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What Is a Board Certified Internal Medicine Doctor?

Doctors of internal medicine are medical doctors or doctors of osteopathic medicine who received special training in the prevention and treatment of adult diseases. Internal medicine doctors are called “internists,” not to be mistaken for “interns,” doctors in their first year of residency training.

  1. State Licensure

    • All internists must be licensed by the medical board of the state in which they operate, but becoming board certified is optional.

    Board Certification

    • Both the American College of Osteopathic Internists and the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) offer certification programs for internists, who must pass a test in order to obtain their certification.

    What it Means

    • According to the ABIM, certification is given to internists who have demonstrated that they have the skills, attitudes and clinical judgment essential for the delivery of exceptional patient care.

    Statistics

    • One out of every three practicing physicians in the United States is certified by the ABIM (more than 200,000 physicians). Though patients might not realize it, their most frequent encounters with doctors are with internists.

    Subspecialties

    • There are many subspecialties of internal medicine including advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology, allergy and immunology, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolism, gastroenterology, geriatric medicine, hematology, infectious disease, sleep medicine and sports medicine.

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