Internal medicine in France: past, present, and future

Abstract

Internal medicine is a rather young medical specialty in France. Its growth has been a difficult one. There are about 2000 internists in France, the majority of them working in hospitals. The training in internal medicine takes 5 years. It is the longest training of all the medical specialities. Qualified internists may acquire an additional subspecialty in oncology, geriatrics, immunology, vascular medicine, infectious diseases, nutrition and metabolism, or intensive care medicine. In private practice, internists often examine patients referred by other doctors. In hospitals, the spectrum of the internist’s work is wide and depends on local needs. In universities, internists play a major role in the training of medical students. There are two national organizations of internal medicine: a scientific society and a professional syndicate. They work together very closely on matters such as initial and continuing education, congresses, defense, promotion of the specialty, etc. The place of the specialty in the French health system is now generally acknowledged. The Society has succeeded in organizing two national congresses each year; however, efforts are still necessary to improve public awareness of the usefulness of internal medicine and to increase the recruitment of young internists.