have many different functions and modes of action; one hormone may have several effects on different target organs, and, conversely, one target organ may be affected by more than one hormone. The subspecialty, per ABMS and American Board of Internal Medicine, is Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (not Nutrition)
Endovascular Surgical Neuroradiology: This is what the ACGME calls this branch of medicine that spans neurology, neurosurgery and interventional radiology (although the approved subspecialty in radiology is called Vascular and Interventional Radiology).
Family Medicine: Family physicians care for patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, men and women, and all medical problems.
Gastroenterology: The study of the disease and pathology of the stomach and intestines.
General Surgery: A branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions requiring or amenable to operative or manual procedures.
Genetics: A branch of science that deals with heredity and variation of people.
Geriatric Medicine: A specialty focusing on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders in the elderly. This is a subspecialty certification under American Board of Internal Medicine and American Board of Family Medicine. It is a subspecialty categorization for people who have fellowship training in the field, not for anyone who likes treating older adults.
Hand Surgery: This is per ABMS list and per American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Hematology: Diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of the blood.
Hepatology: The field of medicine concerned with the functions and disorders of the liver. Officially is "Transplant Hepatology."
Infectious Disease: The study of a disease caused by the entrance into the body of organisms which grow and multiply.
Internal Medicine, General: A branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of nonsurgical disease.
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics: A branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of nonsurgical disease in children.
Interventional Cardiology: A subspecialty of cardiology that uses catheters and other devices to restore blood flow to the heart without the need for major surgery.
Maternal and Fetal Medicine: Per American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology; not just "Maternal Fetal Medicine"
Medical Oncology: Diagnosis and treatment of tumors and cancer.
Musculoskeletal Oncology: Per American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and ACGME.
Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine: A branch of medicine concerned with the care, development and diseases of the newborn infant.
Nephrology: A medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disease of the kidneys.
Neurological Surgery: A surgical specialty for the treatment of diseases and disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral and sympathetic nervous system.
Obstetrics and Gynecology: The branch of medicine dealing with birth and the diseases & hygiene of women.
Ophthalmology: The branch of medicine dealing with the structure, functions and diseases of the eye.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a specialty of dentistry concerned with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of congenital or acquired diseases, dysfunction, defects or injuries of the mouth, jaws, face, neck and associated regions.
Orthopedic Surgery: Orthopedic surgery is the branch of surgery concerned with acute, chronic, traumatic and recurrent injuries and other disorders of the locomotor system, its muscular and bone parts.
Otolaryngology: Otolaryngology is the branch of medicine that specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head & neck disorders.
Pathology: The study of the essential nature of diseases and especially of the structural and functional changes produced by them.
Pediatric Cardiology: Pediatric cardiologists specialize in the prevention, diagnosis and medical (non-surgical) treatment of heart and blood vessel diseases in children
Pediatric Endocrinology: A science dealing with the glands of the body in infants, children and young adults
Pediatric Gastroenterology: Pediatric gastroenterologists specialize in the treatment of diseases pertaining to the stomach, intestines and related digestive disorders in children
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology: The specialty of medicine that deals with study of the blood, blood-forming organs, tumors and malignancies in children.
Pediatric Infectious Diseases: The study of a disease caused by the entrance into the body of organisms which grow and multiply in infants, children and adolescents.
Pediatric Nephrology: A medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disease of the kidneys in infants, children and young adults.
Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery: The branch of surgery concerned with acute, chronic, traumatic and recurrent injuries and other disorders of the locomotor system, its muscular and bone parts in infants, children and adolescents.
Pediatric Pulmonology: A pediatric pulmonologist is a specialist who is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of all respiratory diseases affecting infants, children and young adults.
Pediatric Surgery: Pediatric surgery is a subspecialty of surgery involving the surgery of fetuses, infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.
Pediatrics: A branch of medicine dealing with the development, care and disease of children.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: A branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disease and disability by physical means.
Plastic Surgery: The branch of surgery concerned with the repair, restoration, or improvement of lost, injured, defective, or misshapen parts of the body by transfer of tissue. Per ABMS, it''s only Plastic Surgery (not "and Reconstructive")
Podiatry: A specialty focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of disorders and injury of the feet
Preventive Medicine (Cardiometabolic Prevention): The branch of study and practice which aims at the prevention of disease and the promotion of health. Cardiometabolic prevention focuses on prevention of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart disease.
Psychiatry: A branch of medicine that deals with mental, emotional or behavioral disorders.
Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent: Diagnosis and treatment of mental or emotional conditions, including substance abuse in children.
Psychology: A psychologist is a specialist who studies and measures human behavior including development, change, normality, and abnormality in an effort to make comparative assessments and to apply principles of behavioral change.
Radiation Oncology: A branch of medicine concerning the treatment of tumors and malignancies with radiant energy.
Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility: The diagnosis and management of infertility in women, including pregnancy loss, surgery and preservation of the reproductive tract. This is what it''s called per American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology; do not split into Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility--keep together as official name for subspecialty
Rheumatology: A medical science that deals with rheumatic diseases, characterized by inflammation and pain in muscles and joints.
Speech-Language Pathology: Speech-Language Pathology is the study of disorders that affect a person's speech or language.
Sports Medicine: The field of medicine concerned with injuries sustained in athletic endeavors, including their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Thoracic Surgery, General: Surgery involving the area of the chest: chest wall, heart, lungs and esophagus. Note that this is a term Dr. Higgins devised to distinguish the people who do thoracic (chest surgery) from the ones who do cardio surgery. All of them, in fact, have the same board certification (which is Thoracic Surgery)
Urology: The branch of medicine dealing with the urinary or urogenital organs.
Vascular and Interventional Radiology: This is the official subspecialty, per American Board of Radiology