From spaceships and rodeos to bayou trails, world-class art and a massive food scene to boot, Houston is chock-full of places to see, people to meet and experiences waiting to be had. It's no wonder more than 7 million people now call Houston home — it's a city so diverse that from within its melting pot flows a culture uniquely its own, complete with its own set of traditions, sounds and phrases.

Feeder roads, chopped and screwed, trill, Kuykendahl (kEr ken-dAHl), and "the loop" are all Houston-isms that make Houston, well, Houston.

So, too, does the Texas Medical Center, the largest concentration of medical institutions in the world. It offers convenient access to the brightest minds in medicine, but knowing how to navigate the vast complex is easier said than done, and there are lots of options.

After settling in, exploring the city and learning the lingo, your health care needs to be a priority. So what type of primary care physician should you see? Do you also need a specialist? And what should you do when, all too common, a storm hits, streets flood, or a heat wave rolls through?

We asked Dr. Sreedhar Gottiparthy, a primary care physician at Houston Methodist, for his best advice on how to find the right provider in Houston. Plus, we've compiled our best tips and tricks for keeping well and staying healthy — a la Houston!

Physician tips for establishing a new healthcare network in Houston

With more than 18,000 physicians in the Houston area, finding a doctor that's right for you can sometimes feel like the proverbial needle in the haystack — a sign of abundance that's potentially a cumbersome problem.

From specialty care like cardiology and gastroenterology to urgent care for minor injuries and ailments to emergency medicine for serious and life-threatening issues, there's virtually no ailment that isn't researched or treated here in Houston.

So where on earth do you start? You absolutely need a primary care provider, says Dr. Gottiparthy. The question is: What kind?

1. Find a primary care provider that suits your needs

Your primary care provider, or PCP for short, serves as your doctor for the long haul, your go-to resource for preventative care. Your PCP is your main advocate for treating common medical conditions and will help assess your symptoms to manage your treatment in the best way possible.

Within the realm of primary care, six main types exist:

• Internists, who primarily treat adults, are doctors who specialize in internal medicine, or the ability to treat diseases that span across the body or affect more than a single organ
• Family practitioners are doctors specialized in treating all ages and genders, from newborns to seniors, in the context of person's family or community
• Obstetricians/gynecologists (OB-GYNs) are doctors who specialize in female reproductive health and most often treat women of reproductive age and older
• Pediatricians are doctors who treat children from newborns into adulthood
• Geriatricians are doctors who specialize in the care for senior adults
• Nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) are medical providers who receive different training than physicians but can serve as primary care providers in many instances

When it comes to choosing a specialty, oftentimes it seems more complicated than it really is. According to Dr. Gottiparthy, the difference is usually marginal at best.

"Some patients specifically ask for internal medicine rather than family medicine," says Dr. Gottiparthy. "As internal medicine physicians, we may have a bit more in-depth knowledge about the management of certain medical conditions, but there isn't much of a difference, and if there is one, it's pretty marginal."

NPs and PAs can be good primary care options

The option of a nurse practitioner or physician assistant might have surprised you, but these are highly trained medical providers who partner with physicians as part of your health care team and can even serve as your primary care provider, says Dr. Gottiparthy.

"If I were a patient seeking a new internist or family medicine doctor, I would want to see a physician to discuss all my medical problems thoroughly at least once to make sure there's nothing needed to be investigated specially," says Dr. Gottiparthy. "Once care is established, I don't have any objection to seeing a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, even in specialty care nowadays."

As Dr. Gottiparthy describes, having a NP or PA as part of your health team is a "great luxury" and is like having two opinions in one visit.

How to pick your doctor

There's also the question of which doctor, specifically. Several ways of identifying an available primary care provider exist, but Dr. Gottiparthy has his favorites.

"A lot of people just ask their friends, family or coworkers," says Dr. Gottiparthy. "It's not actually a bad idea and in many times much more advisable."

"What was their experience like? What were the positives and negatives? Even what's the parking situation like, I've noticed, is a surprisingly common question that seems to be a lot more important nowadays," says Dr. Gottiparthy. "Another way is to ask your insurance carrier, but the majority of the time it's through the internet or colleagues."

The latest trends in people's selection, says Dr. Gottiparthy, are doctor ratings, wait times for appointments and whether offic is even accepting new patients. All of that and more can easily be found using our Find a Doctor tool.

2. Ask about specialty care, if needed

High blood pressure is one of the most common medical conditions involving your heart health, but does that mean you should seek a cardiologist? When it comes to specialty care, selecting the appropriate doctor is best answered by your primary care provider.

"It's a good idea to start with a primary care physician and ask for guidance before you search for your own specialist," says Dr. Gottiparthy. "They can advise you based on their previous experiences with specialists and the medical conditions you may have."

That said, if the care needed seems urgent, Dr. Gottiparthy says it's a good idea to seek specialty care rather than to wait and delay care.

"If you need to see a specialist, patients should have the liberty to choose," says Dr. Gottiparthy. "Patients should ask for referrals, but having to come in and get seen first by primary care delays care by at least a day or more in most cases."

"For example, if a patient's ear is hurting very badly, and they went to an ear, nose and throat specialist before seeing me, I don't really worry too much about that," says Dr. Gottiparthy.

