Internal vs. Family Medicine

If you’ve ever spent time looking for a new Primary Care Provider (PCP), then you know that you get a surprising range of results when you begin.  Pediatricians are one that commonly turns up, and everyone knows that’s a doctor that focuses on the health and development of children. Family practitioner is pretty self-explanatory, it’s right there in the name, but what exactly is a Doctor of Internal Medicine and how do they play into this whole scheme?

Internal Medicine vs. Family Medicine – How They Differ
Simply put a doctor of internal medicine specializes in the health and wellness of adults, without a family focus and without seeing children.  As one doctor put it “Internal Medicine specialists are basically just pediatricians for adults”, an explanation that has the twin benefits of being humorous in its presentation and being completely accurate.  The important thing to remember is that these specialists are able to care for any adult, regardless of whether or not they’ve had a family, they just focus their specialty and attention on the health and wellness of mature patients.

Why Choose A Doctor of Internal Medicine?
Let’s face it, there’s a lot to cover when it comes to the health of any individual patient, let alone an entire classification of patient.  Family Medicine specialists can’t merely focus on the health and wellness of children, they have to know the sorts of conditions that can affect people of any age, people who are in the process of child-rearing, and those passing into their twilight years.  That’s an incredible amount of information, conditions, pathologies, and diseases to manage. One would choose an internal medicine specialist for the same reason they’d take their child to a pediatrician, the ability of the practitioner to focus on a particular stage of life leads to a greater understanding and broader knowledge of it.  

Should I Consider Seeing An Internal Medicine Specialist?
Your decision to see one of these practitioners can depend on a lot of factors.  Not all offices have doctors of internal medicine on staff, meaning you may have to be seen at a clinic separate from your children to get this kind of care.  If you are in generally good health and don’t have any kind of chronic or acute illnesses, then it may not be necessary for you to have a specialist of this sort. However any adult can benefit from the more focused training and knowledge of an internal specialist, and you don’t need to have any special conditions to see one.

If you’re looking for an internal medicine specialist and live in the Memphis, TN area then pick up the phone and give Dr. Sam Olu Faleye a call at the Primehealth Medical Center.  Dr. Faleye has made the health and well-being of adults the primary focus of his career and has an excellent staff that he works with to help take care of these patients. Whether you’re looking for a new PCP or just want a specialist in adult concerns to work with you, set up an appointment today!