Internal Medicine Certification

Doctors that are considered internal medicine physicians are especially trained to care for adults

. There are various categories in which they may further specialize such as cardiologists, sports medicine doctors, infectious disease specialists, geriatrics experts, allergists and more. To have one of these titles, a physician must study another one to three years past medical school. These health providers are renowned for their abilities to diagnose, treat and prevent diseases and even offer consultations to other health care practitioners.

When a physician has received their board certification, it is a sign that they are highly qualified in their field as well as committed to their practice. Board Certification is not a requirement but is a widely recognized sign of expertise around the globe. The American Board of Internal Medicine is often referred to by their initials ABIM. ABIM has been around for seven decades and has come to be equated with excellence. There are currently over 200,000 internal medicine docs who have chosen to become certified.

Requirements for this dignified title include having the proper schooling, completion of residency and fellowship, stellar performance reviews, licensure that is unrestricted and passing an exam. Once a health professional becomes certified, he or she needs to keep it up. This entails ongoing training and continual commitment to high levels of care with their patients.

In addition to specialties, an internal medicine doc would be likely to:

- Be a primary care provider for individuals in their late teens into old age. There are some who choose adolescence as a specialty and restrict their practice to patients aged fifteen to nineteen.

- Be called upon to tend to patients with undefined symptoms. Some examples of symptoms which may be undefined include back pain, stomach ailments, chronic cough, chest pain or breathing difficulties. Since these practitioners specialize in diagnostics, they are often able to come up with answers to what is wrong.

- Perform screenings for prevention of disease. Some screenings may include CT scans, mammography, colonoscopy, PAP tests and more.

- Care for patients who are hospitalized.

- Collaborate with other physicians in order to care for complex chronic health problems in individuals.

- These professionals are proficient at treating individuals with multiple system diseases.

These health care providers are also referred to by the term "internists." This is not the same as an intern who is still training to be an M.D. but rather a practitioner with advanced knowledge of the human body and its workings. The nickname "a doctor's doctor" has been given to these providers because they are able to come to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment aid of their fellow physicians.

While many of these internists work in hospitals due to their expertise with severe health issues, others practice in offices as primary care providers. Many patients still prefer a generalist or family practitioner so that every member of the family can see the same professional, but more and more people are selecting a health professional to meet their family's health needs. Selecting an internist that is board certified is one more stamp of approval for quality.

by: Andrew Stratton

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