What Does an Internist Do?

When you have a medical problem, it can be difficult to determine what kind of doctor you need simply because there are so many different specialties. In many cases, your primary care physician will be able to handle the problem or will be able to refer you to someone who can. One of the most common referrals PCPs make is to internists.

What Is an Internist?

An internist is a Doctor of Internal Medicine – a specialist who is equipped to diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions. The term “internist” shouldn’t be confused with “intern” – intern is the name given to doctors in their first year of study while internists have many years of medical training. A Doctor of Internal Medicine has dedicated at least three of seven years of medical study to learning about diagnosing, preventing, and treating the diseases most commonly affecting the average adult.

Internists are sometimes called the “doctor’s doctor” because they are often called up as consultants by other physicians. An internist may choose to specialize in one of thirteen areas of internal medicine. For example, cardiologists are internists that focus on diseases of the heart and the cardiovascular system. In order to become a subspecialist, the internist will need to complete a fellowship requiring one to three additional years of training.

What Can I Expect from an Internist?

Internists are typically equipped to handle whatever problem the patient presents, no matter how simple or complex it may be. An internist is typically a highly skilled diagnostician, trained to solve problems and to make diagnoses for all kinds of illnesses. In addition to diagnosing the problem, an internist is trained in educating the patient in matters of prevention and treatment. He or she may also play a role in coordinating the care of their patients with other medical facilities when needed.

If you are suffering from a medical problem, the chances are good that an internist will be able to help you. In rare cases when this is not true, the internist will be able to refer you to another doctor who can help.