Internists are those who work in adult medicine. Much like a pediatrician specializes in treating general medical conditions in children, internists treat general conditions in adults. Thus, internist jobs will be prevalent in areas of adult medicine, or in facilities, where adult medicine is practiced the most. Private practice, private clinics, long-term care facilities, and government facilities are likely to be where the most internist jobs will be found.
Private practice is the most traditional type of job for internists. Traditionally, these internist jobs are focused on providing the best medical care possible to the patient by working closely with the patient in a business the internist owns. In some cases, the internist will hire a manager to look after the daily office duties. If the business is small enough, the internist may do this alone.
Internist jobs are also offered at private medical facilities, including hospitals and clinics. In some cases, hospitals will keep resident internists on hand to handle adult medical issues that come up with new patients, or patients that need care until their primary doctors can arrive. At a private clinic, they may function much like doctors in private practice. Instead of having to worry about collecting payment, insurance procedures, and managing the business, they simply receive a paycheck like any other employee.
Long-term care facilities are another prime setting in which to find internist jobs. Though long-term care facilities may, from time to time, accept children who face chronic health issues, the vast majority of those in such centers are adults, usually older adults. Therefore, internists can be hired almost exclusively to look after patient needs. This will depend on the level of service the facility is looking to provide.
Government facilities, such as those run by the Veterans Administration, or similar departments, often have a number of internist jobs available as well. Those who work for the government may find the stability of the job unmatched, and may receive better benefits than many. The jobs, especially at residential facilities, may involve very long hours and odd shifts, so this is something many internists may want to consider carefully.
No matter what the chosen setting, internist jobs all involve working closely with individuals who may be facing some very serious medical problems. It is the job of the internist to understand the nature of the complaint, and quickly make a diagnosis, while at the same time being friendly and efficient. A internist is considered a primary care physician. In that capacity, it will also be the job of an internist to recommend a specialist from time to time.
