American Board of Internal Medicine

Internal Medicine
An internal medicine physician, or internist, is a specialist trained to prevent, diagnose, and manage a wide range of health conditions in adolescents and adults. With expertise spanning multiple organ systems, internal medicine physicians provide comprehensive care for both acute and chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, and metabolic conditions. In addition to treating complex medical issues, internal medicine physicians play a key role in primary care by focusing on disease prevention, health screening, wellness promotion, and the management of common concerns such as mental health conditions, substance use, and disorders of the skin, eyes, ears, and nervous system. When practicing in hospital settings, internal medicine physicians are often referred to as hospitalists. In this role, they oversee the care of acutely ill patients, coordinate with specialists, and emphasize patient safety, care quality, and efficient management of complex cases. Across all practice settings, internal medicine physicians help patients navigate the healthcare system and coordinate care for multifaceted medical needs.

Contact the board to learn about specialty and subspecialty certification requirements.

Subspecialties

Adult Congenital Heart Disease
A physician who specializes in Adult Congenital Heart Disease has the unique knowledge, skills and practice required of a cardiologist for evaluating and delivering high quality lifelong care for a wide range of adult patients with heart disease diagnosed at birth.

Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology
A physician who specializes in Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology has the special knowledge and skills required of cardiologists for evaluating and optimally managing patients with heart failure, particularly those with advanced heart failure, those with devices, including durable and temporary ventricular assist devices, those who have undergone or are awaiting transplantation, and those with pulmonary hypertension.

Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular Disease physicians specialize in diseases of the heart and blood vessels and manage complex heart conditions, such as heart attacks and life-threatening, abnormal heart rhythms.

Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
A physician who specializes in Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology exhibits the knowledge and skill to diagnose common and unusual heart rhythm abnormalities and to perform complex invasive procedures to diagnose and treat the abnormal heart rhythms and other electrical disorders of the heart.

Critical Care Medicine
Critical Care Medicine physicians have expertise in the diagnosis, treatment and support of critically ill and injured patients, including those with sepsis, respiratory failure, multiple organ dysfunction and trauma. This physician coordinates comprehensive care across a wide spectrum of critical illness, working in close collaboration with critical care staff and other specialists.

Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism physicians specialize in the diagnosis and management of disorders of hormones and their actions, metabolic disorders, and tumors of the endocrine glands. This subspecialist cares for patients with diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, disorders of calcium and bone, lipid disorders, obesity and nutritional disorders, pituitary disorders, reproductive and gonadal disorders, adrenal diseases, and endocrine hypertension.

Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology physicians specialize in diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive organs including the stomach, esophagus, bowels, liver and gallbladder. This subspecialist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, jaundice, and swallowing disorders and performs complex diagnostic and therapeutic procedures using endoscopes and other technology to visualize internal organs and treat diseases affecting the digestive system.

Geriatric Medicine
A Geriatric Medicine physician (also called a Geriatrician) is a specialist with expertise in the aging process. They are dedicated to helping older adults age safely by maintaining health, independence, function, and quality of life, using a holistic, individualized approach to diagnose, treat, prevent, and rehabilitate illness. They provide care across a range of settings including the home, outpatient clinics, hospitals, and long-term care facilities.

Hematology
Hematology physicians have additional training and specialize in malignant and non-malignant diseases of the blood, bone marrow, spleen and lymph tissues. This subspecialist treats conditions such as anemia, clotting and bleeding disorders, sickle cell disease, leukemia, lymphoma and abnormalities of white cells, red cells and platelets.

Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Hospice and Palliative Medicine physicians care for patients with serious and life-limiting illness and may be involved at any point in the disease course. They work with an interdisciplinary team to manage complex symptoms, provide psychosocial and spiritual support, and guide patients and their loved ones through challenging medical decisions. Their goal is to ensure that care aligns with each patient’s values, preferences, and goals while maximizing quality of life.

Infectious Disease
Infectious Disease physicians deal with infectious diseases of all types, in all organ systems, in all communities. These physicians often diagnose, treat, and prevent infections in patients following complex surgeries and those with compromised immune systems such as patients living with HIV and those undergoing transplantation. Infectious disease specialists also have expertise in travel medicine, global and public health as well as Antibiotic Stewardship and Infection Prevention and Control.

Interventional Cardiology
A physician who specializes in Interventional Cardiology uses specialized imaging and other diagnostic techniques to evaluate blood flow and pressure in the coronary arteries, valves and chambers of the heart and uses technical procedures and medications to treat abnormalities that impair the function of the cardiovascular system.

Medical Oncology
Medical Oncology physicians specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and select benign tumors. They evaluate patients, develop treatment plans, and administer systemic therapies while collaborating with surgeons, radiation oncologists, and other specialists to provide comprehensive cancer care.

Nephrology
Nephrology physicians treat medical disorders of the kidney, high blood pressure, fluid and electrolyte disorders, and mineral balance. They also manage the different forms of dialysis including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, which are treatments to eliminate body wastes when the kidneys do not function. Nephology physicians also co-manage patients after a kidney transplantation.

Neurocritical Care
The medical specialty of Neurocritical Care is devoted to the comprehensive multi-system care of the critically ill patient with neurological diseases and conditions.

Pulmonary Disease
Pulmonary physicians treat diseases of the lungs, chest, and breathing. These include airway diseases such as asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis, cancer of the lung and other thoracic organs, inflammatory and scarring diseases of the lung, pulmonary and chest infections, pulmonary vascular diseases, sleep-related disorders, occupational and environmental diseases, neuromuscular diseases that affect breathing, disorders of the lining around the lung (pleura), and other complex disorders that result in shortness of breath, chest pain, or other respiratory symptoms.

Rheumatology
Rheumatology physicians treat autoimmune, inflammatory and degenerative diseases of joints, muscles, tendons and many other organs. This subspecialist treats arthritis, myositis, common athletic injuries and systemic autoimmune diseases.

Sleep Medicine
Sleep Medicine physicians specialize in the diagnosis and management of clinical conditions that occur during sleep, that disturb sleep, or that are affected by disturbances in the wake-sleep cycle including insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy. These subspecialists are skilled in the analysis and interpretation of comprehensive polysomnography and portable sleep testing and are well-versed in emerging research and in the management of a sleep laboratory.

Transplant Hepatology
A physician who specializes in Transplant Hepatology possesses the special knowledge and skills required for advanced care of patients with acute and chronic liver disease, which encompasses the evaluation and optimization of transplant candidates, perioperative transplant care, and long-term management of liver transplant recipients as part of a specialized multidisciplinary team.