Knowing that your primary care doctor is a skilled internal medicine practitioner gives you the reassurance you need to know you’re in good hands, which means you can have every confidence in Linda Coleman, MD, at Coleman Primary Care in Sterling, Virginia. Dr. Coleman and her team offer exceptional services, whether your problem is a minor injury or a serious illness. To learn more, call Coleman Primary Care or schedule an appointment online today.
Internal medicine describes the wide range of health problems experienced by adults, from the common cold to long-term chronic diseases like autoimmune disorders, and all points in between.
Internal medicine physicians, or internists, undergo the same training as other medical students to become doctors. When they’ve graduated, newly qualified doctors can choose to further their education and experience as internists or pursue a specific aspect of medicine, such as oncology, obstetrics and gynecology, or one of the many other specialties.
General internists treat patients who have all manner of disorders and health problems. Most work in hospitals or primary care facilities, but they have the expertise to know when a patient needs a referral to a specialist as well.
Internal medicine and family medicine do have similarities — for example, they both deal with a wide range of health conditions covering disease, trauma, and behavioral problems. However, internists treat adults, while family medicine practitioners provide services for both adults and children of all ages. Doctors who only treat children are called pediatricians.
Neither family medicine practitioners, internists, nor pediatricians routinely perform surgery, which is usually a separate specialty. However, there are many routine outpatient procedures such as stitching minor wounds that they’re all highly skilled in. Some pediatricians begin their relationships with families before babies are born, and family practitioners often deal with pregnancy and childbirth, but internists tend not to.
General internists like Dr. Coleman provide care for both minor acute health problems and more serious or complex conditions.
Internal medicine training provides internists with considerable skills that cover such a broad range of health issues that they’re experts at providing a holistic, integrative wellness approach. They can assess your health from many different perspectives and create a comprehensive treatment plan that improves your overall health and well-being.
Internists also play a vital role in disease prevention and health promotion, using their knowledge to help patients make changes to their lifestyle and take action to ensure they stay healthy and avoid getting sick, as well as providing preventive exams.
To find out more about the benefits of seeing an expert in internal medicine, call Coleman Primary Care or book an appointment online today.
