SOC 29-1216.00

    General Internal Medicine Physicians

    Diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems.

    Median pay
    $256,560
    Growth
    +4.0%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    1,900
    Typical education
    Doctoral or professional degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $73,570
    Median
    $256,560
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $475,430
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    67,150 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    General internal medicine physicians diagnose and treat diseases and injuries of internal organs, primarily caring for adults and adolescents in outpatient settings. This career offers a median annual pay of $256,560.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What general internal medicine physicians do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Diagnose and provide nonsurgical treatment for a wide range of diseases and injuries of internal organ systems. Provide care mainly for adults and adolescents, and are based primarily in an outpatient care setting.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    These medical professionals spend their days diagnosing and providing nonsurgical treatment for a wide range of illnesses affecting internal organ systems. Their daily work involves assisting and caring for patients, gathering information, and analyzing data to make critical decisions. They must document patient records, interpret medical information for others, and organize their daily work schedules. Developing strong interpersonal relationships and staying updated on medical knowledge are essential parts of the job.

    To succeed in this role, physicians rely on skills like active listening, critical thinking, complex problem solving, and science. They must have deep knowledge of medicine, biology, therapy, counseling, and psychology. Strong communication skills, including speaking and writing, are also necessary.

    This career appeals to individuals with investigative interests who enjoy intellectual curiosity and problem solving. Important work styles for these doctors include attention to detail, dependability, integrity, and cautiousness. They must also demonstrate empathy, cooperation, self-control, and high stress tolerance when managing patient care.

    How to get there

    Entering this career requires extensive academic and practical preparation. Most individuals in this field need a doctoral or professional graduate degree, such as a Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO). The primary college major that leads to this profession is medicine.

    After completing their medical degree, practitioners often pursue specific certifications to validate their expertise. Available certifications include Board Certification in Internal Medicine from the American Board of Physician Specialties, Certification in Cardiology Medicine from the American Osteopathic Board of Internal Medicine, and Sleep Medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine. Other options include the Associate - Infection Prevention and Control credential or a Certification in Phlebology. Additionally, some states list a license for this work, which practitioners must obtain to practice legally.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for these physicians was $256,560. Earnings can vary significantly based on experience and location; the lowest 10% of earners make less than $73,570, while the highest 10% earn more than $475,430.

    There were 67,150 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 4%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. This growth is expected to result in approximately 1,900 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    57 / 100
    Investigative (I) · strongest
    97 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    7 / 100
    Social (S)
    85 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    18 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    44 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code ISR. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Assisting and Caring for Others
    98
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    95
    Documenting/Recording Information
    94
    Analyzing Data or Information
    87
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    87
    Getting Information
    86
    Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
    82
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    81
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    81
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    81
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Critical Thinking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Science
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Speaking
    • Writing
    • Active Learning

    Knowledge

    • Medicine and Dentistry
    • Biology
    • Therapy and Counseling
    • Psychology
    • Education and Training
    • English Language
    • Administration and Management
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Mathematics

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Written Comprehension
    • Category Flexibility
    • Information Ordering
    • Near Vision
    • Written Expression

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Cautiousness
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Control
    • Empathy
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Perseverance

    Also called

    DO Physician (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Physician) · Doctor · Endocrinologist · Endocrinology Physician · Gastroenterologist · Gastroenterology Physician · General Internal Medicine Doctor · General Internal Medicine Physician · General Internist · Hematologist

    Career pathway

    From your interests to general internal medicine physicians

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • General Internal Medicine Physicians$256,560 median pay

    3. Majors

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What general internal medicine physicians may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Internal Medicine Residency Program
    • Internal Medicine/Anesthesiology Combined Specialty Program
    • Internal Medicine/Dermatology Combined Specialty Program
    • Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine Combined Specialty Program
    • Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine/Critical Care Medicine Combined Specialty Program
    • Internal Medicine/Family Medicine Combined Specialty Program
    • Internal Medicine/Neurology Combined Specialty Program
    • Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Combined Specialty Program
    • Internal Medicine/Preventive Medicine Combined Specialty Program
    • Internal Medicine/Psychiatry Combined Specialty Program
    • Medicine
    • Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    53 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Federal

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about general internal medicine physicians

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative titles for this career?

    People in this profession are also known as general internists, general internal medicine doctors, or DO physicians. Depending on their focus, they may also be called gastroenterologists, endocrinologists, or hematologists.

    What are some related careers in the medical field?

    Related professions that require similar medical training include pediatricians, cardiologists, emergency medicine physicians, and obstetricians and gynecologists. Other closely related roles include pediatric surgeons and orthopedic surgeons.

    What are the primary subjects these doctors need to know?

    These physicians must have strong knowledge in medicine, biology, therapy, counseling, and psychology. They also benefit from understanding education, the English language, administration, computers, and mathematics.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.