Dr. Zaheda S Ali, MD

A general practitioner is similar to a family practitioner in that they treat patients of all ages with a variety of health concerns. These doctors treat everyday ailments, some acute and chronic diseases, and also provid health checkups, physicals, inoculations and preventative care. General practitioners differ from family practitioners because they are not required to complete an additional residency in family medicine after completing their medical school residency. Like family practitioners, general practitioners will also provide referrals to patients who are in need of a specialist.

A pathologist is a physician who specializes in the causes and paths taken by different diseases in order to accurately diagnose an illness. Pathologists diagnose and determine the characteristics of a disease through the study of biopsies of diseased tissue or of bodily fluids. For example, a pathologist will look at a biopsy of a skin lesion in order to diagnose or rule out skin cancer. A pathologist will also look at a Pap smear in order to check for a gynecological cancer like cancer of the uterus. In addition to determining the cause and development of a disease, these specialists also study the changes a disease makes to a body and the consequences of those structural changes.