Who is an internist?
Internists are internal medicine doctors specializing in treating illnesses in adults. They are experts in internal organs and the body's systems. Internists have a thorough knowledge of medical disciplines such as bacteriology (study of bacteria), physiology (study of bodily functions), and pathology (study of diseases) to treat complicated conditions or infections. Internists treat adult patients but can also treat adolescents above 13.
They can act as primary care providers and focus on treating multi-system and chronic or multiple illnesses, regardless of their complexity. For example, internists can treat patients with high blood pressure and diabetes. Internists also provide preventive care and health promotion. Even if you are healthy and disease-free, you can consult an internist near you to plan blood pressure and cholesterol screenings or mammograms and understand how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Internists also work with other physicians to manage your overall health, if required. They can also treat common reproductive organs, nervous systems, skin, ears, and eye problems. Moreover, they can advise you on mental health, substance abuse, and women's health and wellness.
What is the difference between an internist and a family physician?
Family physicians can treat both adults and children. They can perform routine procedures, treat patients in hospital settings, and deliver emergency care. On the other hand, internists are experts in the body's systems and provide necessary care accordingly.
Internists work in intensive care, nursing homes, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, hospice care centers, clinics, and offices. They can also work in medical schools as teachers, curriculum developers, administrators, and academic advisors or become professional researchers developing new vaccines and procedures to treat existing and new diseases.
What kind of training and education do internists receive?
To become an internist, one must complete a four-year undergraduate degree program and attend medical school for four years. After earning their medical degree, aspirants must complete a residency program in internal medicine that typically lasts three years. During this time, residents gain hands-on experience by providing extensive patient care under physician supervision.
Internists also have the option to complete a fellowship program, which is an additional two to three years of specialized training in a specific area of internal medicine, such as:
- Infectious diseases (treating diseases caused by bacteria and viruses)
- Cardiovascular care (providing care related to heart diseases)
- Pulmonary/respiratory medicine (treating lungs and respiratory system conditions)
- Rheumatology (curing conditions affecting bones, muscles, and joints)
- Endocrinology (treating illnesses such as diabetes or hormonal diseases)
- Nephrology (managing conditions affecting the kidneys)
- Oncology (treating tumors)
- Occupational medicine (managing workplace diseases)
- Geriatric medicine (elderly care)
- Critical care (care of critical patients)
- Allergy and immunology (handling allergies and conditions of the immune system)
- Gastroenterology (treating conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract)
- Hematology (managing disorders affecting blood and blood-forming organs)
These fellowship programs provide additional expertise and training to help manage complex medical conditions. Overall, internists learn how to diagnose and treat acute and chronic illnesses, manage chronic conditions, promote health and disease prevention, and provide comprehensive care to adults throughout their education and clinical training.
What conditions do internists treat?
Internists are medical experts who can diagnose, treat, and manage various adult illnesses. They are also adept at handling multiple conditions affecting a patient simultaneously. Some of the conditions internists treat include the following:
- Chronic diseases: Internal medicine doctors specialize in managing chronic diseases, which is one of their primary focus areas. They track such diseases and tailor treatments according to their results and progress. These chronic diseases include arthritis, liver disease, kidney disease, heart disease, and asthma.
- Infectious diseases: Internists also specialize in diagnosing and treating infections caused by fungi, viruses, bacteria, or parasites. These diseases may include hepatitis, sepsis, tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza, and Lyme disease.
- Digestive system issues: You can also consult an internist if you experience digestive problems. They are adept at diagnosing conditions like cirrhosis, GERD, hepatitis, and ulcers. Their training requires identifying any pancreas, gallbladder, liver, intestine, stomach, and esophagus issues.
- Respiratory system disorders: Internists can diagnose and treat conditions affecting the respiratory system, including the airways and lungs. These conditions include pulmonary embolisms, lung cancer, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Endocrine system disorders: The endocrine system produces hormones that control other bodily functions. Internists specialize in identifying its issues, which may include ovarian and testicular disorders, pituitary gland disorders, adrenal gland disorders, thyroid disorders, and diabetes.
- Neurological disorders: Internists can also identify conditions affecting the brain, nervous system, and spinal cord. Some of these disorders include neuropathy, stroke, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Mental health disorders: Internists receive training to identify and treat various mental health disorders in addition to physical health issues. These include conditions like bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders.
- Preventive care: Internists are further responsible for providing comprehensive preventive care to their patients. This includes services like routine health screenings, such as blood pressure and cancer screenings, regular check-ups, and vaccinations. These screenings help patients avoid various diseases and illnesses in the long run.
When should you see an internist?
An internist or an internal medicine physician can assist patients above eighteen years of age with the following:
- Chronic conditions management: If you have a chronic illness like diabetes, heart disease, or hypertension, an internist can help manage your condition and prevent complications.
- Diagnosis and treatment of acute illnesses: An internist can diagnose and treat the actual cause of your condition if you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, or body aches.
- Annual check-up: To maintain overall health, an internist performs a comprehensive physical examination and provides preventive care, including immunizations and health screenings.
- Referral to specialists: If you need specialized care, an internist can refer you to a specialist and manage your overall medical care.
- Medication management: An internist can ensure that multiple medications do not interact negatively and prescribe them at appropriate doses.
Overall, an internist provides personalized, high-quality medical care to adults, and you should consider seeing one for any medical concerns you may have.
What should one expect during the first visit to an internist?
What happens during the first visit to an internist will largely depend on your illness or condition. Generally, the internist will check your heartbeat and blood pressure. They will ask about your and your family's medical history and review your medication list. They will ask you about the symptoms you currently face and if you have any other problems you need care with.
