Pediatrics is the medical specialty devoted to the care and treatment of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. It encompasses the areas of child nutrition, development, growth and maturationas well as dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of specific childhood illnesses - be they biologic, behavioral or social. Internal Medicine is similarly devoted to the comprehensive health care of adults.
After completing four years of medical school, a physician must then complete further years of training to be fully licensed. Pediatric and Internal Medicine residency training programs each last three years. After completing this training and passing the respective exam, a physician can become Board certified in Pediatrics or Internal Medicine. Med-Peds physicians, like Drs. Chamberlain, Smith, Cowell, and Kindel, completed a four year Med-Peds residency training. Drs. Chamberlain, Smith, and Cowell are board certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and Dr. Kindel will be taking both exams in August and October 2008.
By incorporating these two specialties into one office, we have developed a strong family-oriented approach to these two specialities. Note that while this is a form of comprehensive primary care, it
differs both structurally and philosophically from Family Practice. A physician trained in med-peds can care for the newborn to the geriatric patients.
For more information, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics site: http://www.aap.org/sections/med-peds/101.htm