What is Internal Medicine?
Internal medicine is a specialized field of medicine dedicated to the comprehensive, non-surgical care of adult patients
. Internal medicine physicians, or internists, are experts in diagnosing, treating, and preventing illnesses that affect the body’s internal systems, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, and digestive tract.
Known as “the doctor’s doctor” for their diagnostic expertise, internists often manage complex, chronic, and multi-system illnesses. Their broad knowledge allows them to see the big picture and make connections between seemingly unrelated symptoms. They can serve as primary care physicians, offering preventative services and wellness exams, while also coordinating with subspecialists when needed. Some internists, known as hospitalists, specialize in treating hospitalized patients. This specialty is distinct from family medicine, which treats patients of all ages.
Scope of care
Internists are experts in the body’s internal systems, including:
- Heart and circulatory system (cardiology)
- Kidneys (nephrology)
- Lungs and respiratory system (pulmonology)
- Blood and blood-forming organs (hematology)
- Endocrine glands and metabolism (endocrinology)
- Immune system (immunology)
- Joints and connective tissues (rheumatology)
Role of an internist
An internist can function as both a primary care physician and a specialist, often managing the overall health of adult patients. Their responsibilities can include:
- Preventive care: Performing annual checkups, wellness exams, and health screenings, as well as providing guidance on disease prevention.
- Chronic disease management: Caring for patients with long-term conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
- Complex illness diagnosis: Uncovering and treating puzzling medical conditions that affect multiple organ systems. For this expertise, they are sometimes called "the doctor's doctor".
- Coordination of care: Referring patients to subspecialists when needed and coordinating with other doctors.
- Hospital care: Some internists work exclusively in hospitals, where they are known as hospitalists. Others see patients in an office setting but follow them if they are hospitalized.
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