What is Med-Peds?

Med-Peds is a shortened term for "Combined Internal Medicine & Pediatrics".

After completing four years of medical school, a physician must then complete further years of training (residency) to be fully licensed in most states in the U.S.

Internal Medicine is a three year residency program leading to Board Certification in Internal Medicine. Pediatrics is also a three year residency program leading to Board certification in Pediatrics. While there is no Med-Peds board, once a physician successfully completes a four year Med-Peds residency program they are eligible to sit for the board certification exams in both Internal Medicine & Pediatrics. Med-Peds programs are now accredited by the ACGME as a combined program instead of separate accreditation in internal medicine and pediatrics.

While Med-Peds residency provides exceptional training for primary care, Med-Peds training also leaves open the option of pursuing a subspecialty in either Internal Medicine or Pediatrics or both (e.g. cardiology, infectious disease, pulmonary/critical care, women’s health, sports medicine, etc). This allows over 20 fellowship possibilities for graduates as well as the primary care option and hospitalist medicine.

Note that while this is a form of comprehensive primary care, it differs both structurally and philosophically from Family Medicine. A physician trained in Med-Peds can care for the newborn to the geriatric patients. Med-Peds prepares a physician well for private practice, academic medicine, hospitalist programs, and fellowships. Med-Peds is a versatile, exciting, and fulfilling career choice that we hope you will consider.

Check out the American Academy of Pediatrics summary of Internal Medicine & Pediatrics

Residency Guidelines outlined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
ACGME Med-Peds Program Requirements | ACGME FAQ

If you have questions about Med-Peds or applying for Med-Peds, please feel free to contact us at president@medpeds.org

Med-Peds Fact Sheet

• More than half of the pediatric residency programs in the US also have Med-Peds programs.
• Med-Peds residents score identically to catagorical residents on both the Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Boards.
• Med-Peds residency programs match a higher percentage of US medical students than Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, or Family Practice.
• Med-Peds has been in existence for 40+ years, longer than Family Practice.
• Studies show that Med-Peds physicians do continue to practice primary care for both adults and kids.
• A higher percentage of Med-Peds residents go on to practice primary care than Internal Medicine or Pediatrics residents.
• More than half of all Med-Peds physicians have some type of academic appointment.
• Those medical students interested primarily in Med-Peds list Internal Medicine as their most common second choice, followed by Pediatrics and then Family Practice.