![]() However, some internists, known as hospitalists, care for acutely ill patients in the hospital. You may have an internist as your primary care physician, treating you in an office or clinic. This is why internists are found in a variety of roles and settings. They are basically the detectives and problem-solvers of adult medicine and they are also experts in treating extremely ill adults. Internists are particularly skilled in reviewing the symptoms of patients with complex problems, performing physical exams, ordering diagnostic tests, and using this information to identify both common and rare illnesses. The list is exhaustive but basically includes any illness than can affect adults. Just a few of the many illnesses an internist would treat include hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney disease, asthma, heart disease, arthritis, bronchitis, ear infections, back pain and the common cold. This means that they are capable of helping their patients stay healthy and prevent illness, but are also able to diagnose and treat both acute and chronic illnesses. Internists are physicians who have specialized training in the diagnosis and management of illness in adult patients. ![]() The Internist: The Internal Medicine Specialist Let’s first look at the specialty of internal medicine, and then examine how these and other physicians practice in the primary care environment. On the other hand, a primary care physician may be an internist, a pediatrician, a geriatrician, a family practitioner, a gynecologist or an obstetrician, because primary care involves the practice of promoting overall health for the entire individual within the specific population (geriatrics, pediatrics, etc.) of the physician’s specialty. While an internist can function as a primary care physician, he or she may also focus their practice on hospital medicine, medical education and/or research. An internist is a physician who specializes in internal medicine, and is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of adult diseases. To understand the difference between an internist and a primary care physician, it is important to realize that one is a specialty, and the other is a role.
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