3. Know your urgent care options

If you're sick and need care, Virtual Urgent Care or Same Day Clinics are great options for when your PCP might not have availability within the next couple of days.

Luckily, there are tons of urgent care locations throughout Houston, so care is usually only a few miles (and minutes) away.

4. Locate your closest emergency room

Emergencies happen, oftentimes unexpectedly. Knowing where to get care and fast is important when moving to a new place or city.

Whether it's treating minor emergencies or life-threatening ones, Houston Methodist Emergency Care Centers and Houston Methodist Emergency Departments are open 24/7, year-round, to provide the full spectrum of medical services to all patients who need emergency assistance.

At our emergency care locations, we offer:

• Board-certified emergency physicians and nurses
• On-site laboratory
• Full-service X-ray, CT and ultrasound
• Private treatment rooms

Wellness tips and tricks to live by as a Houstonian

Consider this your go-to guide for how to live in Houston well — whether you're new to Houston or a native. Houston Methodist staffers, both Houston-born and transplant, live by these tips, and so should you.

How to prepare for your first Houston storm

With a humid subtropical climate, Houston gets lots of rain. And it's not uncommon for certain parts of the city to flood — even during the most normal of storms. The likelihood of heavy rains, power outages and unexpected weather phenomena here isn't so much a question of if so much as when so prepping for them is essential. It's better to be prepared and not needed than unprepared and in a bind.

But storm prep involves more than stocking up on food and water. The bread aisle is the tried-and-true "hunker down" barometer — if it's empty, something's going down. As you settle in, complete these five steps and make sure you're prepared like a Houstonian!

Read: Storm Prep Checklist: Have You Completed These 5 Steps?

Summer activities abound, but beware of excess heat and humidity

Beaches, parks, museums, zoos and even star observatories (believe it) — you name it, Houston's got something new to explore practically every weekend of summer and beyond! But when you live in a city with long, hot summers along the Gulf of Mexico, things can get more than just a bit sticky.

Triple-digit temperatures aren't uncommon during summer, and it's important to stay hydrated, apply sunscreen and know the signs of heat exhaustion, which can happen to anyone. If you've never experienced a Houston summer, we've got eight tips to navigate the heat and avoid heat-related dangers.

Read: Houston Heat Safety: What You Need to Know During a Heat Wave

How to stay safe while exercising outdoors

Physical activity is one of the best things you can do to improve your health and prevent chronic disease, but what's it like working out in the Houston heat and humidity? Besides staying hydrated, here are five questions to ask yourself before braving the Bayou City's elements.

Read: 5 Questions to Ask Before Running in Humidity

Know Houston's allergy seasons and how to prepare for each

Come spring, summer or fall, seasonal allergies are all too common in Houston. But, fortunately, they're something regular snifflers and sneezers can prepare for. We interviewed a Houston Methodist ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor, who gives general tips to live by, plus when it's time to see a doctor for seasonal allergies.

Read: 5 Tips for Avoiding Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

PS: Did you know we have a podcast? If you're more of a listener than a reader we've got you covered on this topic and more! Our podcast delves even deeper into the world of allergies, where we an ENT doctor answers your most common questions.

Listen: Can Seasonal Allergies Be Prevented?

Bug spray is essential, but DEET is just one of many

Houston's got a love-hate relationship with bugs: We love to hate on them — and for good reason.

Mosquitos aren't just annoying; they can carry illnesses ranging from West Nile and Zika to dengue and malaria. Luckily, Harris County and many surrounding counties track mosquito-borne illnesses in the area and conduct aerial spraying that reduces the mosquito population in affected areas.

Bug spray stinks, but protection starts with you, and it's easy. A Houston Methodist physician goes over the many EPA-approved options below.

Read: Is DEET Bad for You? Plus 4 More Bug Spray Questions, Answered

Speaking of bugs, 'mud bugs' are a Houston delicacy

Mud bugs or crawfish, as many call them, aren't actually bugs but rather a freshwater crustacean related to shrimp. From February through May, they're a regional delicacy, with a mild sweet flavor and typically served with corn, potatoes and lots of spices — a must if you haven't already.

That said, there are some nutritional considerations to keep in mind. Fortunately, a Houston Methodist dietician breaks them down and tells how to make the healthiest possible crawfish boil.

Read: Crawfish Boils: Healthy or Unhealthy?

Saharan dust … in Houston? Believe it

One unique weather event in Houston and Texas is the arrival of several hundred million tons of dust particles from Africa's Saharan Desert. While it poses several climate benefits, like reflecting sunlight to cool the Earth and discouraging storm formation, it can also stir acute health concerns, particularly in vulnerable populations, such as people with asthma, the elderly, and those with lung illnesses.

The event typically happens annually from June to July, but there are things you can do to prepare and protect you and those around you. We interviewed a Houston Methodist doctor, who shared tips to live by.

Read: Surviving Houston Amid Saharan Dust and Heat Waves

As a welcome gift, we'll send you a free first-aid kit

We're so happy you're here, and to make your move that much easier, we'll send you a free first-aid kit to welcome you to Space City. Enjoy and welcome to Houston!

Next: Get your free kit or find a doctor