Internal medicine is a medical specialty in which physicians apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to diagnose and treat adults with a very broad range of health concerns and diseases. Physicians who specialize in internal medicine are called internists or general internists.
Differences between Internal Medicine and General/Family Practice
While they are both primary care doctors and the terms are often used interchangeably internists are not the same as general practitioners and family physicians. One of the key differences is that internists see only adults, and family practitioners see both children and adults.
Laparoscopic surgery has demonstrably better quality-of-life outcomes than open surgery for cholecystectomy, splenectomy, and esophageal surgery. However, open hernioplasty has at least as good, if not better, health status outcomes than laparoscopic repair.
