Career Overview
Diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. Provide care mainly for adults and adolescents, and are based primarily in an outpatient care setting.
Also Known As
- Internal Medicine Physician (IM Physician)
- Internist
- Medical Doctor (MD)
- Physician
Alternate Job Titles
- DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician)
- Doctor
- Endocrinologist
- Endocrinology Physician
- Gastroenterologist
- Gastroenterology Physician
- General Internal Medicine Doctor
- General Internal Medicine Physician
- General Internist
- Hematologist
- Hematology Physician
- Hospitalist Physician
- Internal Medicine Doctor
- Internal Medicine Hospitalist Physician (IM Hospitalist Physician)
- Internal Medicine PCP (Internal Medicine Primary Care Physician)
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
- Treat internal disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or problems of the lung, brain, kidney, or gastrointestinal tract.
- Prescribe or administer medication, therapy, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- Manage and treat common health problems, such as infections, influenza or pneumonia, as well as serious, chronic, and complex illnesses, in adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
- Provide and manage long-term, comprehensive medical care, including diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases, for adult patients in an office or hospital.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
- Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Science
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Active Learning
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Inductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
- Information Ordering
- Category Flexibility
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Relationships
- Independence
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Epic Systems
- MEDITECH software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
Tools & Equipment
- Adult Magill forceps
- Angiocaths
- Auditory testing equipment
- Automated external defibrillators AED
- Blood collection syringes
- Colposcopes
- Cryosurgical units
- Dermal curettes
- Desktop computers
- Dictation equipment
- Dressing forceps
- Ear curettes
- Ear forceps
- Electrocardiography EKG machines
- Electronic blood pressure units
Work Environment
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Physical Proximity
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $70,100 |
| Median | $236,350 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | >$239,200 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 66,640
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Pediatric Surgeons
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: >$239,200
Cardiologists
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: >$239,200
Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
Pediatricians, General
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: $210,130
Emergency Medicine Physicians
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.