If you are looking for a new doctor, you may wonder if you should look for a family practice doctor or an internal medicine doctor. In this YouTube video, an experienced internist explains how his practice compares to that of a family practice doctor. Family practice doctors see patients of all ages, while internists exclusively treat patients over 18.
Both types of doctors can help patients with diseases from all systems of the body.
Therefore, both kinds of doctors must be knowledgeable about many types of diseases and how they affect the whole body. Some differences between these two types of doctors focus on the nature of their practice. Family practice doctors spend most of their time in offices – seeing patients on an outpatient basis. Internists may have an office, but much of their time is spent with patients in the hospital.
When preparing to work in their specialties, both types of doctors gain experience in other specialties. Family practice doctors need experience treating children and babies. Internists work with neurologists, cardiologists, urologists, and gastroenterologists – to name a few of the fields in which they must gain knowledge. This diversity of knowledge will allow the internist to see beyond the patient’s current complaint and how the rest of the body’s response is helping – or hurting – the client’s overall health.
