What Do Internists Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Internists treat internal disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and problems of the lung, brain, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract. They also treat internal disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or problems of the lung, brain, kidney, or gastrointestinal tract.

Other tasks include:

• Prescribe or administer medication, therapy, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
• Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
• Manage and treat common health problems, such as infections, influenza or pneumonia, as well as serious, chronic, and complex illnesses, in adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
• Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
• Provide and manage long-term, comprehensive medical care, including diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases, for adult patients in an office or hospital.
• Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.

We asked Internists how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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71% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Internists treat internal disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or problems of the lung, brain, kidney, or gastrointestinal tract. They collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.

A typical day for an Internist will also include:

• Prescribe or administer medication, therapy, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
• Provide and manage long-term, comprehensive medical care, including diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases, for adult patients in an office or hospital.
• Manage and treat common health problems, such as infections, influenza or pneumonia, as well as serious, chronic, and complex illnesses, in adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
• Monitor patients’ conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
• Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioner when necessary.

We asked some Internists a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	82% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	49% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	100% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	44% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	8% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	75% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Internists also advise surgeon of a patient’s risk status and recommend appropriate intervention to minimize risk. They may also provide consulting services to other doctors caring for patients with special or difficult problems.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Internists Prepare government or organizational reports on birth, death, and disease statistics, workforce evaluations, or the medical status of individuals. They might also Conduct research to develop or test medications, treatments, or procedures to prevent or control disease or injury.

In addition, they Operate on patients to remove, repair, or improve functioning of diseased or injured body parts and systems.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Plan, implement, or administer health programs in hospitals, businesses, or communities for prevention and treatment of injuries or illnesses.

To some Internists, it is also their responsibility to Immunize patients to protect them from preventable diseases.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Internist, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..

They also like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/healthcare/physicians-and-surgeons.htm

http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home.html

http://www.ama-assn.org/

http://www.abms.org/