The Lowdown on Internists: Don’t All Doctors Treat What’s Inside?

‘What’s an internist’ is perhaps one of the most common questions that Dr Kavita Rao and her team get asked! Firstly, an internist is not to be confused with an ‘intern’. Unlike interns, who are trainee doctors in their first year of study, an internist has years of extensive training and knowledge.

Internist: What is it?

An internist, or internal medicine physician, is a specialist doctor, who uses both medical knowledge and clinical expertise to diagnose, treat and care for adults with a wide range of health conditions.

Internist training involves seven or more years of intensive education. At least three of those years are devoted to learning preventative, diagnostic and curative techniques. Due to this extensive knowledge, other doctors will often call upon internists on a consultative level, in order to help solve mysterious medical cases!

Primary Care Physicians… the Same as Family Care Physicians?

Although internists are often referred to as primary care physicians, they are not the same as family physicians. Unlike family physicians, internists only focus on adults, and have no training in pediatrics.

An internist’s specialty is diagnosing confusing or ambiguous health conditions. They’re trained to deal with complex diseases, and are also able to help people who may be suffering from several illnesses at the same time.

Dedicated Lifelong Care

An internist is also focused on the ‘bigger picture’. A patient isn’t simply a one-time event; a single problem to be solved in one consultation. Instead, an internist will view a patient in life-long terms, ascertaining the best treatment to offer for long-term benefit, rather than short-term gain.

This care continues from the clinic through to hospitalization, and even through to nursing home care.

Specialties

As with many medical practitioners, an internist may choose to complete extra training, in order to specialize in an additional field. You can find out more about Dr Kavita Rao’s specialties here.

If you want to find out more about Dr Kavita Rao and her team, simply visit the site, or call at 727-525-0900.