The International Society of Internal Medicine (ISIM) was founded in 1948 in Basel, Switzerland. Its purpose is to promote scientific knowledge and unity in internal medicine, to further the education of young internists and to encourage friendship between physicians in all countries.

Membership to ISIM is of two types: Society Membership, and Honorary Membership. Today, ISIM comprises the national societies of internal medicine of over 60 different countries throughout the world as society members. Recently, ISIM was successful in recruiting a new society member: The Ghana Society of Internal Medicine was admitted as a society member in January 2008 and the Serbian Society of Internal Medicine was admitted in June 2008. ISIM is very pleased that the Chinese Society of Internal Medicine has also become a member.

The main activity of ISIM is the organization of the Biennial International Congress of Internal Medicine. The last few congresses took place in Manila 1996, Lima 1998, Cancun 2000, Kyoto 2002, Granada 2004, Taipei 2006, Buenos Aires 2008 and Melbourne, Australia 2010, Chile (2012) and Seoul, Korea (2014), Bali (2016). Future congresses will be held in Cape Town (2018), Cancun, Mexico (2020), Russian Federation (2022).

The International Congresses of Internal Medicine has always been outstanding events with a large attendance from the whole world. Especially when located in countries not privileged with easy international scientific exchange the congresses provide a welcome opportunity to see and hear leading experts from across the world.

In addition to the biennial international congresses, ISIM has been involved in the organization of Postgraduate Meetings in Internal Medicine for more than ten years. These courses were always very successful and were attended by mostly young physicians. The reaction to these courses has always been very positive. As an example, in 2007 ISIM organised a postgraduate course in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, and in December a postgraduate course in Surakarta, Indonesia in conjunction with the 5th National Scientific Meeting of the Indonesian Society of Internal Medicine.

At a time when international medicine is threatened by the defection of its subspecialties, ISIM tries to strengthen its position as an eminent integrating part of the global health sciences.

The activities of ISIM are managed by an executive committee, which consists of eleven members. ISIM, as a member of the Council of the International Organization of Medical Societies actively co-operates with the World Health Organization.