Internal medicine is a discipline focused on the medical or nonsurgical care of adults using the best medical services available to provide thoughtful and in depth care in the doctor-patient relationship. Patients with multiple problems would typically be seen by an internist for conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, chronic lung disease, and endocrine abnormalities. An internist often consults with specialists in other fields of medicine to provide comprehensive care.

Internal medicine physicians (internists), are specialists who apply broad clinical expertise and scientific knowledge to diagnose and treat conditions ranging from healthy adults to those with complex medical conditions. Internists also specialize in health promotion and disease prevention.