Medical disclaimer: This page is patient education. It does not replace advice from your treating doctor. If you have been given a referral, please follow up with the doctor who referred you.
Interventional Pulmonologist vs Pulmonologist: Which One Do You Need?
A patient walked into our Basheer Bagh clinic last month holding a referral note. She had been seeing the same chest doctor for asthma for nine years. The note said “for interventional pulmonology opinion.” She asked me one question before anything else. “Did my doctor send me to the wrong specialist for nine years?”
He did not. The two specialties do different work. Her chest doctor managed her asthma well for nearly a decade. He referred her to me for a procedure he does not perform. That is how the two roles are meant to fit together.
Written by Dr. Kunal Waghray, MD DM DNB MNAMS EDRM, Interventional Pulmonologist, Respire Airway Clinics, Hyderabad. Published 15 May 2026.
Dr. Kunal Waghray
Interventional Pulmonologist
MD DM DNB MNAMS EDRM
- DM Pulmonology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences
- IP fellowship trained, EDRM certified
- 1,000+ bronchoscopy and pleural procedures performed
- Interventional pulmonology at Basheer Bagh and Jubilee Hills
The Short Answer
A general pulmonologist treats lung disease with medicines, inhalers, and long-term plans. An interventional pulmonologist treats lung disease with procedures inside the airway and around the lung. Both are specialists in lung disease. The difference is in the tools they use.
Most patients see a general pulmonologist first. A smaller group get referred to an interventional pulmonologist for a specific procedure. After the procedure, they go back to their original doctor for follow-up care.
What a General Pulmonologist Treats
A general pulmonologist, often called a chest physician in India, manages most lung conditions through diagnosis, medicines, and ongoing care. Most chest physicians also perform basic bronchoscopy and basic pleural taps. The boundary between “basic” and “advanced” is what separates the two specialties.
Asthma
Inhaler choice, control, step-up and step-down therapy, long-term management.
COPD
Long-term management, exacerbation care, oxygen planning, pulmonary rehabilitation.
Tuberculosis
Diagnosis, treatment, follow-through to cure.
Pneumonia and chest infections
Workup and antibiotics; escalation if needed.
Interstitial lung disease
Medical management once a tissue diagnosis has been made.
Sleep apnea
Sleep studies, CPAP titration, long-term follow-up.
What an Interventional Pulmonologist Does
An interventional pulmonologist (often shortened to IP) performs advanced procedures inside the airway and the pleural space. These are minimally invasive procedures, done through a flexible scope or a small chest puncture, not open surgery. If your doctor wants tissue from inside the chest, fluid drained from the lung, or an airway opened, that work usually sits with an IP.
For a fuller scope of the subspecialty, see our page on what is interventional pulmonology.
General Pulmonologist vs Interventional Pulmonologist: Side by Side
| Feature | General Pulmonologist | Interventional Pulmonologist |
|---|---|---|
| Primary tools | Medicines, inhalers, long-term plans | Bronchoscopy, EBUS, cryobiopsy, pleural procedures, airway stenting |
| Training after MD | DM or DNB in pulmonary medicine | DM/DNB plus IP fellowship (1 to 2 additional years) |
| Bronchoscopy | Basic flexible bronchoscopy | Advanced bronchoscopy, EBUS-TBNA, rigid bronchoscopy, cryobiopsy |
| Pleural procedures | Basic thoracentesis | Thoracentesis, pleurodesis, IPC, medical thoracoscopy |
| Airway work | Not performed | Stenting, dilatation, tumour debulking, foreign body removal |
| Long-term disease management | Yes (asthma, COPD, TB, ILD, sleep apnea) | Usually hands back to referring doctor after procedure |
| Lung cancer staging | Clinical and radiological staging | Tissue staging via EBUS-TBNA or bronchoscopic biopsy |
The Training Path in India (and Why the Titles Differ)
Both specialists start at the same place. The paths diverge after the MD.
MBBS
Five and a half years of general medicine training.
MD in Pulmonary Medicine or Respiratory Medicine
Three years of pulmonary specialty training.
DM (Pulmonary Medicine) or DNB (Respiratory Diseases)
Three more years of super-specialty training in lung disease. At this point the doctor is a fully qualified pulmonologist.
