Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine is a medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and medical treatment of adults. A physician who specializes in internal medicine is referred to as an internist. Subspecialties of internal medicine include allergy and immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, hematology, infectious disease, gastroenterology, nephrology, oncology, rheumatology, and pulmonology.

Overview

Internal medicine physicians, or internists, are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. They are especially well trained in the diagnosis of puzzling medical problems, in the ongoing care of chronic illnesses, and in caring for patients with more than one disease. Internists also specialize in health promotion and disease prevention.

Training

After medical school, an internist completes a residency in internal medicine, which typically lasts three years. After this, many internists will complete a fellowship to sub-specialize in a more specific area of internal medicine.

Subspecialties

There are many subspecialties of internal medicine, including allergy and immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, hematology, infectious disease, gastroenterology, nephrology, oncology, rheumatology, and pulmonology. Each of these subspecialties requires additional fellowship training after the completion of a residency in internal medicine.

Role of Internists

Internists often serve as the primary care physician, but they are not "family physicians," "pediatricians," or "family practitioners". Their training allows them to practice in several different areas, or "domains", of medicine. Some internists will choose to specialize in one of these domains, while others may choose to practice more broadly.

See Also

• Medical Specialties
• Medical Education
• Healthcare

Internal Medicine Resources
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