Healthcare career

Internist

Also called: Internal Medicine Physician · Hospitalist · Adult Primary Care Physician · General Internist

What internists do, what they earn, how long training takes and how to get started, with official BLS pay data and practical, job-level detail.

Updated By the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team
What does an internist do?

Internists are physicians who diagnose and treat diseases in adults, managing complex and chronic conditions in clinics and hospitals. The median pay is $256,560 per year (BLS, May 2025), most people train for about 11 years after high school, and employment is projected to grow +4.0% from 2025–35.

Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026

  • Median pay
    $256,560
    $123.35/hour · May 2025
  • Job growth
    +4.0%
    2025–35, about as fast as average
  • Openings per year
    1,900
    Average, 2025–35
  • Typical entry education
    Doctoral or professional degree
    BLS classification
  • Time to train
    11 years after high school
    Typical program length
  • U.S. jobs
    73,100
    Employment, 2025

What internists do

Internists are experts in adult medicine. They care for patients with multiple chronic conditions, solve diagnostic puzzles, provide preventive care and coordinate with specialists. Many work as hospitalists caring for admitted patients; others run outpatient practices. Internal medicine is also the starting point for specialties such as cardiology and gastroenterology.

Internists complete medical school and a three-year internal medicine residency, then earn a license and board certification.

Typical duties

  • Diagnose adult illnesses
  • Manage chronic conditions
  • Care for hospitalized patients
  • Order and interpret tests
  • Coordinate specialist care
  • Provide preventive care
  • Lead care teams on rounds

Work environment and schedule

Internists work in hospitals, outpatient clinics and academic medical centers.

Schedule: Clinic internists work weekdays; hospitalists often work blocks such as seven days on and seven off.

A day in the life

  1. Take sign-out as a hospitalist.
  2. Round on 16 admitted patients.
  3. Admit a patient with pneumonia.
  4. Meet a family about goals of care.

See a full day in the life of an internist →

Internist salary

Half of internists earned more than $256,560 and half earned less in May 2025. Pay ranged from about $73,570 for the lowest 10% to $475,430 for the top 10%.

Full internist pay scale and hourly rates →

How to become an internist

  1. Earn a bachelor’s degree
  2. Complete medical school
  3. Complete internal medicine residency
  4. Pass boards
  5. Practice or subspecialize

Medical school plus a three-year internal medicine residency are required, along with a state license and board certification.

Step-by-step guide to becoming an internist →

Skills and tools

Technical skills

  • Diagnostic reasoning
  • Chronic disease management
  • Hospital medicine
  • Pharmacology
  • Interpreting tests

People skills

  • Critical thinking
  • Communication
  • Empathy
  • Teamwork

All internist skills and tools →

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Solve complex medical problems
  • High pay
  • Path to many specialties
  • Hospitalist block schedules

Cons

  • Heavy patient loads
  • Documentation burden
  • Emotional cases
  • Long training

Certifications and licenses

  • ABIM board certification: American Board of Internal Medicine.
  • State medical license: Required.
  • Hospital medicine focus: Recognition of focused practice.
  • Subspecialty fellowship: Cardiology, GI and more.

Career path

  1. Resident: Train.
  2. Internist or Hospitalist: Practice.
  3. Subspecialist: After fellowship.
  4. Chief of Medicine: Lead departments.

Learn the job before day one

Our Internist training (12 hours, $109.99) covers the role, 15+ key terms, step-by-step procedures such as build a differential diagnosis and lead a goals-of-care conversation, safety and how to land your first job.

View Internist trainingIs this career right for me?

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Internist FAQ

What’s an internist?

A physician specializing in adult medicine.

What’s a hospitalist?

An internist who cares for hospitalized patients.

Is internal medicine a path to specialties?

Yes, it leads to cardiology, GI, oncology and more.

How much does an internist make?

The median annual wage for internists was $256,560 ($123.35 per hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest 10% earned less than $73,570 and the highest 10% earned more than $475,430.

How long does it take to become an internist?

Most people need about 11 years after high school of training. Medical school plus a three-year internal medicine residency are required, along with a state license and board certification.

Do you need a degree to be an internist?

Yes. BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education, and you also need a state license to practice.

More internist questions →

Sources

Reviewed by the Career Education Institute Curriculum Team. Pay figures are national estimates; local pay varies. See our editorial policy.

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