What degree is needed for internal medicine?

Answer 1

The training and career pathways for internists vary considerably across the world.

First, they must receive the "entry-level" education required of any medical practitioner in the relevant jurisdiction. The entry-level for medical education programs are tertiary-level courses, undertaken at a medical school attached to a university.

Programs that require previous undergraduate education are usually four or five years in length. Hence, gaining a basic medical education may typically take eight years, depending on jurisdiction and university. Following completion of entry-level training, newly graduated medical practitioners are often required to undertake a period of supervised practice before the licensure, or ''registration'', is granted, typically one or two years. This period may be referred to as, "medical internship" or "conditional registration."

Then, internists require specialist training in internal medicine or one of its subspecialties. In North America, this postgraduate training is often referred to as residency training; in Commonwealth countries, such trainees are often called registrars.

Training in medical specialties typically takes from three to 10 years, and sometimes more, depending on specialty and jurisdiction. A medical practitioner who completes specialist training in ''internal medicine'' (or in one of its subspecialties) is an ''internist'', or a medical specialist in the older, narrower sense. In some jurisdictions, training in internal medicine is begun immediately following completion of entry-level training, or even before. In other jurisdictions, a medical specialist must undertake generalist (un-streamed) training for one or more years before commencing specialization.

Hence, depending on jurisdiction, an internist typically takes 12 or more years after commencing basic medical training - five to eight years at university to obtain a basic medical qualification and up to another six years to become a medical specialist.

Internal Medicine subspecialists may also practice general internal medicine, but a particular subspecialty, i.e., cardiology or pulmonology licensure is granted after completing a fellowship (Additional training of 2-3 years).