Is there a way to find out who the best doctors in a given field really are?

Ask other doctors and nurses. Doctors are often considered “good” if they have good bedside manner. That is practically irrelevant. I want someone who is a good scientist and is willing to dig and who is willing to “work” the insurance companies. I don’t care if he is a smiley salesman. There are websites which provide marginal reviews (Doctor Ratings or something like that….). But, ask your own general doctor or dentist or nurse friends or kids’ doctors etc who they would go for. It is the private reputations you seek.

The doctors always say that they are the best. I’m not talking about local doctors. I would travel. (We did for my hubby’s knee replacement. )

Don’t ask one ortho guy about other ortho guys. Ask a cardiologist about an ortho guy so they won’t be biased. Ask nurses.

Good question. I had cataract surgery needlessly by a doctor who was supposedly great in his field. He flat out lied to me about having cataracts. I had one eye done and then a year later he told me I needed the other one done. I went for a second opinion, as I should have for the first one, and found that I didn’t have cataracts. I was really much too young for cataracts.
I had googled the doctors names and looked at comments and all comments were good, so I don’t recommend going that way.

I have found that nurses will give you the straight dope on most doctors if you fish in the right manner.

IMO, the best way to find the cream of the crop in the USA @Judi is to look to the top medical facilities, then research the top doctors at each facility.

I would start by looking at the top rated hospitals then research the doctors at the facility of your choice.

Here in my locale, if the doctors or facilities aren’t good enough for a patients liking most people choose to travel to Mayo Clinic or the Cleveland Clinic.

I don’t think there is such a thing as a ‘best doctor’. Doctors are different with different experiences, different knowledge, different levels of understanding. I would speak to two or three doctors if possible and weigh up their advice.

The ones in a field are most likely vets.

Are we not exaggerating our own importance if we want ‘the best’ doctor for all our needs?

Shouldnt we all just go for a good doctor instead?

That way the ‘best’ doctors remain available for those rare cases in which someone actually needs their specific skills and talents.

@whitenoise, that isn’t how it happens though. Unless you have some inside information, the best doctors go to those who happen to live in the same town. There is nothing wrong with trying to get the best possible care.