physicians tend to score higher on licensing exams; the average new med-peds resident scored 236 on step 1 while the average family medicine resident scored 221 in 2016 (the average new resident in all specialties combined scored 233). Family medicine residents train for three years, while med-peds residents train for four. Med-peds physicians are given more training in order to become more proficient at treating and diagnosing more complex diseases, including more emphasis on critical care medicine. Med-peds physicians also receive equal training in adults and pediatrics while family medicine physicians spend a larger percentage of their training working with mostly adults; most family medicine residencies typically spend just 9 months dedicated to pediatrics. Med-peds prepares a physician well for private practice, academic medicine, hospitalist programs, and fellowships. A trend also seen is that an increasing percentage of med-peds physicians treat inpatients (patients in the hospital) as opposed to an outpatient clinic setting. See also Society of General Internal Medicine References External links National Med-Peds Residents' Association (NMPRA) American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Pediatrics Internal medicine