Translations:Internal medicine/10/en

Due to the complexity involved in explaining the treatment of diseases that are not localized to a single organ, there has been some confusion surrounding the meaning of internal medicine and the role of an "internist." Although internists may serve as primary care physicians, they are not synonymous with "family physicians," "family practitioners," "general practitioners," or "GPs." The training of internists is solely focused on adults and does not typically include surgery, obstetrics, or pediatrics. According to the American College of Physicians, internists are defined as "physicians who specialize in the prevention, detection, and treatment of illnesses in adults." While there may be some overlap in the patient population served by both internal medicine and family medicine physicians, internists primarily focus on adult care with an emphasis on diagnosis, whereas family medicine incorporates a holistic approach to care for the entire family unit. Internists also receive substantial training in various recognized subspecialties within the field and are experienced in both inpatient and outpatient settings. On the other hand, family medicine physicians receive education covering a wide range of conditions and typically train in an outpatient setting with less exposure to hospital settings. The historical roots of internal medicine can be traced back to the incorporation of scientific principles into medical practice in the 1800s, while family medicine emerged as part of the primary care movement in the 1960s.