Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for general internal medicine physicians in the United States
Are general internal medicine physician jobs in demand?
General internal medicine physician job and salary trends over time
General internal medicine physician jobs over time
General internal medicine physician job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 439 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 134 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 697 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 405 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 453 | 0.00% |
Average general internal medicine physician salary over time
General internal medicine physician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $189,897 | $91.30 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $185,286 | $89.08 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $182,160 | $87.58 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | $180,689 | $86.87 | --1.8% |
| 2021 | $183,920 | $88.42 | --0.1% |
General internal medicine physician jobs by state
Most common states for general internal medicine physicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 255 | 37% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 301 | 35% |
| 3 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 244 | 32% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 408 | 30% |
| 5 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 398 | 30% |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,705 | 25% |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 3,083 | 24% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 249 | 23% |
| 9 | Delaware | 961,939 | 225 | 23% |
| 10 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 925 | 22% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 136 | 22% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 408 | 21% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 695 | 19% |
| 14 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,366 | 18% |
| 15 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 568 | 18% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,574 | 17% |
| 17 | California | 39,536,653 | 6,161 | 16% |
| 18 | New York | 19,849,399 | 3,250 | 16% |
| 19 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 277 | 16% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 286 | 14% |
Most common cities for general internal medicine physicians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlington | 2 | 8% | $175,637 |
| 2 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $176,396 |
| 3 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $174,491 |
| 4 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $192,882 |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $162,299 |
General Internal Medicine Physician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of general internal medicine physician experts
Campbell University
Colorado Mesa University
The University of Akron
California State University, Chico
University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Dalton State College
Washburn University
Albright College
Rachel Chappell
Assistant Program Director, Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a General Internal Medicine Physician?
Rachel Chappell: Read over contracts carefully. While salary can be a very important part, understand who covers your medical malpractice insurance and if there is a non-compete clause. Also, if there is any sign-on bonus, make sure that cannot be clawed back if you leave before a certain period of time. Additionally, contributions to your retirement really do add up in the long run. Make sure you understand how to maximize your employer's contribution. Lastly, some jobs qualify for federal loan repayment programs. Make sure you know if you qualify and how you demonstrate this for federal loan repayment.
What will help General Internal Medicine Physicians increase their earning potential?
Rachel Chappell: Nights, holidays, weekends, and surgical subspecialty usually ensure a higher salary. Unfortunately, most of them are also associated with higher rates of burnout.
Robert Agnello DO, FACOFP
Assistant Professor of Family MedicineCampbell University
Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy
What general advice would you give to a General Internal Medicine Physician?
Robert Agnello DO, FACOFP: Specialty choice can obviously make an impact on long term salary, remember it usually takes a lot longer to get through those specialties. Consider the following regardless of specialty:
Geography - Salaries can vary significantly based on location. Practicing in an underserved or rural area often leads to higher pay due to shortages of physicians. Major metropolitan areas also tend to have higher salaries.
Additional Skills - Gaining extra skills and training beyond the base requirements, such as proficiency in specialized procedures (enhancing your osteopathic manipulation skills), can allow you to negotiate higher pay. Consider obtaining a master's in health education as these can be appealing in medical school and residency education. These specialized abilities make you more valuable.
Experience - Salaries tend to rise with more years on the job. Completing a residency and developing an excellent reputation through years as a practicing DO leads to higher compensation potential. Newly graduated DOs will typically have lower earning power. Sometimes this can be offset with loan repayment from the company that hires, other incentives like moving allowance may also be of consideration.
Market - Economic factors, healthcare policies, and industry trends shape physician salaries. It helps to understand these conditions and how potential changes could impact earnings when planning your career path.
Consider loan repayment programs or forgiveness - Think about state financial incentives for practicing in a high needs area like family medicine or pediatrics. Also look into military, national health service corps and VA scholarships (HPSP) that pay for medical school and provide a stipend while you are training. Also, these scholarships provide better salaries during residency training.
What General Internal Medicine Physician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Robert Agnello DO, FACOFP: Multiple resources suggest the following could be more prevelant and important in the field of osteopathic medicine in the next 3-5 years.
Lifestyle Medicine: There's a growing interest in lifestyle medicine among osteopathic physicians. This field focuses on the treatment, reversal, and prevention of chronic disease by addressing root causes with evidence-based lifestyle therapeutic interventions.
Technology Integration: As technology continues to advance, it's becoming increasingly important for osteopathic physicians to be able to integrate and leverage these technologies in their practice.
Leadership and Advocacy: Skills in leadership and advocacy are becoming more important as the field grows and evolves. These skills can help osteopathic physicians advocate for themselves, their patients, and their profession.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: The ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams is crucial. As health care becomes more integrated, osteopathic physicians will need to collaborate with a wide range of health professionals to provide comprehensive patient care.
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT): OMT is a core skill for osteopathic physicians, and its importance is likely to continue or even increase as patients seek it out.
What will help General Internal Medicine Physicians increase their earning potential?
