It’s one of our top questions: when should I see a primary care doctor vs. when should I go to an integrative medicine or a functional medicine doctor?
Ultimately, the right choice depends on goals, current concerns, and personal preferences. Each clinician type brings unique strengths. Yet in many cases, they work best together to provide the most comprehensive care. Additionally, some physicians may have training in multiple specialties. For example, there are integrative medicine physicians with functional medicine training or primary care physicians with integrative medicine training.
Below are differences in training, philosophies, and clinical focus, and when it makes sense to see one, the other, or both.
Key Differences in Role and Philosophy
Primary Care Doctors (PCPs)
Includes family physicians, internists, and pediatricians; sometimes nurse practitioners or physician assistants serve in this role under a supervising physician.
Focus: Comprehensive, evidence-based conventional medicine for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of conditions.
Strengths: Broad scope, standardized protocols, care coordination, commonly takes health insurance.
Weaknesses: Visits may be shorter, less focus on complementary therapies
Integrative Medicine Doctors
Conventionally trained physicians who also use complementary approaches such as nutrition counseling, acupuncture, herbal medicine, mind-body practices, and lifestyle medicine.
Philosophy: Treat the whole person (mind, body, spirit), not just symptoms or disease.
Strengths: Longer appointments, personalized treatment, emphasis on lifestyle and non-drug therapies.
Weaknesses: Does not provide urgent care, may not take health insurance.
Functional Medicine Doctors
Often overlap with integrative medicine but follow a more structured root cause framework. They use advanced or specialty lab testing and systems-biology thinking to identify underlying imbalances that drive disease.
Strengths: Deep investigation of chronic, unexplained symptoms; highly individualized care plans; focus on restoring optimal function.
Weaknesses: Does not provide urgent care, may not take health insurance.
When to See a Primary Care Doctor
Preventive Care & Routine Screenings
Annual wellness exams, Pap smears, mammograms, colonoscopies, cholesterol checks, vaccinations, and age-specific preventive care. PCPs help catch problems early — for example, identifying prediabetes or high blood pressure before complications arise.
Acute Illnesses & Injuries
Sore throat, urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, rashes, sprains, minor injuries. PCPs can diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications quickly.
Chronic Disease Management
Diabetes, hypertension, asthma, high cholesterol, arthritis, depression — PCPs act as the “quarterback” of your care team, ensuring conditions are managed and treatment is evidence-based.
Medication Management
Overseeing multiple prescriptions, adjusting doses, avoiding drug interactions, and tracking side effects.
Care Coordination
Navigating the fragmented U.S. healthcare system by providing referrals, integrating specialist recommendations, and tracking results.
When to See an Integrative or Functional Medicine Doctor
For a Holistic, Whole-Person Approach
To address diet, exercise, stress, sleep, and emotional health alongside medical treatment, these doctors provide the time and tools to do so, often with 60–90 minute visits or longer instead of the standard 15–20 minutes.
For Persistent, Unexplained Symptoms
Chronic fatigue, digestive issues, fibromyalgia, brain fog, or pain that hasn’t improved under conventional care. These doctors dig deeper into inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, hormonal balance, toxin exposures, and stress.
For Lifestyle Optimization & Disease Prevention
Going beyond “normal” lab results to improve long-term vitality. Focus on food as medicine, stress resilience, sleep optimization, and toxin reduction.
For Safe Integration of Natural Therapies
They can review supplements, diets, and wellness trends to ensure they’re safe and effective alongside existing medications or treatments.
For Support During Serious Illness
Helping cancer or autoimmune patients reduce treatment side effects, improve resilience, and support healing through evidence-backed complementary therapies like acupuncture, meditation, or targeted nutrition, alongside other conventional specialists providing concurrent care.
PCP vs. Integrative vs. Functional Medicine — How They Work Together
Seeing one physician type does not mean you can’t see the other. In fact, the best outcomes often happen when they collaborate.
- Primary Care Doctor: Serves as the medical safety ensuring patients stay up to date with screenings, prescriptions, and evidence-based interventions, and manages urgent or serious medical issues.
- Integrative / Functional Medicine Doctor: As a wellness and root-cause strategist, helps patients dig deeper, personalizing care plans, and integrating lifestyle and complementary approaches.
Real-World Examples
Scenario 1: Prediabetes & High Stress (Age 45, Male)
- PCP: Orders labs, prescribes metformin, recommends more physical activity.
- Integrative/Functional MD: Creates a tailored nutrition plan, teaches stress-reduction techniques, connects to yoga or meditation resources.
Scenario 2: Cancer Support (Age 60, Female)
- Oncologist: Leads chemotherapy regimen.
- Integrative MD: Uses acupuncture for nausea, guides gentle movement, optimizes nutrition for energy and recovery.
Scenario 3: Fertility Optimization (Age 35, Female)
- PCP: Screens for thyroid and hormonal issues, orders standard labs.
- Functional MD: Focuses on cycle tracking, reduces inflammation through nutrition, replenishes micronutrients, and supports stress regulation.
If there is an urgent or serious health concern or for required prescriptions and screenings, start with a Primary Care Doctor. If a deeper dive is desired into why someone is experiencing symptoms, a highly personalized plan, or guidance on integrating natural therapies, consider adding an Integrative or Functional Medicine Doctor to the care team.
Best case? Use both. Each plays a unique, complementary role in health and longevity.