Understanding the Use of Internal Medicine in Everyday Life

Most people have had an experience with taking medicine throughout their lives, whether it is a simple aspirin for a headache or prescribed antibiotics for a virus. Many doctors go to medical school to specialize in a specific field and the issue of treatments. In the United States, doctors who specialize in anything must be certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. There are a variety of different paths for this field, including hospital, critical care, and infectious disease. These medical specialties all take different levels of studies. Doctors who study internal medicine start out as general internists during their internships and residencies and may develop into specialties.

Why Internists are Important
Medical doctors who specialize in this type of medication are sometimes called internists. Internists concentrate on curing and treating the body as a whole. When patients come in with an issue, they are often given a physical exam. Depending on the issue that is happening with the patient, there may be a physical exam, as well as blood work, a series of tests, and medical x-rays performed. Once doctors have identified the issues, the internist will recommend a course of medical treatment. This medical treatment may be a series of prescription pills and other medication as well as other medical treatments.

Internist Specialties
There are over a dozen specialties in the internal medicine branch. Many of these specialties deal directly with saving lives. Medical oncology is one branch that these doctors may choose. Oncology medicine deals with cancer and prescribing courses of treatment that can aid in saving the lives of many cancer patients. Doctors who deal with serious infections are infectious disease internists. When a biological issue happens that affects health, these doctors are the first line of defense in rooting out the problem and using medication to help fight the infection. The flu is one common example of an infectious disease. Many people die each year of the flu if they do not receive medical intervention, especially children and those who have compromised immune systems. Internist doctors have developed flu shots to help protect the population from catching the flu and have developed courses of treatment to aid in the reduction of the symptoms of the flu.

The Use of Medicine for Care
Medication is used to take care of people in most stages of life. From birth to hospice care, most people will have to take a series of medications to treat an illness or help make themselves more comfortable. The development of internal medicine has been used to help increase the quality of human life as well as the longevity of a person's time on earth.

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