IP Fellowship (interventional pulmonologists only)
One to two further years focused only on advanced bronchoscopy, EBUS, pleural procedures, and airway work. The fellowship is not yet a standard NMC degree in India. Many IPs train abroad or at one of a small number of Indian centres.
The total path from MBBS to practicing IP is about twelve to thirteen years. The second name signals extra fellowship training, not a higher rank.
When You Need Which One (a Simple Rule)
You do not need to guess. Most patients are sent to the right specialist by their treating doctor. If you are still unsure, look at your referral note. Words like “biopsy,” “EBUS,” “pleural drainage,” “stent,” or “advanced bronchoscopy” point to IP.
See a general pulmonologist when:
- You have a new cough, breathlessness, or wheeze that needs a diagnosis
- You have asthma, COPD, ILD, or sleep apnea that needs ongoing management
- You need medication adjustments, inhaler training, or a sleep study
- You need a routine chest evaluation
See an interventional pulmonologist when:
- Your doctor wants a biopsy from inside the lung, airway, or mediastinal lymph nodes
- You have unexplained fluid around the lung that needs draining or testing
- You are being staged for lung cancer
- You have a narrowed airway, a stent question, or coughing up blood that needs a scope
- Your ILD diagnosis needs tissue, and surgery is being considered
How the Two Specialists Work Together
A general pulmonologist quarterbacks long-term care. An IP is called in for a specific procedure, then steps back. This is how almost every IP case begins.
ILD pattern that needs tissue
A chest physician follows a patient with breathlessness and a CT that suggests ILD. Medicines alone are not clarifying the picture. The chest physician refers the patient to an IP for a cryobiopsy. The IP performs the procedure, the tissue gets a diagnosis, the report goes back. The chest physician then starts the right medication and continues care.
Suspicious lymph node on scan
The oncologist or chest physician spots a suspicious lymph node. The IP performs an EBUS and samples the node. The result goes back to the referring team for staging and treatment planning. The IP is not a replacement for your treating doctor. The IP is the proceduralist your treating doctor calls in.
“Skipping the referring doctor often slows your care, because the IP report needs someone to act on it. If you arrive at our clinic without a referral, we will help you work out the right pathway and communicate back to your treating doctor.”
Why Respire Airway Clinics Has Both Specialties
Most Hyderabad practices have a chest physician or an IP, not both. Respire has both, in the same practice.
For a patient, this means two things. First, if you start with general pulmonology and a procedure becomes necessary, the handover is in-house. Your scans, notes, and history move with you. Second, if your existing chest physician refers you to us for a procedure, your report goes back to your doctor cleanly. We do not pull patients away from their referring teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a pulmonologist and an interventional pulmonologist?
A pulmonologist treats lung disease primarily with medicines and long-term plans. An interventional pulmonologist treats lung disease primarily with procedures inside the airway and around the lung. Both are lung specialists. The IP has additional fellowship training in advanced bronchoscopy and pleural procedures.
When should I see an interventional pulmonologist?
See one when your doctor wants a chest biopsy, fluid drained from the lung, an airway opened, or haemoptysis evaluated by scope. Most patients reach an IP through a referral, not directly.
Is an interventional pulmonologist a surgeon?
No. An IP is a physician with extra procedural training. The procedures are minimally invasive, done through a flexible scope or a small puncture. Surgery means open or VATS thoracic surgery, which is done by a thoracic surgeon.
Do I still need my regular pulmonologist if I see an interventional one?
Yes, almost always. The IP usually performs a specific procedure and sends the report back to your treating doctor. Long-term care continues with the doctor who knows your history.
What conditions does an interventional pulmonologist treat?
Common ones include lung cancer staging, interstitial lung disease, pleural effusion, haemoptysis, airway obstruction, tracheal stenosis, sarcoidosis, and mediastinal lymphadenopathy.
How is an interventional pulmonologist trained in India?
The path is MBBS, then MD in Pulmonary Medicine, then DM or DNB super-specialty training, then an IP fellowship. The fellowship is one to two years and is offered at a small number of Indian centres, with some doctors training abroad. The total path from MBBS to practicing IP is about twelve to thirteen years.
Book a Consultation at Respire Airway Clinics
If you were referred to an IP, book an appointment and bring your referral note, prior scans, and reports. For general pulmonology and sleep care, Dr. Pradyut Waghray sees patients at Basheer Bagh and Jubilee Hills. For interventional pulmonology, contact Dr. Kunal Waghray at the same locations.