UNDERSTANDING INTERNAL MEDICINE

Internal Medicine physicians are called “Internists” and often serve as primary care physicians for adults. Please do not confuse this term with “interns,” who are doctors in their first year of residency training. 

Training for Internal Medicine is focused on adult diseases. Conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and chronic lung disease are routinely seen by Internists. An Internist may either consult with doctors in other fields of medicine, or may be called to consult on a patient by another specialist.

Internists are usually able to deal with numerous common and complex patient problems. They are specially trained to solve puzzling diagnostic problems and can handle severe chronic illnesses and situations where several different illnesses may strike at the same time. They also bring to patients an understanding of wellness (disease prevention and the promotion of health), women's health, substance abuse, mental health, as well as effective treatment of common problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system and reproductive organs.

Although internists may act as primary care physicians, they are not "family physicians," "family practitioners," or "general practitioners," whose training is not solely concentrated on adults and may include surgery, obstetrics and pediatrics.

Many Internists provide care for their patients in an office setting.  Other Internists prefer a mix of outpatient and inpatient care.  Additionally, Internists may provide care solely to hospitalized patients.  Internists, and other physicians who function in this role, are called “Hospitalists.”

Education and Training
Education for Internal Medicine involves many years of training.  Candidates begin with a four year pre-medicine college degree followed by four years of medical school.  The next phase of training is an intense three years of an Internal Medicine residency program based on prevention, diagnosing and treating the diseases of adult patients.

An Internist may also decide to continue training upon completion of a residency program.  These two-to-three year training programs are called “fellowships.”  Specialty areas include Cardiology, Infectious Disease, Nephrology, Neurologist, Pulmonology, and others.

ROY HARRIS, DO, FACOI
510 Hill Street
Bucyrus, OH 44820
419-562-9834

GRANT HOPE, DO
140 Hill Street
Suite D
Bucyrus, OH 44820
419-562-2676

BRENDA PERRYMAN, MD
125 N Sandusky Avenue
Bucyrus, OH 44820
419-562-8796

TODD STRICKLAND, MD
1323 E Mansfield Street
Bucyrus, OH 44820
419-563-0300