Internal Medicine is a field of medical practice focused on treating adults. After four years of medical school, doctors complete three years of a residency in internal medicine. Once a doctor completes an internal medicine residency, they are subsequently referred to as an internist and are equipped to deal with most problems a patient brings – no matter how common or rare, or how simple or complex.
General internists handle the broad and comprehensive spectrum of illnesses that affect adults, from short-term care to chronically ill patients, and are recognized as experts in diagnosis, treatment of chronic illness, health promotion, and disease prevention – they are not limited to one type of medical problem or organ system. Internal medical physicians are trained to solve puzzling diagnostic problems and can handle severe chronic illnesses and situations where several different illnesses may strike at the same time.
