Last Updated on December 20, 2022
Becoming a medical practitioner is maybe the most popular career goal that many have, way before even reaching high school. Future doctors nurture their passion for helping others and start studying Medicine before applying to a medical school. Future doctors nurture their passion for helping others and start studying Medicine before applying to a medical school. Read more about the best medical schools for internal medicine.
Internal medicine is the branch of primary care focused on the prevention and treatment of diseases in adults. Internal medicine students have the option of specializing further and focusing on internal medicine subspecialties such as pediatric internal medicine, endocrinology, rheumatology, infectious diseases, etc.
Right here on infolearners, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on top internal medicine residency programs, best pre med schools, best medical schools in the world, internal medicine doctor, internal medicine residency rankings sdn, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.
Internal Medicine Doctor
Internal medicine doctors, also known as internists, diagnose and treat illnesses in adult patients, as opposed to family practitioners who see both adults and children. Internists specifically provide treatment of non-surgical diseases and injuries related to the internal organ systems in adults and address a wide-range of issues. They examine patients and advise them from simple health questions to more complex issues which may require the attention of specialists in other areas, including surgeons. Read more about the top 100 internal medicine residency programs in this post.
The following chart provides an overview about a career as an internal medicine doctor.
| Degree Required | Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) |
| Training Required | 3- to 5-year residency |
| Licensure or Certification | All states require doctors to be licensed; board certification is available |
| Key Responsibilities | Examine patients; order diagnostic tests and analyze results; diagnose medical conditions and provide in-patient or out-patient non-surgical treatment; prescribe and administer medication |
| Job Growth (2018-2028) | 7% for all physicians and surgeons* |
| Median Salary (2018) | greater than $208,000 for all physicians and surgeons* |
What Does an Internal Medicine Doctor Do
You may be a patient’s primary care physician, and as a general internist, you work with patients’ entire bodies, including limbs, organs, bones and nervous system. Internal medicine doctors can work with patients through mental health concerns and substance abuse. You will work between your office and hospitals.
An internal medicine doctor may be an osteopathic doctor (O.D.) or an allopathic doctor (M.D.). Osteopathic doctors focus in the body as a whole and on manipulative movements that help to strengthen the body and heal injuries or illnesses. Osteopathic doctors and allopathic doctors have most of the same training and can perform the same procedures and prescribe medicine.
What Is the Average Salary for an Internal Medicine Doctor
The median salary of a general internist in 2018 was $194,500, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov). In 2019, salary.com (‘www1.salary.com’) reported that internal medicine doctors earned an average salary of $217,482.
What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?
Medical professionals looking for career alternatives can find positions as podiatrists, chiropractors, dentists, optometrists and veterinarians. These jobs require a medical doctorate and years of internship. With a master’s degree you could possibly work as a nurse anesthetist, midwife or practitioner. These professionals work directly under a medical doctor in that specialty. Registered nurses only need the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree and will work sometimes in a clinical or hospital setting as well as for private practice MDs.
Best Medical Schools For Internal Medicine
1. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
The Columbia Vagelos School of Medicine curriculum isn’t divided into years, but rather into three stages: Fundamentals, Major Clinical Year, and Differentiation and Integration. All students participate in a 10-week internal medicine rotation in their clinical year, where they spend 6 weeks at New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s Milstein Hospital Building and the remaining four weeks at Harlem Hospital, Stamford Hospital, Allen Hospital, or James J. Peter’s Veteran’s Hospital. Students can also elect to complete a one-month subinternship in medicine. In 2019, 39 Columbia medical students matched with internal medicine residencies. The school admitted 140 students to its MD class in 2023.
2. DUKE UNIVERSITY
Duke’s unique, condensed curriculum is designed so that all the foundational science courses are taken in the first year. Students then complete their clerkships in the second year and pursue dual degrees and research projects in the third year.
Each student completes an 8-week internal medicine clerkship in their second year. 25 Duke School of Medicine seniors matched with internal medicine residencies in 2019. For students admitted to the Duke School of Medicine in 2019, the median undergraduate GPA and MCAT score was 3.83 and 518, respectively.
