Internal Medicine is defined as: 'the medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis, management, and treatment of nonsurgical and unusual diseases'. Internal medicine is, perhaps, the most under appreciated medical specialty. At this point in society, much of the glory goes to specialists such as nephrologists, cardiologists, dermatologists, and so on; however, the fundamental truth is that without internists the entire essence and structure of healthcare services would collapse. Internal medicine physicians are at the front lines of all diseases as virtually every disease or illness is associated with a general medical issue. I have greatly enjoyed my work as a Hospitalist, a section of Internal Medicine dedicated to emergency room and hospital based care.
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
Emergency medicine is defined as: 'the specialty that deals with acutely injured or ill patients who require immediate medical treatment'. ER physicians are trained to care for patients in an acute setting which may be very dynamic depending on the location, patient population, and clinical cases. A major concern with emergency medicine is the increasing improper use of this service. Failures within the healthcare system have caused an overwhelming number of patients to use the emergency room for primary care, non-emergent, issues.
ANESTHESIOLOGY
Anesthesiology is defined as: 'the specialty by which a physician administers an anesthetic to induce unconsciousness in a patient before a surgical operation'. Although this is the definition, the role of the anesthesiologist is much broader and significant to other aspects of patient care. Anesthesiologists manage critically ill patients in intensive care units, offer pain clinics for patients with chronic diseases, and often have sub-specialties in cardiology, neurology, pediatrics, and obstetrics. Thus, anesthesiology crosses many other disciplines within medical care which makes it challenging, yet exceptionally unique.
NEUROSURGERY
Neurosurgery is defined as: 'the surgical discipline that focuses on treating central and peripheral nervous system disorders and spinal column disease'. Surgery itself is a challenging medical discipline which requires excellence in knowledge, concentration, and technique; however, these skills are amplified in neurosurgery since the brain is the most important and complex organ in the human body. Although much progress has been made in treating diseases of the brain and spinal cord, there is still much to be learned in the field of neurological sciences.
