Specialization requires three to seven years of supervised, in-hospital training, also known as a residency. A physician may also continue his training in a specific area of that specialty or subspecialty. An additional one to three years of training is required of a subspecialist. Getting the Credentials Following such training, a physician may become certified in her specialty or subspecialty. Certification involves passing a written test and may also require an oral exam, performance and competence assessments, or experience in full-time medical practice prior to the written exam.
Some specialties also require recertification after a period of time.
Recertification involves continuing education, review of credentials and an additional exam. If your primary care physician is a family practitioner, internist or pediatrician, he or she is qualified to provide comprehensive health care. The services of any one of these physicians include prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the vast majority of common illnesses and injuries. Family practitioners and pediatricians place particular emphasis on prevention and continuing care for families and have received training in areas such as internal medicine. Like the family practitioner and the pediatrician, an internist is a personal physician who provides long-term, comprehensive care in the office and, if necessary, in the hospital.