Planning for the brave new world of managed care, medical schools began turning out more generalists than specialists—a big miscalculation if you’re currently in need of an anesthesiologist.

The rise of low-invasion techniques—and the doctors who specialize in them—has made the competition for surgical patients, well, cutthroat.

Some pediatricians dismiss the notion that adoptive infants have special medical needs, but try telling that to the parents of a Chinese-born baby who has oral motor dysfunction.

Most doctors are grateful for a thank-you note, even for extraordinary work. That doesn't prevent some patients from making equally extraordinary (or weird) shows of appreciation.

Joining lots of HMOs has become the surefire way for a young doctor to build a thriving practice before bailing out -- leaving patients to pay full fees or switch M.D.'s.

Even in a city with some of the world's best hospitals, medical mistakes occur, some of them tragic. But there are common-sense ways to minimize your risk.

You know the boldfaced names and their boldfaced plastic surgeons, but did you know that many of those docs supervise excellent work in hospital clinics (at below–Park Avenue fees)?

One doctor uses the price of a slice to set his fees, but for most in the growing fee-for-service world, setting the cost of a visit is a weird alchemy of patient demand, experience, and real estate.