What Is a Pulmonologist?

Besides the lungs and bronchial tubes, pulmonologists often evaluate related systems, including the heart and the upper respiratory tract, which includes the throat, pharynx, and nose. They look for conditions including COPD, asthma, lung cancer, pneumonia, bronchitis, and others.

After medical school, a pulmonologist completes residency training in internal medicine and then specializes in pulmonology. This specialty training involves an additional two to three years in another residency and/or a fellowship studying respiratory conditions and becoming board certified in pulmonary diseases.

If you have a complex or persistent pulmonary problem, you may want to seek the advice and treatment of a pulmonologist who has specific training in your condition rather than a general internist.

A pulmonologist will have access to leading-edge diagnostics to help determine the cause of your conditions and will be aware of the latest advances in treatments that could best help you stay healthy.