ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Medical specialty

A medical specialty is like a special superpower that doctors can have. Just like how some superheroes have the power to fly or shoot webs from their hands, doctors can have the power to focus on certain parts of the body or certain kinds of illnesses.

So, let's say you have a tummy ache and you go to the doctor. Your regular doctor might be like a superhero with lots of different powers – they know a little bit about everything when it comes to your body. But if your tummy ache is really serious, your regular doctor might send you to a specialist – like a superhero who has a superpower focused entirely on tummy aches.

This specialist doctor spent a lot of time learning everything there is to know about tummy aches. They know all the different reasons why someone might have a tummy ache, and they know all the different treatments to make the tummy ache go away. They might even have special tools that they use just for tummy aches.

Specialist doctors aren't just limited to tummy aches, though. There are specialist doctors for all sorts of things – like eyes, ears, bones, hearts, and brains. So no matter what's wrong with your body, there's probably a specialist doctor out there who can help!