Diabetes, hypertension, and colds and flu are some of the issues internists may treat and help manage on a regular basis. Often internists may consult with specialists or refer the patient to see a more specialized physician if a serious or acute issue arises. Internists typically do not perform surgeries, although they may sometimes perform some minor office procedures such as mole removal, stress tests, or scopes. Typically internists perform physicals, manage illnesses through diet, medication, and other non-invasive methods.

Due to the broad scope of their work, internists have many options of where to work and how their work is structured. Internists may work in medical offices, clinics, and hospitals, often in combination. An internist may work independently as a solo practitioner, owning and managing his or her own practice, or an internist may partner with other physicians to form a group practice in which the doctors each have partial ownership. Or, some internists may be employed as salaried staff by a clinic or hospital.

Typical office hours are about 8 am to 5 pm, 4 to 5 days per week. The average internist will see about 22-25 patients or more each day during those clinic/office hours. In addition to clinic hours, an internist may also see patients in a hospital on daily rounds, or on an on-call basis. This could add 5-15+ hours per week of work, depending on the patient load and need of the hospital.

If an internist is running his or her own practice, they may spend additional administrative time managing tasks on the business side of the practice.

Like all physicians, internists have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree, plus four years of medical school to obtain a medical degree (M.D. or D.O.) from an accredited medical school.

In addition to their extensive undergraduate and graduate education, a hospitalist also must complete several years of graduate medical education (GME) to include a one-year internship, plus 3 years of residency training. Furthermore, all internists must pass the necessary medical certification and licensing exams including all three steps of the USMLE, and any state licensing exams. Most internists are also required to be board certified in internal medicine, which is achieved by passing the oral and written board certification exams as well.

Internists have a variety of options available to them due to the nature of their work. Also, as primary care physicians, many internists like the personal nature of what they do and the ability to help patients manage their well-being over time. Internists seem to enjoy having that positive impact on people’s lives on an ongoing basis. Internal medicine is one of the most versatile medical specialties a physician could choose.