What is internal medicine?
Internal medicine is a broad medical specialty focusing on the diagnoses, prevention, and treatment of conditions affecting the internal organs. This includes the care and management of the heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, etc. Doctors who specialize in internal medicine are termed internists. These doctors can manage acute emergencies as well as chronic illnesses. Moreover, they can also provide preventative care to patients. However, internists can only offer medical management and can't provide surgical care.
Internists also act as primary doctors to many patients. This means they are the initial contact between patients and the health care system. However, they do not treat children or adolescents, making them different from general medical practitioners and family physicians. These doctors work in various settings such as medical institutions, private clinics, government healthcare centers, etc.
Education and training of an internist
To practice as an internist, aspirants must first obtain a four-year bachelor's degree in a scientific field such as biology, life sciences, chemistry, etc. Further, students must undergo at least four years of training in an accredited medical school after clearing the Medical College Admission Test or MCAT. The first two years of medical training include theory-based learning, while the next two are more practical-oriented. Upon completing this course, students are granted a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree or a Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) degree, depending on their chosen pathway.
A three-year focused residency training usually follows general medical training in internal medicine. Following this, many doctors choose to become board-certified. To receive such a certification, internists must pass the American Board of Internal Medicine exam. Moreover, some internists opt for additional specialization and training in more specific areas of internal medicine, such as cardiology and pulmonary disease.
What are the various subspecialties in internal medicine?
If you're considering what type of specialist you might want to see for certain health issues, doctors can focus on many different areas within internal medicine. For example:
Advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology: These specialists focus on caring for patients who have severe heart problems and may need a heart transplant.
Adolescent medicine: These doctors specialize in taking care of teenagers and addressing reproductive health, eating disorders, and sports injuries.
Adult congenital heart disease: They're experts in treating adults with heart defects since birth.
Gastroenterology: These specialists handle digestive system problems like ulcers and liver disease.
Medical oncology: They treat cancer and oversee cancer treatment plans.
Nephrology: They focus on kidney disorders and may help manage dialysis treatment.
Neurocritical care: These doctors treat patients with severe neurological problems.
Geriatric medicine: They specialize in caring for older adults and understand their unique health challenges.
Clinical cardiac electrophysiology: They deal with heart rhythm problems and may use devices like pacemakers.
Allergy and immunology: These doctors help manage allergies, asthma, and immune system disorders.
Cardiovascular disease: Also known as cardiologists, they specialize in treating heart and blood vessel conditions.
Critical care medicine: These doctors are skilled in treating very sick patients, often in intensive care units (ICUs).
Hospital medicine: These doctors specialize in caring for hospitalized patients.
Infectious disease: They diagnose and treat infections caused by bacteria, viruses, or other germs.
Endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism: They focus on hormonal and metabolic disorders, including diabetes and thyroid issues.
Each area requires specialized training after medical school, so if you need help with a specific health issue, your primary care doctor can help you find the right specialist.
Internist vs. family physician
Generally, people get confused between family physicians and internists, as both can serve as primary care physicians who manage overall health. Yet, there is a distinct difference between the two: their patient demographics. Internists focus exclusively on adults, while family physicians treat people of all ages - children and adults.
Internists are more experienced in primary care screening and treating common chronic conditions such as thyroid imbalances, diabetes, hypertension, or a complex combination of conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Family physicians, on the other hand, have more experience dealing with common health problems for the entire family, such as the flu, fever, etc. They also focus on disease prevention strategies, lifestyle modification, and immunization through vaccines.
When should you visit an internist doctor near you?
Visiting an internist near you is advised if you face health issues or complications. Different systems in the body manifest other symptoms. Here's a list of a few reasons you may want to visit your specialist:
- Diabetes management: The symptoms of this disease include high blood sugar levels. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels can eventually damage the kidneys and eyes. Timely treatment and intervention for diabetes are highly crucial to preventing future complications.
- Pulmonary disease management: This is a subspecialty within internal medicine focusing on the prevention, diagnosis, and management of disorders of the airway system, including the lungs, upper respiratory tract, thoracic cavity, and chest wall. The diseases managed under this specialty include asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, etc.
- Wound care management: Internists often treat patients' wounds that have not healed in two weeks or have not entirely healed by six weeks. These doctors can help accelerate the healing process and prevent any further infection.
- Cardiovascular health management: Another essential reason to visit your internist is heart health. With the rise in heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrests, it is crucial to perform regular screenings and ensure your heart is in optimum health.
- Digestive problems: These can include gas, bloating, acidity, abnormal bowel movements, weight loss, malnutrition, etc. An internist can easily manage all these issues.
What questions should you ask an internist?
During your visit with an internist, expect to undergo a physical exam, a review of your medical history, your medications, and a discussion about your lifestyle (including exercise and diet). This is also a good time to voice any concerns or ask questions you might have. Here are a few examples:
What medical tests do I need now or in the future?
