family doctor / GP
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family doctor
A general practitioner who is the first point of contact for patients with most health problems. They provide primary care and refer patients to specialists if needed.
Bei einer starken Erkältung solltest du zu deinem Hausarzt gehen.
If you have a bad cold, you should go to your family doctor.
'Hausarzt' is made up of 'Haus' (house) and 'Arzt' (doctor). The name comes from the fact that this doctor used to visit families at home and is the first point of contact for the health of the whole 'Haus' (household/family).
Mein Hausarzt kennt meine ganze Familie seit vielen Jahren.
My family doctor has known my whole family for many years.
Use 'zu' for movement ('zum Hausarzt gehen' — to go to the family doctor) and 'bei' for being there ('beim Hausarzt sein' — to be at the family doctor's, or 'einen Termin beim Hausarzt haben' — to have an appointment with the family doctor).
Ich muss heute Nachmittag zum Hausarzt.
I have to go to the family doctor this afternoon.
A typical function of a 'Hausarzt' (family doctor) is to refer patients to a specialist. You then get 'eine Überweisung vom Hausarzt' (a referral from the family doctor).
Für das Knieproblem habe ich vom Hausarzt eine Überweisung zum Orthopäden bekommen.
For the knee problem, I got a referral from my family doctor to an orthopedist.
doctor
'der Arzt' is a general word for a person who treats illnesses. 'Der Hausarzt' is a specific type of doctor: they are usually the first point of contact for normal health problems. They often know their patients over a longer period and can refer them to a specialist doctor if needed. The words can be confused because a family doctor is, of course, also a doctor. If you are talking generally about medical help, 'Arzt' is enough. If you mean your own first point of contact, 'Hausarzt' is more precise.
Am Montag ruft ihr den Hausarzt an, wenn der Husten nicht besser wird.
On Monday, call the family doctor if the cough does not get better.
Im Krankenhaus hat ein Arzt die Wunde sofort untersucht.
At the hospital, a doctor examined the wound immediately.