Whats the difference between family med and internal medicine?

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darktooth

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As far as opportunities, scope of practice, etc...


Also, can IM or FP do any procedures?

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Differences are subtle in basic form but aplenty in fellowship opportunities. IM allows movement into most internal fellowships (cards, pulm, endo, gastro), whereas, family will be family. If you're talking about general IM, the differences are pretty dependent on the specific doctors--and others will probably have a better answer about that.

With regard to procedures, I know that certain FP/IM doctors will do a number of procedures. I'm not sure if it's location-based (I know lots of rural FP/IM's do small procedures), or if it's dependent on doctor, but I know some that will do basic lesion removals, suturing, etc.

Opportunities are pretty much what you make of them. You can have success in either field, but IM is the way to go if you're looking for a fellowship.
 
Also, IM mostly focuses on adult diseases, whereas FM is pretty much womb to tomb.
 
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In family practice you can do a hospitalist, sports med, or omt fellowship so you don't limit yourself entirely. Its not like IM but you won't be stuck pulling out sutures for the rest of your life. Depending on your level of comfort and training, you can find yourself covering an ER, doing OB/gyn/pediateics stuff, performing minor surgical procedures, and can set up your practice like an urgent care.
 
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As far as fellowships, does AOA have a decent amount of them?

I know that there has been discussion that rules will change and the only way to get an ACGME fellowship would be to have completed an ACGME residency, not an AOA...
 
In family practice you can do a hospitalist, sports med, or omt fellowship so you don't limit yourself entirely. Its not like IM but you won't be stuck pulling out sutures for the rest of your life. Depending on your level of comfort and training, you can find yourself covering an ER, doing OB/gyn/pediateics stuff, performing minor surgical procedures, and can set up your practice like an urgent care.

To add to what Trogghunter said, it will also vary according to region of desired practice. In some areas (especially larger cities), FPs will most likely not be hired as hospitalists or work in an ED. Urgent care, everywhere is pretty much fair game. (Do people actually WANT to do urgent care?) It's also really dependent upon one's area of interest(s) and what skill set he wishes to develop for practice.

The question that I often ask myself is "which one will leave the most options?" But again, that is a matter of perspective and personal interests. At my stage in the game, I wouldn't know enough to really know what that means, or what the differences truly are. Guess I'll have to wait until I jump in on this mess in a few months.
 
'Options' will be interesting to see esp when healthcare reform and the aging population really come into full swing. The $10,000,000,000,000 question will be who gets the lions share of the baby boomers.
 
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Also, IM mostly focuses on adult diseases, whereas FM is pretty much womb to tomb.

...or as one FP at my school said, "Diaper to diaper."
 
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(Do people actually WANT to do urgent care?)

The question that I often ask myself is "which one will leave the most options?" But again, that is a matter of perspective and personal interests. At my stage in the game, I wouldn't know enough to really know what that means, or what the differences truly are. Guess I'll have to wait until I jump in on this mess in a few months.


Heck YA. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Urgent Care. It's how I make my living. It's different every day without all the crash and burn of ER medicine. If they need to go to the ER, I call the ambulance.
 
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