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Internal Medicine Physician |
Career OverviewInternal medicine physicians need to be flexible, dependable, and competent under pressure and stress. In the current system and according to the current definition, internal medicine is an extremely broad field of medical practice. It includes a vast range of specialties, including cardiology, endrocrinology, oncology, and rheumatology. Approximately 50% of resident graduates of internal medicine programs opt to go into one of the subspecialties in the field.
During a typical day, an internal medicine physician will use sophisticated technical equipment to diagnose and treat patients with a range of diseases, such as catherterization techniques and angioplasty to treat heart disease. They may also apply highly specialized knowledge of biochemistry to assess a patient's need for medication to prevent or treat kidney failure.
Internal medicine physicians generally work on hospital wards and have a high degree of patient contacts during the day. They may make rounds to perform basic reviews of hospitalized patients, they may also consult with specialists in internal medicine or surgery to evaluate patient conditions. They may also engage in teaching activities or general research as part of their routine.
Whilst internal medicine is a very popular field, it is also very diverse. There are ample opportunities for practitioners, researchers, educators, consultants, administrators, and policy-makers.
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Career RequirementsAn internal medicine physician must fulfil the education and experience requirements established by federal and state government to practice medicine.
For entry into any education program to become a specialist in internal medicine, a doctor of education degree is required from an approved school of medicine. It is often mandatory that candidates complete at least three years of graduate medical education in internal medicine before practicing independently.
To work as an internal medicine physician, an individual must complete four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and four years of residency. Opportunities for additional fellowship training exist in critical care medicine, pain management, pediatrics, obstetrical, and cardiovascular medicine, and infectious diseases. Many internal medicine physicians also look to careers as hospitalists, specializing in in-patient care, primarily in hospitals.
Due to the vastness and diversity of the practical knowledge required for a physician to perform as an internal medicine physician, rotations in different areas of medical practice and internships in these areas are vital to professional development.
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Job OutlookMany health care insurance plan providers are under considerable pressure from customers and physicians to increase patient access to specialists.
That said, the job outlook for internal medicine physicians is quite promising: the field is a diverse one. It offers qualified medical doctors the opportunity to deal directly with patients, act as policy makers, consultants, and researchers in the diagnosis and treatment of internal diseases.
The field allows physicians to be at the forefront of cutting-edge research in a field that combines chemistry, pharmacology, physiology, and biochemistry and focuses on the physical processes of complex bodily functions and anatomical systems.
The field looks set to remain particularly lucrative, dynamic, and open to qualified and enthusiastic graduates of medical schools.
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Career TrackMost internal medicine physicians are employed by hospitals or university hospitals to engage in general or specialist practice, to educate medical students and residents, or to conduct research. Specialist medicines practiced by internal medicine physicians include the following:
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
- Emergency Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Family and General Practice
- Gastroenterology
- Geriatrics
- Hematology
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Genetics
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Oncology
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Preventive Medicine
- Pulmonology
- Rheumatologist
- Sports Medicine
To practice a sub-specialty of internal medicine, additional training is required. Few internal medicine physicians are certified as a sub-specialist, for example, as a cardiologist, before they reach thirty years old.
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CompensationThe average reported salary for a general internal medicine specialist in the United States is approximately $155,530 per year. Depending upon their qualifications and experience, most specialists of internal medicine in the United States earn between $150,000 and $200,000 per year.
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