| In today's job market, it is important to seek out | | | | radiologists, orthopedic surgeons and cardiologists. |
| high-demand professions in order to secure one's | | | | Based on a one year study of recruitment requests |
| future. Even within a mostly stable profession such as | | | | within these medical specialties, demand for internists |
| the medical one, it is important to have a good idea | | | | as primary care physicians appears to be growing at |
| about which specialty is most likely to remain in high | | | | a rate of 40 to 50 percent (based on searches). Most |
| demand. Specialties that are likely to provide more | | | | of the demand growth in internal medicine careers |
| work are ones in which the demand is not only steady, | | | | exists within the confines of hospitals, as more and |
| but also on a steady incline. Job growth in internal | | | | more susbspecialists practice within said context. |
| medicine over the last fifteen years suggests that | | | | Demand for primary care physicians is at an all-time |
| within the medical practice realm, this is one specialty | | | | high. With exploding population growth in urban, |
| that is increasing in demand and likely to be stable for | | | | suburban and rural areas there are more and more |
| many years to come. | | | | people requiring medical care. Internists have |
| What is Internal Medicine? | | | | commonly been used as primary care physicians for |
| Internal medicine is the medical specialty that deals with | | | | decades. With higher and higher demand for primary |
| the diagnosis, management and non-surgical care and | | | | care, family physicians and other primary care |
| treatment of atypical or serious diseases. According to | | | | physicians have started to rely more on internists for |
| some sources, a focus on internal structures is implicit. | | | | overflow care. The aging baby-boomer population is |
| Doctors that practice internal medicine are commonly | | | | another great factor contributing to the growing need |
| referred to as "internists." Internists tend to work within | | | | for internal medicine professionals. Aging Americans |
| a hospital setting, because their patients often have | | | | require greater levels of care, including diagnosis and |
| serious illnesses that require diagnosis and/or treatment | | | | treatment of ailments that internists specialize in. |
| through complex means that require specialized | | | | Additionally, with baby-boomers living much longer lives |
| medical equipment and/or therapies. In the past, internal | | | | than any preceding generation, the impact of the |
| medicine was more broad, and specialists would see | | | | population boom is sure to have an even greater |
| and/or treat a wider variety of nonsurgical problems. In | | | | impact on these careers than what we're seeing now. |
| this day and age, most internists are subspecialists that | | | | Job Prospects |
| limit their practice to the treatment one particular organ | | | | If considering a career in the medical field, one must |
| or system or area of medical knowledge. | | | | carefully map out and predict potential job |
| Why is Demand Growing? | | | | opportunities. This is particularly important when |
| Reports from physician recruitment firms indicate that | | | | selecting a medical specialty. If having a job that is in |
| demand for internal medicine care providers and family | | | | high demand is important, then a career in internal |
| medicine care provider outpaces the demand for | | | | medicine should be considered. |