Internist vs. Family Medicine Practitioner

Choosing the right physician for your good health.

It can be overwhelming to try to find a new doctor. How do you know which doctor to choose? Which one will meet your specific needs? Which doctor has the training to deal with your health issues?

Making the decision even more difficult is the variety of physicians at your disposal. However, you don't have to be confused any longer. Here is a breakdown of what internists and family medicine physicians - two of the most common physicians who meet your daily health needs - offer their patients. Use this knowledge to determine which is best for you and your family.

In the Family

Family practitioners or family medicine physicians treat patients of all ages, from pediatrics to geriatrics. All of your family members could visit this one doctor for all their general health needs. In America, these physicians undergo years of training to earn the title of medical doctor (MD) or doctor of osteopathy (DO). Both have a broad scope of knowledge, and both can undergo additional training to earn board certification.

On top of helping to manage and diagnose medical conditions, family practice physicians are able to perform minor surgeries, and some even provide obstetrics and gynecological services for women, including delivering patients' babies. If the event an illness or injury is beyond the scope of the family medicine doctor's scope of expertise, the doctor refers patients to a specialist or surgeon for more in-depth treatment.

Internal Medicine

Internal medicine physicians, also known as internists or general internists, differ from family practitioners in that they focus on the health of adults only. And while their name is deceptively close to “intern,” don't mistake the two. Whereas an intern is a physician beginning his or her first year of residence training, internists are full-blown doctors. As such, they're eligible for board certification, just like their family practitioner counterparts, and they, too, are trained to help prevent, detect, and treat illnesses in adults, from adolescents through geriatrics.

During an internist's training, three out of seven years of education focus on the diseases and health conditions specific to adults and they are not trained in obstetrics or gynecology or surgery. Their education includes learning how the body changes throughout life, what to expect at each stage of life, and methods of prevention and treatment for all medical conditions.

Like family practitioners, internists are often considered a general practice physician and there is not much difference in the way patients are treated. Internal medicine physicians are trained to deal with any medical condition a patient has, no matter how rare or complex. Because they're equipped to solve difficult diagnoses, they are sometimes called the “doctor's doctor,” as specialists may call on internists for help in diagnosing complicated health issues.

Internists often sub-specialize with additional training in one of 13 different areas including cardiology (heart), gastroenterology (digestive system), endocrinology (metabolism, glands, hormones), allergies, cancer, diabetes, adolescence, blood, geriatrics, kidneys, liver, infections, or rheumatism.