Internists are personal physicians who provide long-term, comprehensive care in the o�ce and the hospital, managing both common and complex illnesses in adolescents, adults, and the elderly. Internists are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, infections, and diseases a�ecting the heart, blood, kidneys, joints, and digestive, respiratory and vascular systems. �ey are also trained in the essentials of primary care internal medicine which incorporates an understanding of disease prevention, wellness, substance abuse, mental health, and e�ective treatment of common problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system, and reproductive organs. An internal medicine physician's primary responsibilities include health maintenance and disease screening, the diagnosis and care of acute and chronic medical conditions, management of patients with multiple, complex medical problems, and serving as consultants to other disciplines such as surgery, obstetrics, and family medicine. An internist's work is characterized by extensive knowledge and skill in diagnosis and treatment.

�e numbers of generalist residency graduates have declined each year since 1998, causing concern about future shortages says a study published in Health A�airs. Furthermore, between 2005 and 2025 the population above age 65 will increase 73 percent, the same group who seeks care from generalists at twice the rate of those under the age of 65. Using 2005 levels as a benchmark, a 20-27 percent shortfall, about 35,000 to 44, 000 generalists, is anticipated by 2025. �e major decline is attributed to more and more graduates in internal medicine sub-specializing. To increase the number of generalists, the authors recommend that reimbursement reform realigning incentives to make the “medical home” �nancially viable should be at the top of the list.

AAMC

5Most Frequently

Encountered Conditions

DiabetesMellitus Hypertension

Heart Disease

Hyperlipidemias

Upper respiratoryinfections

PATIENT LOAD

ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITY

LIFESTYLE

SATISFACTION

SALARY

DEMAND

Hours seeing patients per week<30 30-40 41-50 51-60 >60

17% 28% 30% 11% 14%

# of patient visits per week<25 25-49 50-99 100-149 >149

13% 18% 42% 21% 6%

Minutes spent with each patient<9 9-12 13-16 17-20 21-24 >24

3% 14% 28% 26% 12% 17%

Administrative hours spent per week

1-4hrs 5-9hrs 10-19hrs 20-24hrs >25hrs

17% 25% 39% 9% 10%

ON-CALLSCHEDULE

Low High

of physicians in this specialtypractice in an urban setting at:

Office BasedPatient Care

Hospital BasedPhysician Staff

Administration42%of physicians in this specialtypractice in a rural setting at:

58%

}

Step 2 CK

239Step 1

226

MEANUSMLE SCORES

Overall

Feel they are fairly compensated

Would choose medicine again as a career

Would choose the same specialty

44%

45%

61%

25%

CLINICAL PRACTICE

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

StartingSalaries

=Low =Median =High

1-2 yrs inspecialty

AllPhysicians

$150

,000

$ 180

,000 $2

20,0

00

$175

,120

$178

,146 $2

24,11

0$2

83,31

8

ACADEMIC MEDICINE

Assistantprofessor

=Low =Median =High

Associate/Fullprofessor

$148

,000

$ 172

,000

$209

,000

$176

,000

$ 207

,000

$253

,000

Average WeeksWorked Per Year47.7

54.9Average HoursWorked Per Week

LENGTH OFTRAINING

3YEARS

INTERNALMedicineFACTS & FIGURES