Robert Agnello DO, FACOFP: Starting a career in osteopathic medicine is an exciting journey! Here are some general pieces of advice that might be helpful:
Continuous Learning: Medicine is a field that is constantly evolving. Stay updated with the latest research, techniques, and advancements in your field. Attend seminars, workshops, and conferences whenever possible.
Patient-Centered Care: Remember, as an osteopathic physician, your approach is to treat the whole person, not just the symptoms. Develop strong patient communication skills and always consider their mental and emotional health along with their physical health.
Networking: Building professional relationships can open up opportunities for collaboration, learning, and growth. Join professional organizations and participate in community service.
Self-Care: The medical profession can be demanding. It's important to take care of your own physical and mental health. Find a balance between work and personal life.
Ethics: Uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ethics. Your reputation is built not only on your osteopathic medical skills but also on your integrity and interaction with patients, colleagues, and the community.
Mentorship: Seek out mentors who can guide you through your career. Their experience and advice can be invaluable.
Remember, every journey begins with a single step. Best of luck with your career in osteopathic medicine!
Youngmin Kim
Assistant Professor of PhysicsColorado Mesa University
Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on General Internal Medicine Physicians?
Youngmin Kim: That would depend largely on the students upon how they reacted. Statistics do show that younger students, high schools, freshmen who just came out of online semesters in high school, suffered quality education especially in math and science. A number of students in my classes sort of dropped out when the university platform moved online or hybrid. It would also depend on the quality of lectures their faculties could deliver. At the same time, students with good level of self-motivation did achieve similarly. They would not have a lasting impact. We noticed that the changes tend to polarize the students depending on their willingness and circumstances in health and finance. On another note, the cheating rates did go up significantly-nation wide.
What soft skills should all General Internal Medicine Physicians possess?
Youngmin Kim: CODING. CODING. CODING. It doesn't really matter which specific language it will be. On professional level, the coding language will be specific anyway, but any background experience in coding will help graduates to learn and adapt quickly. This is a must requirement for anybody willing to find jobs through the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for General Internal Medicine Physicians to find work opportunities?
Dr. Stephen Weeks: I do not know the answer to this question. Healthcare is the fastest growing job market in biology, and such jobs are located primarily in larger metropolitan areas across the country.
Dr. Eric Ayars
Professor and Chair of PhysicsCalifornia State University, Chico
Department of Physics
What general advice would you give to a General Internal Medicine Physician?
Dr. Eric Ayars: There is no one way to success, nor is there one definition of success. At each "fork in the road", look as far down each path as you can, pick the path that seems best given the information you have available, and be content with your decision. It may not be the shortest route to where you thought you were going, or even be the same direction, but roll with it and make the best of wherever it takes you.
How do you envision technology impacting General Internal Medicine Physicians in the next 5 years?
Philip Chang Ph.D.: Over the next five years, I expect that there will be an increase in the number of people with crossover skills. So knowledge in more than one area. This will arise from the broader availability of useful software tools that allow people to gain domain knowledge in more than one place, rather than getting stuck in the weeds of specialized tools.
Marcela Armenta
Assistant Professor of Medical Laboratory TechnologyDalton State College
Department of Allied Health and Social Work
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the General Internal Medicine Physician job market given the pandemic?
Marcela Armenta: This pandemic has undoubtedly affected the lives of millions of individuals across the globe. Many have lost their jobs, had scheduled hours reduced, or some were even forced to take a cut in their salary. In my opinion, we will see the need for more remote work as it has become in great demand due to this pandemic. We have gone from e-commerce to online education to private healthcare. With the rise of working remotely, one of the most exciting trends that we will see in the job market is the opportunities and movement of skills worldwide. I can already see many companies source diverse talent more efficiently, especially from those that tend to be underrepresented in their area.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for General Internal Medicine Physicians in the next 5 years?
Marcela Armenta: Right now, our profession is in a critical shortage of employees, not just in my surrounding area where I currently reside, but throughout the United States; it has become a nationwide problem. Employment in this field is projected to continue to grow as more and more baby boomers are looking at early retirement and creating more vacancies that are unable to be filled with qualified and skilled laboratory professionals. Our students typically receive job offers in their final semester while doing their clinical internship.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for General Internal Medicine Physicians to find work opportunities?
Brian Thomas Ph.D.: I think there are opportunities everywhere. Some places may have a higher concentration of employment opportunities. A couple of examples would be Silicon Valley and the Seattle area, but technology companies are not just limited to those high-profile areas.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on General Internal Medicine Physicians?
Justin Couchman Ph.D.: COVID-19 will probably have many long-term effects on recent graduates. For starters, many colleges are reducing or eliminating graduate programs. This means there will be fewer opportunities to attain degrees and licenses and potentially a smaller counselors' supply. This could go on for years. Simultaneously, demand for psychological counseling has never been greater and will likely increase over time. Those beginning in the field have tremendous opportunities to do great work and make good money to learn to adapt to our new reality.