Here at Matthews Internal Medicine, we know that some medical terms can be a bit confusing. Some that might throw you off are internal medicine and family medicine. They are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are actually some significant differences between them. Both specialties have their own place and unique history. Let’s take a closer look at some of the differences.
Background
The backgrounds of internal medicine and family medicine have some key differences. The history of internal medicine stretches back to the late 1800s. It’s a scientific approach to medicine that’s aimed at dealing with a wide assortment of diseases. It was also primarily focused on adults, due to the growth of pediatric medicine in the 1900s.
The history of family medicine can be traced back to some more recent history. Some say that it started in the late 1960s, when a new focus was placed on being able to treat anything a family unit could encounter. A family practice is designed to handle a wide range of medical issues that could develop in an entire family, which covers a wide range of disorders.
Types of Patients
Another significant difference between family medicine and internal medicine is the types of patients treated. An internist focuses primarily on adults, while a family practice would focus on children as well. It makes sense, since family medicine has the entire family unit in mind.
Subspecialties
Internal medicine also has some “subspecialties” that doctors need to be trained in. An internist needs to know more about infectious diseases, endocrinology, caring for hospitalized patients, and more. Trainees in internal medicine have a lot to learn. An internal medicine practice needs to offer expertise in a wide variety of areas so that they can effectively deal with just about every medical issue that an adult patient might encounter.
The knowledge of a family physician is a bit more broad, with an emphasis on medical problems commonly found in a typical family unit. A family practice might actually tailor their services more to the specific medical needs of their local community, but they still need some advanced training on topics like outpatient medicine and disease prevention. If needed, a family practice can bring in a specialist or subspecialist in a certain field they don’t know as well.
Hospital Care
When you visit a hospital, you’re more likely to see an internist. Doctors with an expertise in internal medicine can provide their patients with hospital care as well as outpatient services, while many family doctors are more well-versed in outpatient services. Instead of dealing with hospital care, a family practice is more likely to recommend patients to a qualified specialist.
This distinction actually makes a lot of sense because, as we mentioned before, an internal medicine doctor needs training in so many specialties and subspecialties. A knowledge of areas like dermatology, sleep medicine, and psychiatry can mean that they’re better equipped for this particular type of work.