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General Internal Medicine Physicians

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeHigh pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $256,560 Median per year · $123.35/hr Most earn $73,570–$475,430

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Monitor patients' conditions and progress and reevaluate treatments as necessary.
  • Direct and coordinate activities of nurses, students, assistants, specialists, therapists, and other medical staff.
  • Refer patient to medical specialist or other practitioner when necessary.
  • Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
  • Plan, implement, or administer health programs in hospitals, businesses, or communities for prevention and treatment of injuries or illnesses.
  • Prescribe or administer medication, therapy, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 1,900 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Offices of physicians51.0%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals25.8%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools12.1%
  • Self-employed (their own business)3.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This is not an entry-level job. Most people need about 11 years after high school (a bachelor's degree, medical school, and residency training) before they practice on their own, and some take longer.

  1. Bachelor's degree (pre-med track, often in biology or chemistry)

    4 years

    You build a strong science foundation and take the courses medical schools require, while getting clinical or research experience that shows you are serious about medicine.

  2. Medical school (MD or DO degree)

    4 years

    You study how the body works and how diseases are diagnosed and treated, then complete clinical rotations in hospitals and clinics. This earns the doctoral degree you need to practice.

  3. Internal Medicine Resident

    3 years

    You work under experienced doctors in a hospital and clinic setting, caring for adults with a wide range of illnesses. This hands-on training is what prepares you to practice internal medicine independently.

  4. General Internal Medicine Physician

    2-4 years of prior experience typically needed before this job

    You diagnose and treat adult and adolescent patients for many internal organ conditions, mostly in outpatient offices, and manage their long-term health.

Where it can lead

  1. Allergists and Immunologists

    4 to 6 years of experience first

    Many internists move into a focused specialty like allergy and immunology, which usually requires additional fellowship training and a narrower focus on immune system conditions.

  2. Neurologists

    4 to 6 years of experience first

    Some physicians choose to specialize further in disorders of the brain and nervous system, which usually requires extra training after residency.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology, chemistry, and mathA strong science and math base makes the harder college science courses much easier to handle later.
  • Volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, or clinicHands-on time around patients shows you what healthcare work feels like and gives you experience to talk about later.
  • Join a science club or health careers clubClub activities let you meet others who are interested in medicine and often give you chances to learn from guest speakers.
  • Enter a science fair or academic competitionWorking on a research project teaches you how to ask questions, test ideas, and explain results, which doctors use every day.
  • Get a starter job in healthcare if you are old enoughJobs like a hospital aide or front-desk worker at a medical office teach you how clinics run and help you build a work record.

In college

  • Take the pre-med science sequenceCourses in biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, and statistics are typically required for medical school applications.
  • Get clinical experienceVolunteering or working in a hospital, clinic, or ambulance service shows medical schools you understand patient care.
  • Join a research labWorking with a professor on a research project builds lab skills and critical thinking that medical training depends on.
  • Shadow physiciansSpending time with internal medicine doctors helps you confirm your interest and gives you stories and advice for applications.
  • Prepare for the MCAT and consider an EMT certificationThe MCAT is a standard entrance exam for most medical schools, and an EMT certification adds hands-on emergency care experience.

Tips for getting started

  • Shadow a doctor or spend time in a clinic early on so you know what daily work in medicine really looks like before you commit to the long training path.
  • Keep your grades strong in science and math, since medical schools look closely at your academic record and your science coursework.
  • Build people skills now through jobs or activities that involve helping others, because doctors spend most of their time talking with and listening to patients.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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