The current status and the future of internal medicine: a voice in the discussion.

Abstract

1054 As a hematology specialist but also an internal medicine specialist, I am a strong supporter of keeping this specialty as an integral and essential discipline of medical sciences. I remember what my teacher and mentor, late Professor Mieczysław Gamski, used to say: he claimed that internal medicine was the queen of medical sciences. I remember that he denied accepting the title of a cardiology specialist because he thought that the title of an “internist” was something that one could be more proud of. He was also encouraging me to have my postdoctoral degree in internal medicine, not in hematology. Since that time the advances in medicine have brought about significant changes, thus nowadays there are no “medical wizards” who would be able to represent the deep and current knowledge in all disciplines (specialties) of internal medicine. However, I think that the education in a multidisciplinary clinic of internal medicine had prepared me to fulfill my life’s passion, which is hematology. It helped me to adopt a holistic attitude towards the patient, it gave me a better ability to make proper decisions regarding treatment, it taught me how to anticipate possible complications and prevent them from occurring. Separating the internal medicine subspecialties as primary specialties was caused by the shortage of available specialists and the fact that the training of young doctors was too long. I think it was a necessary step but it is a shame that it had been preceded by the elimination of the 2 stages previously required for the internal medicine specialty (firstand second-degree specialization). From today’s perspective, I believe that it would have been better to keep the first-degree specialization in internal diseases after which one could continue with different detailed specialties of internal medicine. Even though the current specialty programs include 2 training modules, their practical implementation and the lack of examination upon the completion of the first module (internal diseases) does not guarantee proper and FORUM FOR INTERNAL MEDICINE