General internal medicine Internal medicine
Adult medical problems in general, and holding the whole picture when several things overlap.
Who is usually sent here
People who do not know which specialty they need, people with scattered symptoms, and people managing several conditions at once.
What this specialty does NOT cover
Does not operate, and does not replace a deep specialty once the direction is clear. But it is almost always the right place to START.
What a first visit usually involves
A thorough history, a general examination, then a decision about what comes next — the history usually takes the most time.
Bring with you
A full medicine list, previous results in date order, and a one-page summary of the main problem.
Worth asking
- Do I need a deeper specialty
- Who holds the overall picture for me
- What is the next step