internal medicine

internal medicine, branch of medicine concerned with nonsurgical remedies for diseases of the internal organs. While the internist is trained to diagnose and treat all pathologies of the various internal organs and systems, he may specialize in a particular subbranch of the discipline, such as cardiology, the treatment of heart ailments, or gastroenterology, the treatment of diseases and disorders of the digestive system.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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