What exactly is an "internist"?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 5:05pm

I went for my routine medical check-up today and was told in advance that my regular doctor would be accomapnied by an internist. Fine with me.

The internist was in the room with me for most of the visit. The doctor stopped in briefly. The internist seemed unsure of how to read a medical chart or even how to administer the swine flu vaccine I requested. She kept running in and out of the examination room. At one point she wondered aloud what the generic name for Zetia was and I was the one who had to tell her that there isn't any. My usual 15 minute check-up lasted 75 minutes this morning.

In education we have "student teachers". Is an internist a "student physician"?

Can anyone explain this to me?

[Taryn]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 5:10pm

Ever heard of Google?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_medicine

[Bluemoon]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 5:21pm

Sounds to me like you were seen by an intern, not an internist. Though, maybe she was an internal medicine intern!
Also from Wikipedia

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 5:22pm

Gray's Anatomy

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 5:25pm

Google notwithstanding, it's always been my understanding that an internist was once referred to as a "general practitioner". In other words, your "regular" doctor who refers you to a specialist, if needed.

You probably did see an "intern" as bluemoon said.

[bethnor]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 5:37pm

Ever heard of Google?

lol. let the bww rudeness continue!

i suspect, dolly, that you misheard (or rather, whoever talked to you misspoke), and that your regular physician was escorted by an intern (which is distinct from an internist). "intern" refers to someone who is in their first year of training after medical school, and seems to adequately describe the perception of cluelessness that you were getting from this person. even though, this late in the academic year (that year generally running from july-june), the intern should be more "up to snuff," so to speak (in other words, the intern, at this point, is about 3-4 months away from being a "resident," which is the term used for someone at a higher level of training).

the generic for "zetia" is ezetimibe. generally speaking, it is a good thing for young doctors (and patients, for that matter) to be learning the generic names of drugs over their brand names. the brand name is a sound byte meant to sell a drug, whereas the generic name tells you something about how a drug works. for instance, if someone says to me they're taking "capoten," i have no idea what that means. however, if someone tells me they are taking "captopril," i know instantly how that drug works, and that they must have something chronic going on, like heart failure and high blood pressure. i would also know to be somewhat leery, as it sounds as if their doctor likes to prescribe the most expensive drugs in that particular class of drugs.

lastly, it is alright to be confused between an internist and a family practioner, no matter what definition wiki gives you, as the distinction is somewhat arbitrary. as it happens, there are many hazy distinctions in medicine. both a general surgeon and a otolaryngologist is qualified to remove your thyroid. me personally, i would only allow an otolaryngologist, as that is their specialty. but i knew several endocrinologists at one institution who were very unhappy with the ENT docs there and preferred general surgery to perform thyroidectomies on their patients.

generally speaking, an internist is going to be more educated when it comes to the care of adults, whereas a family practioner is a "jack of all trades" (and frankly, by extension, master of none) and can also take care of kids and women (with regards to obstetrics and gynecological problems). a family practioner should be able to handle uncomplicated diabetes and high blood pressure, etc., etc. me, personally, when i develop high blood pressure/diabetes/whatever i would prefer to see an internist over a family practioner, but that is not necessary. however, if i had lots of other things going on (say, for instance, lupus or HIV), well, i think the more complex things get, the better off you are with an internist.

hope that helps.

Updated On: 2/24/10 at 05:37 PM

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 6:46pm

bethnor, thank you ever so much for your help. I probably was under the care of an "intern", but would she still be called "Dr"? This lady was introduced to me as "Dr So and So".

I failed to mention that she seemed to be very nice, but clueless.

Actually, in this particular office, I would prefer to be seen by the PA--a gal who knows her stuff, remembers her patients, had a very friendly personality and often gives follow-up calls.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 7:26pm

Yes, they would still be a doctor if they finished med school. They're just in the field training and working with real patients. Obviously they do need their work checked still.

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 7:30pm

The opposite of internist is outernist. { ducking}

Posted: 2/24/10 at 9:23pm

Was she jewish?

As Calvin Trillin says, "You could go to a gentile internist, but why not play the odds?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 9:28pm

People really believe what Dollypop posts?

[NYadgal]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 9:28pm

Nope.

[Jane2]

Posted: 2/24/10 at 9:53pm

I thought it was a pretty stupid question for a person who claims to be his age but I humored him anyway by answering.

[papalovesmambo]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 9:18am

it's a relative to a barbour.

[Calvin]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 12:50pm

I still have hopes that Trillin can convince the nation to turn Thanksgiving dinner's core dish from turkey to spaghetti carbonara.

Posted: 2/25/10 at 2:02pm

Indeed Calvin. Certain Native American Tribes in Massachusetts still celebrate the arrival of "the big Italian Fella" with a platter of Spaghetti Carbonara. And the Pilgrims condemned it as "Heretic-ally Tasty."

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 2:40pm

>>"Was she jewish?"<<<

No, she was Asian.

She also messed up my prescriptions. As my insurance company requires me to use a mail-order company for my meds. I usually get 90 days worth of prescriptions with 2 renewals. I explained it to this gal and she seemed to understand, however she wrote them as a 30 prescription with 2 renewals.

I've already called the PA and she's going to re-write the scrips for me.

All of this makes me recall that little ditty"

"Patience is a virtue
Find it if you can
It's seldom found in women
But always found in man."

Alas!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 2:47pm

Clearly women shouldn't be allowed to be doctors.


You'll find agreement in this thread!

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 3:24pm

I didn't say that women shouldn't be doctors. My PA is a woman and I've already expressed my positive feelings about her. This particular intern was just a befuddled mess. Luckily, she wasn't the one who took my blood samples. That was the real reason for my visit.

All that little ditty expressed was that men generally have more patience...especially when they're patients.

[jessica0414]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 7:55pm

As others have said, interns can still be called Dr. At least, I assume they can be, because in the first season of Scrubs J.D. is sometimes called "Doctor Dorian" and he is just an intern. And we all know that everything you see on TV is always, always true. Always. lol

[The Grovers Corners Yenta]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 8:12pm

I was once cathed in the ER by a male nurse.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 8:25pm

An intern is a phycian OR surgeon on a hospital staff usually a recent graduate receiving a year of post-graduate training prior to being eligible to be licensed to practice medicine independently. ( usually a G.P. - family medicine is now considered a specialty ) An Internist has taken advanced post graduate training(2- 4 years) in the diagnosis/treatment of diseases treated medically as opposed to surgical tx.

And a PA is NOT a doctor!!!! ( altho they may be a foreign trained one not eligible for licensing in the US/Canada)Yes they can write prescriptions ( altho NOT narcotics) and order tests ( so can a Nurse Practioner) they cannot treat independantly but only under the supervision of a licensed MD.

Your doc-ling sounds like she just changed to a new rotation and hasn't found her footing yet.
Be kind to your webfooted friends for a doc can be some bodys betrothed...

Updated On: 2/25/10 at 08:25 PM

[bdwaygirl]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 9:21pm

"men generally have more patience...especially when they're patients"

Not any that I've ever known.

Updated On: 2/25/10 at 09:21 PM

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 9:24pm

If we say "male nurse" does that mean we should say "lady doctor"?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 2/25/10 at 9:46pm

Oh, this intern was a very nice gal; it's just that she seemed confused or maybe ill-at-ease. I WAS told that she'd be joining my regular doctor on this visit.

I realize my PA isn't a "doctor" but for general check-ups she is the best. She normally writes my scripts and knows my history without checking records. It's good to have someone like that. For really serious matters, though, I'd insist on seeing a physician.