- One of the main differences between family medicine and internal medicine physicians is the content of their training, according to Dr. David Hadcock at Columbia St. Mary's Hospital in Milwaukee. Family medicine doctors learn how to diagnose and treat diseases of both children and adults, and they also receive obstetrical training. Internal medicine doctors study to treat adults, without any obstetrical training.
- Family medicine and internal medicine doctors differ in their focus, according to Dr. Brett Twente, an internist at Columbia St. Mary's Hospital in Milwaukee. Family doctors tend to be generalists, since they treat adults and children. Internal medicine doctors tend to specialize--not only in adult medicine, but also in one of 13 subspecialties of internal medicine, like cardiology or gastroenterology.
- Family medicine doctors treat all ages of patients, from babies and young children to adults and geriatric patients; family doctors also treat pregnant women and deliver babies. Internists treat only adults, and they do not see pregnant patients or deliver babies.
- One of the larger differences between family medicine doctors and internists is number: more medical students choose to go into internal medicine as opposed to family medicine. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that 20 percent of all doctors in the U.S. are internists; only about 12 percent of doctors are family practitioners.
- Because of the level of specialization that internists undertake, they make more money than family practitioners. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that internists working in freestanding doctor's offices make $20,000 more per year, on average, than family doctors; when labor statisticians factor in all practice settings, internists make about $15,000 per year more than family doctors, on average.