Whats the difference between internal medicine and family practice?
The differences are both obvious and subtle. On the obvious side, internists aren’t trained in pediatrics or obstetrics, so our scope of practice is more focused. Primary care internists don’t see young children or babies, although some do see adolescents, and conversely a greater proportion of internists’ patients are often elderly. A typical internal medicine resident will spend more of her time learning in the hospital and critical care units, while a family practice resident will spend more of her time polishing her skills in the outpatient clinic. Internists also get more exposure to internal medicine subspecialties during training, so they are often more comfortable with hospitalized and medically complex patients. In smaller communities with limited access to specialists, an internist will sometimes function as a consultant, similar to specialists in urban areas. The subtle differences have more to do with idiosyncrasies in culture and approach between the two specialties than t
