A new name for ACP Internist, and other issue highlights

As many readers know, ACP recently launched an identity campaign aimed at celebrating the breadth, depth, and diversity of the internal medicine profession and underscoring its vital role and value. Part of that campaign involves a switch from the term "internist" to "internal medicine physician," in an effort to unify all physicians in the internal medicine profession and champion common ground. In keeping with this goal, ACP Internist will be renamed I.M. Matters from ACP as of January 2024. Only our name is changing, not our content, and we'll continue to bring you the up-to-date clinical and College news and perspectives you depend on. Look for I.M. Matters from ACP in January.

Meanwhile, our story focuses on HIV. This is now a chronic disease that can be managed in primary care, but there is room for improvement in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, according to recent CDC data. Our cover story in this issue reviews the latest guidance and puts it into context for primary care physicians, including advice on screening and testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis, and which medications to prescribe and when.

What's new in treating the flu? The biggest news recently may be a systematic review and meta-analysis showing that oseltamivir (Tamiflu) was not associated with lower risk for hospitalization but was linked to higher rates of nausea and vomiting. Internal medicine physicians may wonder how this applies to their patients, who will be looking to them for advice on how to manage flu symptoms. Our story looks closely at the research and which patients it may and may not affect, as well as offering the latest on distinguishing among flu, respiratory syncytial virus, and COVID-19.

Finding a new job as an early career physician can be both exciting and stressful, and when you get your dream offer, you may be tempted to sign right away on the dotted line. But checking that impulse and doing your homework can pay off, sometimes literally. Our I.M. Ready feature reviews the do's and don'ts of negotiating an employment contract, including what you need to know about salary, relocation allowances, noncompete clauses, and more.

Also in this issue, Pearls from I.M. Peers alerts readers to the importance of testing for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in patients with dyspnea, and a feature article discusses the ups and downs of becoming a parent during medical training. ACP's President, Omar T. Atiq, MD, MACP, makes the case for a human right to health, which the College also outlined in a recent position paper, and our Chief Advocacy Officer, Shari M. Erickson, MPH, details the work being done to decrease physicians' administrative burdens.

Have you seen many patients with flu yet this season? Let us know.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Kearney-Strouse
Executive Editor