Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 63,700 people employed as general internal medicine physicians in the United States. The median annual salary is $208,000. Entry level employees earn approximately $62,850 per year and senior employees earn approximately $208,000 (or more) per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioner when necessary.
• Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
• Collect, record, and maintain patient information, such as medical history, reports, or examination results.
• Provide consulting services to other doctors caring for patients with special or difficult problems.
• Advise surgeon of a patient's risk status and recommend appropriate intervention to minimize risk.
• Immunize patients to protect them from preventable diseases.
• Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff.
• Prepare government or organizational reports on birth, death, and disease statistics, workforce evaluations, or the medical status of individuals.
• Conduct research to develop or test medications, treatments, or procedures to prevent or control disease or injury.
• Treat internal disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or problems of the lung, brain, kidney, or gastrointestinal tract.
• Prescribe or administer medication, therapy, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
• Manage and treat common health problems, such as infections, influenza or pneumonia, as well as serious, chronic, and complex illnesses, in adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
• Provide and manage long-term, comprehensive medical care, including diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases, for adult patients in an office or hospital.
• Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
• Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
• Make diagnoses when different illnesses occur together or in situations where the diagnosis may be obscure.
• Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
• Operate on patients to remove, repair, or improve functioning of diseased or injured body parts and systems.
• Plan, implement, or administer health programs in hospitals, businesses, or communities for prevention and treatment of injuries or illnesses.

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