Internal Medicine - Primary Care?

[merrimack]

I realize this is a dumb, newbie question, but is internal medicine always considered a "primary care" specialty? If I did my internal medicine residency and then sub-specialized in, say, cardiology or GI, would I still be considered a primary care doctor?

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[njbmd]

I realize this is a dumb, newbie question, but is internal medicine always considered a "primary care" specialty? If I did my internal medicine residency and then sub-specialized in, say, cardiology or GI, would I still be considered a primary care doctor?

Internal Medicine is considered a Primary Care specialty. If you enter a sub-specialty fellowship, you are no longer a primary care physician as you are no longer practicing primary care.

 

[merrimack]

So if i do a fellowship after my IM residency, that means I'm disqualified from practicing internal medicine? Also, what percentage of IM residents at top programs (BWH, UCSF, etc) go on to specialize via a fellowship?

 

[Sifilis]

I don't think that doing a fellowship disqualifies you from practicing general internal medicine. The question is, why go through the hassle of doing a fellowship if you only want to do general medicine?

For the years during your fellowship, you would also be making less money than you would as an attending. Not to mention you would be taking up the fellowship spot of someone who would really want to use that specialty training.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

So if i do a fellowship after my IM residency, that means I'm disqualified from practicing internal medicine? Also, what percentage of IM residents at top programs (BWH, UCSF, etc) go on to specialize via a fellowship?

Well, you'll still have your IM board certification, but I'd be scratching my head at the guy with a GI cert who put down his scope to practice general internal medicine.

 

[njbmd]

So if i do a fellowship after my IM residency, that means I'm disqualified from practicing internal medicine? Also, what percentage of IM residents at top programs (BWH, UCSF, etc) go on to specialize via a fellowship?

You are not disqualified from practicing Internal Medicine but you are disqualified from primary care scholarships such as Public Health Service if you do a fellowship before you have fulfilled your obligations. As long as you have a valid license in a particular state, you can practice any type medicine that you wish.

 

[sponge]

You could do both: do a fellowship in cardiology or endocrinology and see adult patients for primary care and specialized concerns.

But this is probably a case of keeping options open. At some point, you'll need to close doors and decide whether you want to subspecialize or do primary care. You'll figure it out when the time comes.

 

[Danbo1957]

I realize this is a dumb, newbie question, but is internal medicine always considered a "primary care" specialty? If I did my internal medicine residency and then sub-specialized in, say, cardiology or GI, would I still be considered a primary care doctor?

If you want extra education, or to be more qualified for primary care (?) you can always take a GIM fellowship with a specific interest: research, leadership, instructor, or clinical. Or, you can go for an MPH.

Example: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/gim/fellowship/index.html

 

[sendwich]

does IM qualify for PCP scholarships?

 

[Catalystik]

Practically speaking, many subspecialists do engage in primary care in private practice as they slowly build up lines of referral and become known in the community. You still have to pay your overhead and can't realistically expect to have a full appointment schedule as soon as you open your office. Even if you join an existing practice, there won't immediately be enough business to support everyone (unless you take over some else's practice). In my community, there is even a (gasp) general surgeon who does primary care to keep his office busy and pay the bills.

 

[Hurricane95]

Very few subspecialists dedicate themselves to general practice once they have their cert to do specialty stuff. Are you somehow prohibited from doing so? Nope. At least not that I know of. My dad's cardiologist actually manages most if not all his care (he sees cardio and PCP both equally really). I know a fairly prominent GI who aside from doing his GI stuff so to speak, also manages all the care for his patients. He treats their hypertension, diabetes, depression, etc. really everything they may have. If they need specialty care BESIDES GI, obviously he refers elsewhere. His practice never sleeps though. And these cases are more on the exceptions side.