Internist

• An Internist is a physician specializing in adult medicine, focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions.
• They provide comprehensive care for adults, including preventive medicine, chronic disease management, and complex diagnostic challenges.
• Internists are distinct from primary care doctors, often managing more complex or multiple chronic conditions in adults.
• Their expertise covers various internal organ systems, making them adept at treating conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.

What is an Internist and What Do They Do?

An Internist is a medical doctor who has completed specialized training in internal medicine, focusing exclusively on adults. This field of medicine emphasizes the diagnosis and treatment of diseases affecting the internal organs and systems of the body. Unlike some other specialists who focus on a single organ or system, internists are trained to manage a broad spectrum of adult illnesses, from common ailments to complex, multi-system diseases.

What an internist doctor does involves providing comprehensive care, which includes health promotion, disease prevention, screening, and the management of both acute and chronic conditions. They are often the first point of contact for adults seeking medical care and are skilled in navigating diagnostic challenges, coordinating care with other specialists, and offering long-term management for patients with chronic illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), six in ten adults in the U.S. have a chronic disease, and four in ten have two or more, conditions often managed by internists.

Internist vs. Primary Care Doctor: Scope & Conditions Treated

The distinction between an internist and a primary care doctor can sometimes be subtle, as many internists also serve as primary care physicians for adults. However, their training and typical patient focus differ. While all internists are qualified to be primary care doctors for adults, not all primary care doctors are internists. Primary care doctors may include family medicine physicians, who treat patients of all ages, from infants to the elderly, and often handle a broader range of general health issues including minor procedures and obstetrics.

Internists, by contrast, have a deeper and more focused expertise in adult medicine. They are particularly adept at managing complex medical problems, diagnosing puzzling symptoms, and coordinating care for patients with multiple chronic conditions. The conditions treated by internist doctors are extensive and include, but are not limited to:

• Diabetes Mellitus
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Heart Disease (e.g., coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure)
• Lung Conditions (e.g., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – COPD)
• Kidney Disease
• Arthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders
• Gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome, acid reflux)
• Infectious diseases
• Complex diagnostic cases

To further illustrate the differences, consider the following comparison: