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Studies & Degrees in Internal Medicine

Internal medicine is the medical specialty that deals with the diagnosis and non-surgical treatment of diseases in adults. The American College of Physicians describes internal medicine physicians, or internists, as specialists in the care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness, who are not limited to one type of medical problem or organ system. The official Spanish training programme defines the specialty in similar terms: comprehensive care of the adult patient, mainly in hospital.

Internal medicine is not a first degree. It is a specialty that doctors train in after finishing medical school. As students they meet it in clinical rotations on hospital wards; as residents they learn to assess patients with several conditions at once, to work through difficult diagnoses and to manage long-term illness. Training covers the main organ systems, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, digestive system, endocrine system, blood and infectious diseases, and usually includes periods in intensive care, geriatrics and outpatient clinics.

Qualifications and levels

The route has two steps everywhere: a medical degree, and then supervised specialist training in a hospital. The length and the names differ by country.

  • Spain. The bachelor's degree in Medicine (grado en Medicina) lasts 6 years and has 360 ECTS credits, as at the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera. Graduates then train as resident doctors. The official programme of the specialty of Medicina Interna sets a duration of 5 years and requires a prior degree in Medicine.
  • United States. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, physicians typically need a bachelor's degree and a medical degree, which takes an additional 4 years, followed by 3 to 9 years of internship and residency depending on the specialty. The internal medicine residency lasts three years. Yale University's Department of Internal Medicine, for example, offers four residency programmes; its residents must also pass the American Board of Internal Medicine exam to be board-certified.
  • United Kingdom. Internal Medicine Training (IMT) is the first stage of specialty training for most physician specialties. It is a three-year programme, and trainees must complete it and obtain the full MRCP(UK) Diploma to enter higher specialty training.
  • Subspecialties. After basic training, internists can subspecialise, for example in cardiology, gastroenterology or endocrinology. In the United States this fellowship training usually takes an additional one to three years.

International medical graduates must have their degree recognised and meet the licensing and language requirements of the country before they can start specialist training. These rules are set by each country's health authorities, so check them with the official body, not only with the school.

Where to study internal medicine

SpainExchange lists 9 active schools for internal medicine: four in the United States, two in Ukraine and one each in Ethiopia, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. The list includes Yale University, Saint Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis; Bukovinian State Medical University and Sumy State University in Ukraine; Addis Ababa University; the University of London; and Utrecht University.

These are medical schools and universities with teaching hospitals or departments of internal medicine. Some teach the subject as part of the medical degree, others offer residency or postgraduate training. Clinical training is done in the language of the patients, so a high level of the local language is needed for hospital work even where lectures are in English.

Careers

Internists work in hospitals and in outpatient practice. The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes general internal medicine physicians as doctors who diagnose and give non-surgical treatment for problems of the internal organs and systems, mostly in adult patients. Common paths are hospital medicine, primary care for adults, a subspecialty after further training, and academic medicine, which combines patient care with teaching and research. Saint Louis University reports that graduates of its residency go on to fellowships, primary care or hospitalist medicine, and medical school faculties.

The bureau projects overall employment of physicians and surgeons in the United States to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035. The figure covers all medical specialties together and does not apply to other countries.

Frequently asked questions

Can I study internal medicine without a medical degree?

No. Internal medicine is a medical specialty, so a degree in medicine comes first. In Spain the official programme of the specialty requires a prior degree in Medicine.

How long does it take to become an internist?

It depends on the country. In Spain it is 6 years of medical school plus 5 years of specialist training. In the United States it is a bachelor's degree, 4 years of medical school and a three-year residency. In the United Kingdom, Internal Medicine Training takes three years after the first years of practice as a doctor and is followed by higher specialty training.

What is the difference between an internist and a general practitioner?

Internists treat adults only and are trained mainly in hospitals to handle complex and multiple conditions. General practitioners and family doctors treat patients of all ages in the community. Each has its own specialist training programme.

Do internists perform surgery?

No. Internal medicine is non-surgical: internists diagnose and treat with medication and other medical care, and refer patients to surgeons when an operation is needed.