The internist will conduct a physical exam to check your breathing for signs of shortness of breath, wheezing, or crackles. They will look at your posture and ask you to walk or perform specific exercises. The internist will listen to your heart for heart murmurs, unusual sounds, or irregular heartbeats. Other than checking your nails and skin, they will also check your throat, mouth, nose, eyes, and ears for anything unusual.
They will order screening tests such as bone density, blood sugar, or lipid panel tests if required. Depending on the problem, they might ask for imaging tests or urinalysis. The internist will prescribe medication or other treatments once they diagnose the problem. They may ask you to revisit so that they can monitor your progress. Hence, choosing a qualified internist near you is wiser as it provides convenient access to timely healthcare.
Moreover, if needed, the internist will refer you to another specialist. Further, the internist will coordinate your care closely with such specialists. They will also check medication interactions so that there are no adverse effects.
The internist will ask about your lifestyle and advise on any changes that could help you lead a healthier life. They will also check if you have any mental health issues, including depression or anxiety.
Internists are experts at diagnosing complicated issues. For example, if you have abdominal pain, they can pinpoint the reason and determine if it is gastrointestinal or due to some other problem. Similarly, if you have chest pain, they can check if it is due to a gastrointestinal or lung problem.
Foods that keep your internal organs healthy
Achieving proper health involves providing your body with the nutrients each organ requires to enhance functionality and prevent associated disorders.
Some nutrient-rich foods include:
- Brain: Incorporate Omega-3 fatty acids from walnuts, chia seeds, and sardines into your meals. Opt for leafy greens such as broccoli, cauliflower, and spinach to nourish your brain. Include fruits like plums, cherries, avocados, berries, oranges, and red grapes, known for their high ORAC content, which is beneficial for brain health.
- Heart: Choose whole grains, leafy greens like spinach, berries, Omega-3-rich fishes, walnuts, almonds, tomatoes, and seeds like flax seeds and chia seeds for heart health. Consume potassium, beta-carotene, and magnesium-rich fruits like banana, orange, papaya, and cantaloupe. Incorporate fiber-rich beans with heart-healthy minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Integrate asparagus into your diet for its heart-friendly nutrients, including Vitamin B folate.
- Liver: Support liver health with sulfur-containing foods like onions, garlic, beetroot, carrot, grapefruit, lemons, and spinach. Start your day with warm water and lemon juice as part of a liver care ritual to help your liver work better and filter pollutants.
- Lungs: Ensure healthy lungs by including apples, walnuts, berries, broccoli, ginger, flaxseeds, garlic, and turmeric in your diet. Maintain lung hydration by drinking adequate water to prevent irritation and inflammation.
- Kidney: Avoid processed foods and focus on cabbage, apples, asparagus, garlic, and berries. Consume an adequate amount of water to support kidney health.
- Teeth and bones: Cheese, yogurt, almonds, spinach, soybeans, and low-fat milk are good sources of dietary calcium. Ensure proper calcium absorption with Vitamin D from fish and eggs.
- Hair: Support healthy hair growth with Vitamin B from leafy greens, peas, tomatoes, and carrots—combat hair loss by incorporating Zinc-rich foods like beans and pumpkin seeds. Include protein-rich cottage cheese in your diet for overall hair health.
- Skin: Promote disease-free and healthy skin with alpha-lipoic acid from green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli. Ensure skin health with various Vitamins C, E, K, and A from colorful fruits and vegetables. Enhance skin health with Omega-3 Fatty acids from walnuts.
For more personalized advice, it is best to talk to a professional like a nutritionist, dietitian, or internist who best understands your internal organs.
Find the best internist near you in Boston
Finding an internist in Boston with the best experience can be challenging. However, you can quickly identify internists in your neighborhood via Zocdoc from the convenience of your home.
Go to the Zocdoc website and enter your illness or symptoms, location, and insurance details. It will provide you with a list of the best-qualified internists. Your search results can also be filtered and arranged according to the time of day, gender, spoken languages, hospital affiliation, and location of the internist. Enter your insurance company and plan in the drop-down option at the top of the web page to see which internists accept your insurance. The displayed results will automatically be filtered to show only in-network providers. You can also update your Zocdoc account’s insurance information to get filtered results without choosing your plan every time. Alternatively, you can consider uploading a picture of your health plan card on the Zocdoc app to find internists within your insurance network. Check out Zocdoc's patient help center for more insurance-related FAQs.
Zocdoc also provides information on each healthcare provider's educational background, clinical experience, certifications, licenses, awards, and accreditations in their dedicated profiles. Checking verified patient reviews can assist you in making a more informed choice. You can book both in-person appointments or online consultations. The patients can schedule appointments during office hours, after 5 pm, or even on weekends, depending on the doctor's availability.
All thanks to Zocdoc, locating the desired internist near you is now easier! Booking appointments on Zocdoc is quick, secure, and 100% free!
Statistics on internists and diabetes in Massachusetts
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7% annual growth in employment opportunities for internal medicine in Massachusetts, faster than the national average, through 2028. According to the American Diabetes Association, about 8.4% of Massachusetts' adult population, or 476,687 persons, have been diagnosed with diabetes. In Massachusetts, an additional 144,000 people have diabetes but are unaware of it, dramatically raising their health risk.
According to the same source, 31.8% of the adult population, equivalent to 1,743,000 persons, were affected by prediabetes (a condition described as having blood glucose levels higher than usual but not at the level of diabetes diagnosis). Additionally, an estimated 48,506 persons receive a diabetes diagnosis each year. The cost of medical care for people with diabetes is about 2.3 times greater than for non-diabetics.
Sources
Mercy Cedar Rapids
Thompson Health
Radar Medical Group
Doctorly.org
Mass.gov
American Diabetes Association
American Academy of Family Physicians
WebMD
Krishnendu Ayurveda
Access Health Care Physicians
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