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Internal medicine refers to a specialized branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various acute, chronic and complex diseases inside the body of adults from a holistic perspective, diseases that do not require surgery. That is, general or specialized treatments other than adult surgery are generally considered to be under the purview of internal medicine. Internal medicine deals with the overall health of a patient, not a specific organ or system. Physicians trained in internal medicine working in hospitals are called internists (Internist in English or Physician in Commonwealth countries).
If an adult has a health problem, the first doctor he or she may visit other than the family doctor is an internist. An internist is trained to treat almost any disease or health problem that may arise in adulthood. They can treat minor problems like a sinus infection or a broken wrist, as well as monitor the treatment and management of serious problems like polyuria (diabetes), infections, asthma or breathing problems, heart disease, high cholesterol, etc. An internist develops a treatment plan, monitors chronic disease, writes prescriptions, authorizes laboratory tests and reviews test results, and records and reviews the patient’s complete medical history.
Internists are different from general practitioners and family physicians, although both types of physicians are considered primary care physicians. Family or general practitioners can treat children, adolescents, adults, the elderly and patients of all ages and genders, whereas internists only treat adults. Although the responsibilities and scope of work of general practitioners and internists are very similar, another major difference between them is that most internists work in large hospitals, while family or general practitioners usually provide services in outpatient clinics (outpatient clinics) or clinics. In addition, internists spend relatively more time training in hospitalized inpatient emergency care, crisis care, and specialty care, while family or general physicians, in contrast, spend more time training in pediatrics, outpatient medicine, and gynecology/obstetrics. If a family is looking for a primary care physician who can treat the entire family, provide routine check-ups and preventive services, provide health education and counseling, administer immunizations for children, It is more appropriate to see them with a family doctor or general practitioner. On the other hand, if an adult needs regular check-ups, diagnosis and referral to the right specialist for complex treatment, then seeing an internist may be preferable.
Internal medicine can be considered as the mother branch of various specialized branches of medicine like cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, etc. For example, from 2019 onwards, all those interested in the medical profession in the UK are required to complete a two-year foundation course and become a registered medical practitioner after graduating in medicine. After that, if a doctor wants to get advanced training in a specialized branch of medicine, it is compulsory to complete a three-year internal medicine training course. It was earlier known as “central training”. In the United States, four years of medical school followed by a three-year “residency” program can earn the title of internist. During residency training they acquire basic knowledge on various specialized diseases of adults such as cardiology, internal medicine, palliative care, etc.
The field of internal medicine began in the 17th century with Thomas Sydenham’s theory of disease. Until the advent of specialty medicine before the 20th century, internists were of little use in the treatment of disease. As treatments for specific diseases became available, the body of medical knowledge expanded and medical subdisciplines related to specific organs and systems began to be defined, and internal medicine was recognized as a distinct discipline in the wake of these developments.
