"Primary care physicians fall into [one of two categories]: family medicine doctors and internal medicine doctors,” explains Saju Mathew, M.D., a primary care physician at Piedmont. “We’re all primary care physicians, but the biggest difference is internal medicine doctors are like adult pediatricians.” Show
Here is a breakdown of which doctor sees which type of patient:
“A family physician like myself, we see adults and kids, plus we do a lot of women’s health,” says Dr. Mathew. “A lot of family physicians see the entire family and you kind of grow with the whole family.” Regardless of your age, it’s important to your health that you develop a relationship with a primary care physician. “A lot of times when patients pick a doctor, they may pick an internist because they haven’t had a family physician growing up,” he says. Dr. Mathew reminds us that family practitioners can take care of individual adult health needs regardless of family status. So, as an adult, you have two good options. “If you want a good adult primary care physician, you can see a family physician who is trained to take care of adults or you can see an internal medicine physician, who also takes care of adults,” he says. Dr. Mathew practices at Piedmont Physicians Vinings, located at 3020 Paces Mill Road Southeast, Atlanta, GA 30339. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Mathew or one of our other primary care providers. Save time, book online. What is the difference between a family doctor and an internist?The distinct difference between a family medicine doctor and an internal medicine doctor (internist) is that a family doctor treats patients of all ages, while an internist specializes in the care and treatment of only adults. Choose a Providence Medical Group primary care physician that best meets your needs.The primary care physicians at Providence Medical Group include internists, pediatricians and family doctors. We want to ensure you and your family have access to the type of care that will be best for your health care and wellness needs throughout the stages of life. A family doctor cares for patients at every stage of life from birth through old age, whereas an internist is trained in the care and management of chronic, severe and complex illness for adult and elderly patients. If you're an adult with children, choosing a family doctor could be the best fit since it may be more convenient for the entire family to be cared for by the same doctor. If you're an adult with multiple or complex medical issues, then seeing an internist may be your best bet. Ultimately, the right physician for you is the one you trust. Overview Adults can choose a family medicine doctor or an internal medicine doctor as their primary care physician. Read this Q&A to help you decide what’s best for you. Content Your primary care doctor is a key member of your health care team. He or she offers guidance to help you stay well, provides treatment and monitoring when you’re ill, and coordinates your care if you need specialized treatment. At Duke Primary Care, adults have a choice between doctors specializing in family medicine or internal medicine. In many ways, these types of doctors are similar: Their common goal is to help you protect and improve your health. But there are differences in their training and the types of patients they see. Dr. Madhavi G. Reddy, MBBS, a family medicine doctor at Duke Primary Care Arringdon in Morrisville, and Dr. Karl Bernat Jr., MD, an internal medicine doctor at Duke Primary Care Heritage Internal Medicine in Wake Forest, each provided perspectives on their type of medical practice. What Kinds of Patients Do You See?Content Dr. Reddy: As a family physician, I see newborn babies to patients in their 90s. Having long-term relationships with my patients means I can see someone grow older and be involved in every step of their health care. This helps me know each patient and the entirety of their health in ways that can make care more personalized. Dr. Bernat: As an internal medicine doctor, or internist, I see adults -- patients from 18 years and older. What Types of Care Do You Provide?Content Dr. Reddy: Family doctors are involved in all kinds of care, from doing physicals to chronic disease management like diabetes or high blood pressure. If someone has a fever, stomach pain, or skin rash, I can help with that, too. Dr. Bernat: In internal medicine, we provide a wide scope of primary care, including preventive care as well as the treatment of complex adult diseases -- like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and high cholesterol. What Are Some of the Benefits to Your Patients?Content Dr. Reddy: Because I get to know patients over a long time, I can focus on preventative care in a unique way. Our relationship means I know their history. We can spend less time catching up on what’s happened in the past and more time talking about care and treatment options for the future. Family medicine is about knowing the whole person, understanding who they are, what’s going on in their life. In some cases, having years of care together can ease anxiety because a patient knows me. Dr. Bernat: Internists serve as primary care doctors for people who need routine care, but we have the added advantage that we’ve been specially trained to help patients who have multiple medical problems or uncontrolled medical problems. We also try to help people who have diagnostic dilemmas -- for example, they may have multiple symptoms but are having trouble getting a diagnosis. What Kinds of Training Do Family Medicine/Internal Medicine Doctors Receive?Content Dr. Reddy: When I trained to become a family medicine doctor, I got a complete look at all the different kinds of patient needs I would have to treat. We deal a lot with general wellness and prevention of disease, but also received training to better understand the needs of children and women. That includes pregnancy, labor, and delivery because after a child is born, they can become our patients. Dr. Bernat: Internal medicine doctors complete a three-year residency after medical school. That entails serving in the hospital as staff physicians and in a clinic where we see outpatients. During that time, we train in critical care, so we have extensive training in caring for the sickest of the population. We also do rotations in specialties like cardiology, endocrinology, and gastroenterology. Which is best family medicine or internal medicine?“While internists typically diagnose and treat medical problems of greater complexity than family practitioners in both the office and hospital settings, family practitioners typically provide more 'well-patient' services in the office setting and don't treat as many hospitalized patients,” Dr. Remakus explains.
What is the difference between family practice and internal medicine doctor?“Both family medicine and internal medicine are primary care specialties,” she says. “Family physicians treat patients of all ages, from birth to death, and internal medicine doctors treat adults, 18 years or older.”
Should I see an internist or general practitioner?One of the biggest distinctions between an internist and a general practitioner is that while internists typically only treat adults, general practitioners are trained to provide care for patients of all ages. A general practitioner may treat adults, adolescents, and also children.
Are internal medicine doctors good?They are especially well trained in the diagnosis of puzzling medical problems, in the ongoing care of chronic illnesses, and in caring for patients with more than one disease. Internal medicine physicians also specialize in health promotion and disease prevention.
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Is an internal medicine doctor better than family practice
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