Doctors often order tests based on your symptoms, but sometimes, they also do so for preventive reasons. Staying proactive is the best way to maintain good health. The type of test you need depends on various factors like age, gender, risk factors, and your medical history. As you age, your doctor may recommend specific tests, such as colonoscopies, mammograms, or others. If you smoke, the doctor might suggest more frequent lung screenings. Asking this question can help you understand where you stand health-wise.
Are there dangers or risks to a recommended procedure or medication?
Every medical procedure and medication carries some level of risk. Some patients fail to ask about these risks during their appointments, which can lead to unanticipated side effects after treatment or medication. You can avoid this by understanding all the potential risks upfront. This question helps ensure that you use medications safely and recover well after any procedure.
How is my condition treated or managed? Will my lifestyle need to change drastically?
Understanding your medical condition helps you better manage it until permanent treatment can be received or to prevent further complications. Asking this question will help you learn whether you'll need to make changes to your diet, daily routine, or medication. Some conditions, like high blood pressure, can be managed with simple lifestyle adjustments, while others, like diabetes, require more long-term attention.
How can internists help manage chronic illnesses?
Chronic illness can drastically affect your quality of life. However, continuous medical care can dramatically help to improve your daily life and routine. An internist can treat and manage your chronic conditions, prevent further disease complications, and reduce healthcare costs with the help of regular check-ups, health screenings, physical examinations, and health education.
On your first visit to the internist, they will ask about your detailed medical history and conduct a thorough physical examination. Next, they will perform diagnostic tests to ascertain the ailment and discuss appropriate treatment. The internist can suggest diet and lifestyle changes such as losing weight, daily exercise, quitting alcohol and smoking, and healthy eating habits to improve your body's response to treatment. They help you understand the symptoms that may need urgent medical attention and guide you on monitoring your health at home.
During your follow-up visit, the internist will conduct health screenings and other tests to assess your body's response to treatment and evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment plan in managing your chronic illnesses. After which, if required, they may recommend necessary changes or modifications. The internist doctor near you may also refer you to a specialist doctor if they feel your ailment requires expert intervention.
How to find an internal medicine doctor in Marietta, Georgia?
Finding a doctor can be quite a tedious process. You must consider several factors before selecting the right internist who can help treat your condition. Moreover, several kinds of internists specialize in different branches of medicine, and choosing the right one can be pretty confusing. You must also remember your insurance type and if your doctor will accept it. But don't worry; Zocdoc is here to help you make the right decision in the easiest ways.
Zocdoc is a platform that will help you search for the best internists near you with their algorithms. Zocdoc also has an insurance detector to help patients understand whether a doctor accepts their insurance. All you need to do is sign up and create an account. The website will search for you and produce results that align with your criteria, such as medical insurance plans, area, and zip code.
If you need help finding internists who take your insurance, our online patient help center will assist you. You can connect your medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your Zocdoc account. Just remember, you can only link one insurance plan to each appointment.
But don't worry if you have more than one insurance plan. You can easily share details about your secondary insurance in the appointment notes. Additionally, if your provider uses Zocdoc's Intake forms, you can input your secondary insurance information for easy access.
Go through the list of specialists' profiles to narrow down your choice of doctor. Each profile details the doctor's years of practice, licenses, affiliations, and the kind of insurance they accept. Zocdoc also lists authentic reviews from previous users that will aid you in making the right choice, i.e., choose the best internist in Marietta, Georgia. You can then make an online or in-person appointment with your internal medicine practitioner. And don't worry; booking appointments with internists near you on Zocdoc is simple, secure, and 100% free!
Statistics on internists in Marietta, Georgia
The American Board of Internal Medicine tells us that 535 internal medicine residency programs were running in 2020-2021, with 3,1602 students registered in these residencies. The board has issued around 297,790 certificates for the discipline of general internal medicine in the United States of America (data as of May 2022). Another study by the University of Medicine and Health Sciences estimates that by 2025, there will be around 20-27 percent shortfall of internists, approximately 35,000 to 44,000 doctors.
According to a study by the Georgia Department of Public Health, around 9 percent of Georgia's pediatric population has asthma, and many more may even be undiagnosed. Another report also states that in 2017, there were about 2,614 asthma-related hospitalizations among children between 0-17 years of age in the state. The total cost of asthma-related hospitalizations among Georgia children amounted to $37.4 million. Further, another study by Vital Records, between 2001 and 2011, states that more than 60 children under 18 died from asthma.
Sources
WebMD
American Board of Internal Medicine
American College of Physicians
University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Johnson Memorial Health
Georgia Department of Public Health
St. George's University[1]
St. George's University[2]
Center for Adult Medicine and Preventive Care
