General Internal Medicine Physicians: Career Profile
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.
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The Daily Work of General Internal Medicine Physicians Take On?
Typical responsibilities of general internal medicine physicians span:
- Analyze records, reports, test results, or examination information to diagnose medical condition of patient.
- Treat internal disorders, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, or problems of the lung, brain, kidney, or gastrointestinal tract.
- Prescribe or administer medication, therapy, and other specialized medical care to treat or prevent illness, disease, or injury.
- Manage and treat common health problems, such as infections, influenza or pneumonia, as well as serious, chronic, and complex illnesses, in adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
- Provide and manage long-term, comprehensive medical care, including diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases, for adult patients in an office or hospital.
- Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients.
- Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, and disease prevention.
- Make diagnoses when different illnesses occur together or in situations where the diagnosis may be obscure.
What General Internal Medicine Physicians Need to Know
Effective general internal medicine physicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician)
- Doctor
- Endocrinologist
- Endocrinology Physician
- Gastroenterologist
- Gastroenterology Physician
- General Internal Medicine Doctor
- General Internal Medicine Physician
Job Outlook
There are roughly 2,958,672 general internal medicine physicians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +4.7% over the projection horizon.
General Internal Medicine Physicians Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $106,490 |
| Hourly median | $51.20 |
| 10th percentile | $66,719 |
| 25th percentile | $86,605 |
| 75th percentile | $126,375 |
| 90th percentile | $146,260 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
General Internal Medicine Physicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | $234,960 |
| Illinois | $234,880 |
| Kentucky | $231,240 |
| Vermont | $228,840 |
| Michigan | $227,270 |
| Rhode Island | $223,340 |
| Connecticut | $214,190 |
| District of Columbia | $209,250 |
| Louisiana | $203,740 |
| Nebraska | $178,620 |
| New York | $173,340 |
| Ohio | $169,990 |
| New Jersey | $155,570 |
| Nevada | $154,040 |
| Delaware | $153,600 |
| Puerto Rico | $129,050 |
| Tennessee | $67,150 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for general internal medicine physicians vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $135,942 | 12.4% | 0.93 |
| Middle Atlantic | $123,233 | 29.3% | 2.51 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $82,122 | 0.2% | 0.60 |
| New England | $67,686 | 5.7% | 1.21 |
| Southeast | $39,454 | 24.0% | 1.45 |
| Plains States | $39,106 | 5.1% | 1.33 |
| Far Western US | $6,838 | 13.5% | 0.83 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for General Internal Medicine Physicians
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | FL | $238,850 | 270 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | AZ | $238,560 | 70 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $237,980 | 50 |
| Elmira, NY | NY | $237,470 | 90 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $234,440 | 1,420 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | SC | $234,440 | 100 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | MI | $233,740 | 90 |
| Tucson, AZ | AZ | $232,440 | 180 |
Which Industries Hire General Internal Medicine Physicians
Most general internal medicine physicians work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 59,110 | n/a |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 200 | n/a |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 150 | $144,740 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 40 | $61,740 |
Below are examples of industries where general internal medicine physicians work:
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of general internal medicine physicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Physical Proximity
Getting Started in This Career
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Short)
- Dermatologists (Supplemental)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Primary-Short)
- Family Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring general internal medicine physicians commonly pursue programs in:
10 programs across 2 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1216.00 (General Internal Medicine Physicians).
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