Gim Vs Fm

[johnstickienote]

Hi all, I know this sounds like a ridiculously uninformed question, but I am just wondering if anybody can clarify what the difference between GIM and Family Medicine is, clinically and what drew you to pursue one over the other? Of course FM would see a much larger diversity in patients, and would see a higher number of pediatric, obstetric and psychiatric patients while GIM would be more geriatrics-focused, at least so I have heard. As both are considered primary care residencies, I am just wondering your thought process was, for those who have gone through either, when selecting one over the other. Perspectivs around pros and cons of both would also be super helpful Thanks!!

[ploughboy]

GIM is not primary care in Canada.

[LeBronto2019]

https://www.acponline.org/medical_students/impact/archives/2010/12/perspect/

[amichel]

https://www.acponline.org/medical_students/impact/archives/2010/12/perspect/

Yah, as pointed out above, the American system is very different.

 

I'm only a med student but as I understand it: in Canada, general internal medicine is hospital based. As in, you can't just go see an GIM doc. You have to be either referred (sub specialists mostly I think) or hospitalized.

 

(In the states lots of GIM people work like family docs do in Canada)

[thatonekid]

Yah, as pointed out above, the American system is very different.

 

I'm only a med student but as I understand it: in Canada, general internal medicine is hospital based.

 

(In the states lots of GIM people work like family docs do in Canada)

 

In Canada, there are many community GIMs and subspecialists. But you still need to be referred by your family physician.

[amichel]

In Canada, there are many community GIMs and subspecialists. But you still need to be referred by your family physician.

Hah realized that and edited my post to add right when you posted this!

 

I still think it's fair to say that most GIM people are mostly hospital based. Obviously lots of subspecialties lend themselves more to hospital work.

[LeBronto2019]

In Canada, there are many community GIMs and subspecialists. But you still need to be referred by your family physician.

 

awww yeahh  

[thatonekid]

Hah realized that and edited my post to add right when you posted this!

 

I still think it's fair to say that most GIM people are mostly hospital based. Obviously lots of subspecialties lend themselves more to hospital work.

 

Only because we are trained at tertiary care centres. Even in medical school cities, there are many internists with private clinics. You just don't get exposure to them as they may not be affiliated with the universities.

[Wachaa]

I know that people might know this already but hasn't yet been mentioned here - Other specialties aside from FM can refer to GIM too. Surgeons referring patients to GIM for pre-operative assessment/ optimization is just one example. These clinics are usually located in hospital.

[leviathan]

GIM is 4-5 years of training in adult medicine - both inpatient and outpatient. Family med is 2 years of training across peds, obgyn, psych, community health, and adult medicine. GIM only sees patients in consultation. I find a lot of consults from family docs come for things which don't neatly fit into one subspecialty area, have complex multisystem disease, or for questions where an appropriate subspecialist isn't available or where the GIM doc has extra training to address those needs (eg stress testing, echo, endoscopy etc).