Which Doctor Should I See? A Symptom Guide to the Right Specialist

Is stomach pain for the gastroenterologist or the surgeon? Tiredness for the haematologist or the endocrinologist? Dizziness for the neurologist or the ENT? Half the people who call the polyclinic do not know which doctor to ask for, and that is normal: specialties overlap and symptoms rarely come alone. Pick below what troubles you and see at once which specialist to book, what that examination usually includes, which tests are ordered and what the first examination costs without a referral at the Miren Medic polyclinic.

Which doctor should I see?

How to choose the right doctor

In the state system a specialist is reached through the chosen GP and a referral, so many people think they must first see a "GP" at a private polyclinic too. They need not: a specialist is booked directly, without a referral. That speeds things up when you know whom you are going to, but also raises the question of whom to see when a complaint can belong to two fields. The rule doctors use is simple: go where the organ is, not where the symptom is. Tiredness is not an organ, so for tiredness a blood count and thyroid hormones are done first, and the doctor is chosen by what the result shows.

When a complaint can belong to two fields, the rule is to start from the more likely one whose examination is simpler. Dizziness with tinnitus and hearing loss is ENT; dizziness with numbness or double vision is a neurologist. Chest pain on exertion is a cardiologist; pain that changes with breathing and pressure on the chest wall is more often an orthopaedist or general medicine. When even that does not help, an examination by a general practitioner or internist settles it: they examine you, order basic tests and refer you to the right specialist, and at the Miren Medic polyclinic that means the same corridor and usually the same day.

Everything in one place, without a referral

At the Miren Medic polyclinic in Voždovac 30 doctors from 20 specialties work with a laboratory, ultrasound diagnostics and home care at the same address. An examination is booked online, by phone or WhatsApp, on weekdays from 8 to 21 h and on Saturdays from 9 to 16 h, and the prices of all examinations are public in the price list. If you are not sure what you need, call and reception will direct you; if you prefer to check for yourself before the examination, our medical calculators and tests are at your disposal.

When not to choose a doctor but to call an ambulance

This guide is for complaints that can wait for a booked appointment. The following cannot, and for them you call 194:

• severe chest pain or tightness lasting more than 10 minutes, especially with sweating, nausea or pain in the arm and jaw
• a suddenly drooping face, weakness of one side of the body, difficulty speaking or sudden loss of vision (every minute counts in a stroke)
• choking, difficulty breathing at rest, blue lips
• heavy bleeding that does not stop, vomiting blood or black stools with weakness
• loss of consciousness, a first epileptic seizure, a severe headache "like a blow" that is the worst of your life
• a high fever with a stiff neck, a rash that does not fade on pressure, or confusion

Frequently asked questions

Is a referral needed for a specialist at a private polyclinic?

No. At the Miren Medic polyclinic every specialist examination, test and ultrasound is booked directly, without a referral from the chosen GP. A referral is needed only in the state health system.

Which doctor should I see when I am constantly tired?

First a general practitioner or a haematologist, because tiredness is most often explained by the blood count, iron, ferritin and vitamin B12. If the blood count is normal, thyroid hormones and glucose come next, so an endocrinologist. Tiredness with insomnia and low mood can also be for a neurologist.

Who treats dizziness, a neurologist or an ENT?

Dizziness that comes from the ear (with tinnitus, hearing loss, worse when turning the head) is for the ENT specialist. Dizziness with numbness, double vision, headache or unsteady walking is for the neurologist. When it is not clear, start with the ENT examination, which is simpler.

For stomach pain, a gastroenterologist or a surgeon?

For pain that lasts for days or recurs, with bloating, heartburn or a change in stools, a gastroenterologist. The surgeon is for sudden, severe pain that gets worse, with fever, vomiting and a rigid abdomen, and that is a case for the emergency service, not a booked appointment.

What if I have several complaints from different fields?

Start with a general practitioner or an internist. They take a history, examine you, order basic tests and only then refer you to the specialist you really need, instead of you touring three doctors yourself. At the Miren Medic polyclinic that is usually the same day and the same address.