Medicine Services

Doctors of Internal Medicine ("internists") prevent, diagnose and treat diseases that affect adults. An internist is trained to care for patients from the teen years through old age. General Internists complete three years of post-medical school training. Specialists in other areas complete from 1-3 years of post-graduate training, in addition to the three years of General Internal Medicine.

Department of Internal Medicine physicians and staff provide clinical care to patients from an area ranging from Pennsylvania to the Canadian border, and including over 16 counties in Upstate New York.

The Department is organized into 11 divisions and can treat patients for something as routine as the flu, or provide comprehensive care for disease such as diabetes, cancer, heart or kidney disease. They are:

General Internal Medicine Division

General internists are Doctors for Adults. General internists provide care for adults with simple or complicated medical problems, and provide both ongoing outpatient care and oversight of inpatient hospitalizations.

Cardiologists prevent, treat and diagnose conditions of the heart, blood vessel and circulation system. Interventional cardiologists perform cardiac catheterizations and procedures, including angioplasty. Electrophysiologists diagnose and treat disorders of the heart rhythm, often through catheterization techniques

Dermatologists provide care for patients with disorders of the skin.

Specialists in Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism care for patients with disorders of the major glands of the body, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other metabolic diseases. Through our Joslin Diabetes Center we provide care to the largest number of patients with diabetes of any center in Central New York.

Gastroenterologists provide care to patients with disorders of the esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, and pancreas.

Geriatricians are experts in the care of the elderly, and provide consultative care for our aging population. They have special expertise in dealing with issues of the frail elderly and dementia.

Hematologists/oncologists have special expertise in diseases of the blood and cancer. They are experts in the use of chemotherapy and cancer, and of treatment of problems in coagulation, anemia, and other blood disorders.

Infectious Disease physicians are expert in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with infections and fevers. They provide consultative services to both inpatients and outpatients, and continuing care for patients with HIV infection. In addition to diagnosing and treating infectious disease, ID physicians also counsel healthy people who plan to travel to countries where there is an increased risk of infection

Nephrologists are experts in diseases of the kidney and hypertension. They provide care to patients with chronic renal failure through their dialysis programs.

Physicians trained in Pulmonary and Critical Care are expert in the care of patients with lung diseases such as pneumonia, asthma, tuberculosis, emphysema and those who require intensive care. Critical Care Physicians direct the activities of the Medical Intensive Care Unit at SUNY Upstate and the Syracuse VAMC.

Rheumatologists are specially trained to diagnose and treat swelling and pain. Rheumatologists are experts in diseases of the joints and soft tissues (tendons, ligaments, and bones), and care for patients with arthritis, gout, tendonitis and a variety of other disorders.