Difference Between an Internist & a Family Practitioner
Internists and family practitioners are both types of medical doctors, but they differ in their specialties. Knowing the difference between an internist and a family practitioner will help you make more informed decisions about health care.
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Job Description
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Family practitioners are general physicians licensed in the direct care of patients. They may specialize in family medicine or just general care. Internists are physicians who specialize in internal medicine. They work with other health-care professional to help study, treat and diagnose unusual diseases.
Responsibilities
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Family practitioners perform routine exams, counsel patients on preventive health care, obtain medical histories and more. Internists focus more on working with patients with difficult or hard to diagnose diseases. They work with other health-care professionals to help diagnose patients and devise treatment plans.
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Salary
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The salaries of internists and family practitioners vary based on experience, location and demand. According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, family practitioners earn an average of $137,119 in their first two years of practice and $156,010 after at least a year of experience. Internists earn an average of $176,740 a year.
Education and Training
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The education needed for family practitioners is the same as is required for all medical doctors. They must complete four years of undergraduate study, four years of medical school, and three to eight years of internship and residency training. Internists are required to complete the same training; however, their internships and residencies specialize in internal medicine.
Job Outlook
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for family practitioners and internists is very good. Job projections for physicians are expected to grow from 633,000 in 2006 to 723,000 in 2016.
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