[Concept and scope of internal medicine]

Internal medicine derived from the study of internal pathology. The division of knowledge originated subspecialties. These may be grouped according to the organs or systems of interest (cardiology, gastroenterology, etc), to pathogenic mechanisms (clinical immunology, infectious diseases, etc), to characteristics of the patients (intensive medicine, geriatrics, etc). Some are mainly devoted to diagnostic or therapeutic procedures (radiology, nuclear medicine, clinical pharmacology, etc). Internal medicine may be thought of as another specialty or as a trunk from which other subspecialties are derived and nurtured. Internal medicine is characterized by its concern for ample clinical syndromes, multisystemic diseases, general diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and the intensity of the patient-physician relationship. An analysis of the relationship between internal medicine and its subspecialties must consider the patient's viewpoint, medical teaching, postgraduate training, research and organization of medical departments and societies. A revival of the identity of internal medicine is definitely needed.