3. HARVARD UNIVERSITY
All Harvard Medical School students complete an internal medicine clerkship that covers diagnosis, professionalism, data analysis, careers in medicine, and specific skills on a variety of medical subjects. 42 HMS seniors matched with internal medicine residencies in 2019. The 2019 incoming class of 165 students at HMS had a median undergraduate GPA of 3.9 and a median MCAT score of 519.
4. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
In 2019, 30% of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine seniors matched with primary care residencies, including internal medicine. Johns Hopkins medical school curriculum includes early patient interaction, and each student participates in an 8-week internal medicine clerkship in year 3. In 2019, the schools offered admission to 256 out of its 4654 applicants, and 120 students matriculated.
5. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA – SAN FRANCISCO
UCSF’s Internal Medicine Department hosts both a required clerkship and required subinternship for all medical students, in addition to over 40 elective courses. 29 students matched with internal medicine residencies in 2019. UCSF has a notoriously competitive admissions process, exemplified by the 2018-2019 admissions cycle, in which 7,760 people applied and only 149 enrolled. Students accepted in 2019 had an average MCAT score of 520 (the full range was 513-525) and an average GPA of 3.8 (full range: 3.6-4.0).
6. UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
Michigan Medicine received over 7,500 applications in the 2018-2019 admissions cycle, and ultimately only 168 enrolled. There are 13 divisions of Michigan Medicine’s Internal Medicine department, including Genetic Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, and Geriatric and Palliative Medicine. 38 Michigan Medicine students matched with internal medicine residencies in 2019. The entering class in 2019 had an average GPA of 3.78 and a class average MCAT percentile of 90.77.
7. UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
UPenn Perelman School of Medicine students participate in a required 8-week internal medicine rotation in which there’s a focus on small group learning and taking an active role in patient care. There are additional 2- and 4-week internal medicine electives available for interested students. 27 UPenn medical students matched with internal medicine residencies in 2019. The incoming class in 2019 had a median undergraduate GPA of 3.89 and a median MCAT score of 521.
8. VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
In 2019, 19 Vanderbilt School of Medicine seniors matched with internal medicine residencies. Vanderbilt medical students get a lot of exposure to the practice of internal medicine. In their second year, students take a physical diagnosis course that serves as an introduction to internal medicine. They then complete a required Core Medicine Clerkship, followed by an optional Primary Care Medicine Clerkship—a one-month elective that can take place in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings depending on the student’s interest. Vanderbilt School of Medicine has a 7:1 faculty to student ratio and a 5.4% acceptance rate. In 2018, students matriculating at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine had GPA scores in the range of 3.2 to 4.0 and MCAT scores that ranged from the 71st percentile to the 100th.
9. WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS
WashU is in the process of revamping its medical school curriculum to better incorporate new technology, recent scientific discoveries, and modern social determinants of health. All students participate in a mandatory 8-week internal medicine clerkship, and 24 seniors matched with internal medicine residencies in 2019. The incoming class in 2019 at WashU had 134 students.
10. YALE UNIVERSITY
With over 1200 internal medicine faculty, it’s unsurprising that Yale is ranked so highly for internal medicine. The internal medicine department offers two of the school’s required 12-week medical school clerkships: Internal Medicine and Biopsychosocial Approach to Health. Additionally, students can participate in any of Yale’s internal medicine electives and sub-internships. 26 Yale School of Medicine seniors matched with internal medicine residencies in 2019.
Best medical schools in the world
1. University of Oxford
Medicine at the University of Oxford is a traditional course split into pre-clinical and clinical stages. In the first few years, students are taught theoretically with little patient contact. In the course’s later years, they move to the clinical phase, spending much more time at the John Radcliffe Hospital. About 150 students are admitted on to the course each year, and another 30 on to a graduate course that condenses medical studies into just four years.
The university has two main libraries for medicine and clinical studies, one providing resources for the pre-clinical elements of the course and another focusing on healthcare. In addition to its distinctive course, Oxford offers students a college life experience, where social events and small tutorials take place. The Oxford University’s medical school is one of the best in the world.
2. Harvard University
The graduate medical school of Harvard University has three missions: to educate, research, and provide clinical care. Founded in 1782, it is the third-oldest medical school in the US. The school faculty also teach in other science departments at Harvard and work in clinical departments at some of the hospitals affiliated with the university. There are four main teaching hospitals across the Boston area. Harvard has introduced problem-based learning to the curriculum.
