Why is the speciality Internal Medicine called that?

[CHAINCHOMPER]

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That is something that I couldn't answer someone today. They asked me what type of doctor I wanted to be, and I told them Internal Medicine because I wanted to take care of only adults, I didn't want to do any kids, or deal with pregnant patients and all that. So, he asked, why is it called "Internal Medicine"? Shouldn't it be called "Adult Medicine" or something. I said maybe it's because most adults have diseases that only exist internally in the body, but I don't think that's true.

So, why is a Internal Med doc called an Internist?

 

[Doc of the Walk]

http://tinyurl.com/6x4bxjo

cheers.

 

[gettheleadout]

O hai XereX

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Adult medicine -> Cardiology,Oncology,Endocrinology,Pulmanology, Nephrology,etc.
V.s
Internal medicine -> Cardiology,Oncology,Endocrinology,Pulmanology, Nephrology,etc.

It's really just semantics, but adult medicine implies that you're doing it primarily to be like the adult form of a pediatrician. But I think the fact that a lot of the specialization zones of IM are primary visceral is why the it's called IM.

 

[wolverinepwns]

Cuz you deal with Internal Organs.

 

[Forthegood]

Yep. IM docs never have patients with external organ disease. Nope, never. No matter what. Ever.

And Internal medicine is not like an adults pediatrician.

 

[ozzi22]

http://tinyurl.com/6x4bxjo

cheers.

no that, just made my day

 

[wolverinepwns]

Yep. IM docs never have patients with external organ disease. Nope, never. No matter what. Ever.

And Internal medicine is not like an adults pediatrician.

Good job! you've been helpful, consider law school.

 

[Forthegood]

Good job! you've been helpful, consider law school.

I see you know about as much of law school as you do medicine.

But you're right, it was probably a big jump for you to understand. Let me simplify. IM =/= Adult Pediatrics.

 

[group_theory]

That is something that I couldn't answer someone today. They asked me what type of doctor I wanted to be, and I told them Internal Medicine because I wanted to take care of only adults, I didn't want to do any kids, or deal with pregnant patients and all that. So, he asked, why is it called "Internal Medicine"? Shouldn't it be called "Adult Medicine" or something. I said maybe it's because most adults have diseases that only exist internally in the body, but I don't think that's true.

So, why is a Internal Med doc called an Internist?

The term internal medicine originated from the German Inneren Medizin, which came into common usage in the 1880s. Internal medicine in Germany was distinguished from “clinical medicine” because of its new emphasis on experimental physiology and chemistry rather than the progression of disease manifestations.


Bean WB. Origin of the term “internal medicine.” N Engl J Med. 1982; 306:182-3

Goldman L. Adult (not internal) medicine [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 1997; 127:835-6.

 

[patel2]

 

[Geekchick921]

The term internal medicine originated from the German Inneren Medizin, which came into common usage in the 1880s. Internal medicine in Germany was distinguished from “clinical medicine” because of its new emphasis on experimental physiology and chemistry rather than the progression of disease manifestations.


Bean WB. Origin of the term “internal medicine.” N Engl J Med. 1982; 306:182-3

Goldman L. Adult (not internal) medicine [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 1997; 127:835-6.

I NEVER would have guessed!