What is the difference between an Internist and a Family Physician?

Both of these types of physicans are dedicated to primary care – “continuing, comprehensive and preventive personalized medical care”. Our primary care physicians have identical healthcare goals for their patients, but have a variation in their specialty training. Internists specialize in the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases in adults. They are dedicated to solving complicated diagnostic medical issues and handling severe chronic illnesses and multiple illnesses that may occur at the same time. Family medicine physicians distinguishes itself from other specialties with the focus on the patient-physician relationship and the patient as seen in the context of the family. Family medicine encompasses all ages, both sexes, all organs and all types of disease or disability.

Both specialties have official medical boards that certify when a physician has taken all of the required
courses, residencies, ongoing education and examinations to be considered “board certified.”

The goals of both specialties is consistent care of the whole individual over time, with the benefit o of developing a personal history with patients and understanding and treating issues, both acute and chronic, and keeping their patients as healthy and mobile as possible.