There is also a specialized programme, accepting only 30 applicants each year, that focuses on biomedical research. Medical students at Harvard belong to one of five societies named after alumni. Students work in small groups within the society, compete in sports competitions and attend social events. If you’re looking for one of the best medical schools globally, you should try Harvard university medical school. Its facilities and quality of education are top-notch.
3. Imperial College London
The medical programme at Imperial College London offers a range of teaching approaches, from traditional theoretical classes to innovative and hands-on experience. Students have direct contact with patients from the first term, unlike at other more traditional universities in the UK. The six-year undergraduate qualification in medicine also includes a bachelor of science, in addition to the MBBS.
Like Oxford and Cambridge, Imperial’s courses are heavily scientific, emphasizing not only clinical practice but also research techniques. Entry requirements are high; most accepted students will have top grades in chemistry, biology, and a third subject and will achieve a high score in the BMAT exam. The application process also includes an interview. Imperial is one of the most international institutions in the UK, but only a few overseas students are accepted into the medical programme each year.
4. University of Cambridge
Like at the University of Oxford, students can enroll in an undergraduate medicine degree at the University of Cambridge. Graduates also have several options to study medicine, either on an accelerated graduate programme or a condensed version of the pre-clinical and clinical courses. There are six applicants per place on the medical courses, and about 260 are accepted overall.
Half the graduates of Cambridge’s medical degrees become general practitioners, and almost all will work in the NHS in the UK. Entrance to the medicine degree requires excellent secondary qualifications and high scores on the BMAT test. Cambridge students, particularly medical students, have a busy schedule, juggling studies, college social events, and various recreational activities.
5. Stanford University
The graduate school at Stanford University provides masters and PhD programmes to students who wish to further their medical training. Six Nobel prize-winners, 31 members of the National Academy of Sciences, and 42 members of the Institute of Medicine are among the current faculty at the school.
Researchers at Stanford Medicine are undertaking research across a number of different areas, including cancer, immunology, genetics, and neuroscience. The school also provides healthcare for adults and children, with a dedicated centre for children.
6. Bangladesh Medical College
This is the oldest and one of the cheapest medical schools in Bangladesh. It can be found in Dhaka, and the duration of studying medicine and surgery is five years. After graduating from this medical school, it is mandatory for students to do a one-year internship. The institution has also produced world-class medical experts at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
7. Saint Theresa Medical University
The medical institution is situated in Armenia, and it is a private university that has been accredited officially and also gains recognition from the ministry of education and science in this country. It is a co-educational higher education that offers numerous medical programs that can lead to obtaining higher educational degrees in medical fields.
The school is being known to offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses for students from different parts of the world. However, besides medicine and surgery, international students can also study courses in other faculties such as engineering, physical sciences, arts, and humanities.
8. Akaki Tsereteli State University
This medical university has a rich history and has won numerous outstanding medical reputations for high-class educating and equipping generations of Georgian citizens. Right from when the school was established, a total number of approximately 170 thousand medical students have graduated from Akaki Tsereteli State University.
Their students’ outstanding performances have been ranked as the 2nd best medical school in Georgia and by the World health organization as a first-class institution. They offer different programs to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
9. Anhui Medical University
This is one of the cheapest medical schools found in China. It is one of the oldest institutions found in Anhui province. Right from the inception of the medical school, its major aim has been to promote interdisciplinary amongst students using clinical and scientific activities. This has been an essential step in combining medical strength and medical research.
Anhui medical university saw the need to expand the institution and establish other affiliated hospitals for medical students’ practice and other young scientists. The school has well-equipped laboratories to enable both indigenous and international students to gain world-class lectures. For anyone enrolling in medicine, it is a six-year course, and international students are taught in the English language.
10. Asian Medical Institute
This is another medical school located in Kyrgyzstan with many international students from various parts of the world. Based on their outstanding performance, the school has been recognized by a medical body in India and the World Health Organization as being part of the best medical schools available in the world.
Furthermore, it has obtained recognition from the Ministry of Health in Kyrgyzstan to train other medical professionals from foreign countries. International students in Asian medical school have a chance to get a degree that will be highly recognized in the world. The different faculties available in the school are dentistry, medical, preparatory, etc.
