Internal Medicine vs. General Practitioner

When you are a general practitioner, also known as a GP, you will be known as the family doctor. You are the first physician that patients go to when going through the medical system. If you receive a patient that is outside of your generalized medical education, a referral to another specialist is required - such as an oncologist or internist.

As a GP, you will provide care for basic illnesses, such as flu, colds, respiratory infections, sinus, broken bones and annual checkups. The role of an internist is to diagnose and treat problems that are within the internal body, such as digestive tract, kidneys, liver and stomach.

When it comes to internists and general practitioners, they both offer patients with primary care. The general doctor tends to deal with long term base of regular clients, then the internist deals with referrals from the general doctor.



The general doctor and internist are not allowed to perform surgeries, but they do treat patients by using tests, diagnoses, medicine and provide referrals to internists that are specialized in a specific area of the body.

Internists and general practitioners are both certified as MDs