Internal medicine specialists, or physicians, are experts in the diagnosis and management of complex medical conditions in adults. These doctors may choose to practice in the area of general medicine, or may subspecialise (e.g as cardiologists, neurologists, rheumatologists etc) which influences the nature of their eventual workplace and patient population. However, they share a common basic training pathway and approach to medical care. Physicians particularly enjoy challenging intellectual problems, and thrive on diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. Solving clinical puzzles with a combination of thorough history taking, physical examination and laboratory and imaging data is the cornerstone of internal medicine. Far more than just critical thinkers, physicians are excellent communicators who often have long term relationships with their patients. They play an important role in health promotion, and have a unique appreciation of the psychosocial impact of acute and chronic illness.

Dr. Ola Niewiadomski - Basic Physician Trainee, Melbourne
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Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics e-dition: Text with Continually Updated Online Reference, 18e
by By Robert M. Kliegman, MD, Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI; Richard E. Behrman, MD, Executive Chair, Pediatric Education Steering Committee, Federation of Pediatric Organizations, Menlo Park, CA; Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco, CA; George Washington University, Washington, DC; Hal B. Jenson, MD, Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Director, Center for Pediatric Research, and Senior Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Eastern Virginia Medical School and Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters, Norfolk, VA; and Bonita F. Stanton, MD, Schotanus Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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