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Internist

If you have ever been sick, then you know that being sick is not fun and is a serious matter.  More often than not, diseases cause sickness and deaths worldwide, diseases that, in many cases, are preventable and totally curable.  If you would like to prevent diseases and save lives on the world stage and if you have an inclination for Science, Math, and Health, then you should study medicine and become an Internist.

Internists, or Internal Medicine Physicians, are Physicians who prevent, diagnose, and treat adult diseases in and injuries to the internal organ systems through non-surgical methods, treating disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, and problems with the stomach, lungs, kidneys, liver, and digestive tract.  They examine patients to ensure proper injury care and disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, and like General Practitioners, General Internists are commonly looked upon as primary care specialists. 

The duties of an Internist include but are not limited to:  treating internal disorders (hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and problems of the lungs, brain, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract); advising patients and families concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention; analyzing records, reports, test results, and examination information to diagnose medical conditions of patients; collecting, recording, and maintaining patient information (medical history, reports, and examination results); making diagnoses when different illnesses occur together or in situations where the diagnosis may be obscure; explaining procedures, test results, and prescribed treatments to patients;​ immunizing patients to protect them from preventable diseases; managing and treating infections, influenza, pneumonia, and serious, complex, chronic illnesses; prescribing medication, therapy, surgery, etc.; directing and coordinating activities of Nurses, students, Assistants, Specialists, Therapists, etc.; referring patients to medical specialists when more complex care is required; providing consultation services to Surgeons and other Physicians caring for patients with special or difficult problems; conducting research to develop and/or test medications, treatments, and procedures to prevent or control diseases; and teaching at universities.

High school students interested in becoming an Internist benefit from taking Biology/Anatomy, Physics, Chemistry, Physical Science, Health, Nursing, Nutrition, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus.  Students entering Pre-Medical Bachelor's of Science programs with no previous Internal Medicine training should expect a period of 4 years to complete said program.  Upon completion of undergraduate studies, candidates must earn a 4-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from an accredited medical school, complete 3 to 8 years of Internal Medicine residency, and pass all three parts of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) in order to practice as a licensed, credentialed Internist.  Licensure is required in all states, issued by each state, and depends on a selected sub-specialty. 

Many Internists choose to practice general internal medicine, while others choose to practice in one of the 13 sub-specialties:  Geriatrics, Oncology, Pulmonology, Cardiology, Hematology, Allergy and Immunology, Adolescent Medicine, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Infectious Disease, Rheumatology, or Sports Medicine.  Each of these sub-specialties requires one to three years of additional training, in addition to the three-year internal medicine residency.  

Due to the growth of our elderly population and overall population as a whole, employment of Internists is expected to grow by 24 percent over the next decade.  Job prospects should be even better for those who specialize in health issues that largely affect the aging baby boomers and for those who are willing to practice in rural, low-income, inner-city, and other under-served areas.

Job Description

Median Salary & Range

​Median Salary:  $191,760

Salary Range:  ~$152,610 - $242,910+

College Majors & Attainment Routes

Colleges That Provide Above Majors

Available Scholarships

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);

The normal routes to becoming an Internist have been to attain a Bachelor's of Science degree in Pre-Medical, Microbiology, ​Biology or Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, Physiology or Physiology Sciences, Anatomy, ​Chemistry (Pre-Medical or Pre-Professional concentration), Physics (Pre-Medical concentration), Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Biomedical Engineering, Pre-Professional Education, Health Sciences, or Engineering Physics.

Internists must complete 4 years of undergraduate studies, 4 years of medical school, and 3 to 8 years of  residency.  Applicants to medical school must have at least a Bachelor's degree and must submit transcripts, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score, and letters of recommendation.  While a specific major is not required, all students must complete undergraduate work in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics.  Students often volunteer at local hospitals or clinics to gain experience in a healthcare setting and to build mentor/mentee relationships with established Internists.  During medical school, students learn about the principles of Pathology, Pharmacology and Science.  They also complete clinical rotations designed to give them hands-on experience in Family Medicine, Obstetrics, Psychiatry, and other specialties.  After graduating from medical school, all prospective Internist must complete at least a three-year residency training program in internal medicine.

Colleges and universities that have Medical Schools and related majors are:  Howard University (Washington, DC); Meharry Medical College (Nashville, Tennessee); Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science (Los Angeles, California); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina); Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville, North Carolina); North Carolina Central University (Durham, North Carolina); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia); Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia); Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, North Carolina); Winston Salem State University (Winston Salem, North Carolina); Albany State University (Albany, Georgia); South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Savannah State University (Savannah, Georgia); Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia); Claflin University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Allen University (Columbia, South Carolina); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Paine College (Augusta, Georgia); Livingstone College (Salisbury, North Carolina); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi); Voorhees College (Denmark, South Carolina); Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, Texas); Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); and Oakwood University (Huntsville, Alabama).