General Internal Medicine Physicians: Job Description
Diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. Provide care mainly for adults and adolescents, and are based primarily in an outpatient care setting.
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What Tasks Do General Internal Medicine Physicians Perform?
Typical responsibilities of general internal medicine physicians cover:
- Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
- 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.
Skills and Knowledge
Top general internal medicine physicians combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician)
- Doctor
- Endocrinologist
- Endocrinology Physician
- Gastroenterologist
- Gastroenterology Physician
- General Internal Medicine Doctor
- General Internal Medicine Physician
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 2,958,672 general internal medicine physicians working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +4.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for General Internal Medicine Physicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $106,490 |
| Hourly median | $51.20 |
| 10th percentile | $66,719 |
| 25th percentile | $86,605 |
| 75th percentile | $126,375 |
| 90th percentile | $146,260 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
General Internal Medicine Physicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | $234,960 |
| Illinois | $234,880 |
| Kentucky | $231,240 |
| Vermont | $228,840 |
| Michigan | $227,270 |
| Rhode Island | $223,340 |
| Connecticut | $214,190 |
| District of Columbia | $209,250 |
| Louisiana | $203,740 |
| Nebraska | $178,620 |
| New York | $173,340 |
| Ohio | $169,990 |
| New Jersey | $155,570 |
| Nevada | $154,040 |
| Delaware | $153,600 |
| Puerto Rico | $129,050 |
| Tennessee | $67,150 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for general internal medicine physicians shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $135,942 | 12.4% | 0.93 |
| Middle Atlantic | $123,233 | 29.3% | 2.51 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $82,122 | 0.2% | 0.60 |
| New England | $67,686 | 5.7% | 1.21 |
| Southeast | $39,454 | 24.0% | 1.45 |
| Plains States | $39,106 | 5.1% | 1.33 |
| Far Western US | $6,838 | 13.5% | 0.83 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for General Internal Medicine Physicians
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | FL | $238,850 | 270 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | AZ | $238,560 | 70 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $237,980 | 50 |
| Elmira, NY | NY | $237,470 | 90 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $234,440 | 1,420 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | SC | $234,440 | 100 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $233,740 | 90 |
| Tucson, AZ | AZ | $232,440 | 180 |
Top Industries Employing General Internal Medicine Physicians
The bulk of general internal medicine physicians are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 59,110 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 200 | n/a |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 150 | $144,740 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 40 | $61,740 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of general internal medicine physicians is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Physical Proximity
Getting Started in This Career
The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Short)
- Dermatologists (Supplemental)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Primary-Short)
- Family Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Aspiring general internal medicine physicians typically earn programs in:
10 programs across 2 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians).
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