Development of a central division of general internal medicine

A division of general internal medicine was, by design, developed to be central to many of the activities of the department of medicine. Since 1979 the division has grown from five faculty members to 29 members and has the potential for substantial additional growth. The division provides approximately 70% of all inpatient teaching by attending physicians, provides all of the general medicine outpatient teaching, and has substantial impact on medical student training programs. The division is responsible for more than $1.5 million of clinical services and approximately 10% of hospital admissions, and it is responsible for approximately 40% of all patients on the general medicine service. Research activities are divided into several distinct modules, including medical informatics, clinical epidemiology, occupational medicine, geriatrics, medical competency testing, and ethics. The division receives approximately $1.2 million from external sources, including the federal government and foundations, for its research activities. Because of its success, it may serve as a potential model for similar divisions in other departments of medicine.