
An intern is a doctor in their first year of residency. In some countries, such as Australia, Israel, and Iraq, medical graduates must complete internships before they receive full registration. During an internship, students rotate through surgical and clinical specialties. After completing an internship, doctors obtain a certificate of satisfactory service and can enter a residency program.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | First-year resident or a doctor in their intern year |
| Work | Rotating through surgical and clinical specialties |
| Duration | One year |
| Registration | Interns are provisionally registered doctors |
| Country-specific variations | In Australia, interns must complete one year in an accredited hospital post before full registration. In Iraq, graduates of a six-year medical program start a two-year internship in a hospital. In Israel, medical graduates must complete a one-year internship in an accredited hospital before full registration. In China, the "guīpéi" internship system consists of a minimum of three years of rotating across secondary care departments. |
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What You'll Learn

Internship requirements vary by country
An intern at a hospital is a doctor in the first year of their residency. Internship programs are a compulsory requirement for newly qualified medical doctors to obtain a medical license to practice. The requirements and duration of internships vary by country.
In Ghana, India, Iraq, Malaysia, Nigeria, and South Africa, internships last for two years. In Ghana, interns complete six-month rotations in medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics, in no particular order. Alternatively, they can opt to do a rotation in anesthesia or psychiatry instead of one of the traditional four rotation areas. In India, interns must complete a one-year Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship in various specialties. In Iraq, the first year is divided into three-month rotations in internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, and pediatrics. The second year involves courses in sub-specialties such as radiology, ophthalmology, and psychiatry. In Malaysia, interns must complete four-month rotations that add up to 24 months of housemanship. In Nigeria, internships last for one year, after which interns must complete a one-year program in the National Youth Service Corp. In South Africa, internships are a compulsory requirement for registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Foreign-qualified doctors may be required to complete an internship in their country of origin or in South Africa to qualify for full registration.
In Australia, Austria, China, and Israel, internships last for one year. In Australia, graduates must complete one year in an accredited hospital before receiving full registration. In Austria, the sixth and final year of medical school is an internship involving at least three rotations in surgical and non-surgical specialties. In China, internships or "guīpéi" consist of a minimum of three years of rotating across secondary care departments. In Israel, graduates must complete a one-year internship in an accredited hospital before receiving full registration.
Other countries, such as Kenya, Peru, Zambia, and Cambodia, also offer medical internships. These internships may provide valuable opportunities to work with organizations focusing on specific areas such as HIV education or traditional medicine.
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Interns are first-year residents
An internship is a critical step in the journey to becoming a fully registered doctor. In many countries, medical graduates must complete an internship year in an accredited hospital before they receive full registration. This period of conditional registration is often called the "intern year".
During the intern year, interns rotate through various surgical and clinical specialties, gaining experience in different areas of medicine. They work under the supervision of senior physicians or attending doctors, who hold full medical licenses and can practice independently.
Following the completion of the internship year, interns enter residency. At this stage, they have earned their M.D. degrees and are considered first-year residents or PGY 1. While they can practice independently as general practitioners, most interns opt to pursue further training as residents.
As first-year residents, they continue to work under the supervision of attending physicians or senior residents, providing direct patient care. They take on more responsibility, as their skills and abilities are closely observed by senior physicians. First-year residents are often referred to as interns, and they may begin to narrow down their desired specialty during this year.
The duration of a residency varies depending on the chosen specialty. For example, a family doctor's residency may last three to four years, while a surgeon's residency can be seven or more years. Throughout their residency, residents benefit from the guidance and mentorship of attending physicians, who play an active role in their education and development.
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Interns work under senior physicians
An internship is a critical step for medical graduates before they receive their full registration and begin practising independently. The specifics of internships vary across the world, but they generally involve supervised work in a hospital or clinical setting. Interns work under senior physicians, who are fully licensed and practising medical or osteopathic doctors. These senior physicians supervise interns as they study a more general area of medicine involving real patients.
In the United States, interns are first-year residents, and they work under attending physicians. Attending physicians have completed their training and often play a role in the education of interns and medical students. They are responsible for the care of patients and often have their own practice in their specialty.
In Australia, medical graduates must complete a year-long internship in an accredited hospital before they receive full registration. During this time, interns are supervised by board-certified specialists as they acquire basic practical skills for practising medicine.
In Iraq, graduates of a six-year medical program begin a two-year internship. The first year involves three-month rotations in specialties such as internal medicine, obstetrics, gynaecology, surgery, and paediatrics. In the second year, interns complete various-length courses in sub-specialties like radiology, ophthalmology, and psychiatry.
In Israel, medical graduates complete a one-year internship, during which they spend time in specialties such as internal medicine, paediatrics, surgery, emergency medicine, and others.
In China, the guīpéi internship system requires a minimum of three years of rotating across secondary care departments. This program grants a certificate that is considered essential for career advancement, especially in government-run hospitals.
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Interns rotate through specialties
Internships for medical graduates are a mandatory part of the process of becoming a fully qualified doctor. The specifics of internships vary from country to country, but they generally involve a period of supervised practice in a hospital setting. During this time, interns rotate through various specialties, gaining experience in different areas of medicine.
In Australia, for example, medical graduates must complete a one-year internship in an accredited hospital before receiving full registration. This year is known as the "intern year". While the internship is not necessarily completed in the same state as the graduate's medical school, it does involve rotations in surgical and non-surgical specialties. In Austria, the final year of medical school is an internship where students complete at least three rotations in surgical and non-surgical specialties.
In Israel, medical graduates must also complete a one-year internship, with two types of internships available. A direct internship involves two months in surgery, two months in pediatrics, one month in emergency medicine, and six months in a chosen specialty. A rotating internship offers a schedule that includes three months of internal medicine, two months of surgery, and one month of emergency medicine, among other specialties.
In Iraq, graduates of a six-year medical program begin a two-year internship, with the first year divided into three-month rotations in internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, and pediatrics. The second year involves courses in sub-specialties such as radiology, ophthalmology, and psychiatry.
In Iran, a seven-year medical education concludes with an 18-month internship that rotates through all major and minor specialties, including emergency medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, surgery, and psychiatry.
During these internships, interns work under the supervision of senior doctors and gain experience in diagnosing and treating patients, managing medical records, and handling different clinical situations. The rotations allow interns to develop a well-rounded understanding of various specialties before choosing a residency program or practicing general medicine.
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Internship is followed by residency
An internship is a period of training that medical graduates must complete before receiving their full registration and starting their residency. The duration of internships varies across countries and specialities. For instance, in Australia, medical graduates must complete a one-year internship in an accredited hospital, while in Iraq, graduates of a six-year medical program undergo a two-year internship. During this time, interns rotate through various specialties, including internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology.
Upon completion of their internship, interns typically enter a residency program. A residency is an advanced stage of training in a specific medical specialty, which usually lasts between two to seven years. During residency, doctors further develop their skills and knowledge in their chosen specialty under the supervision of senior physicians. The first year of residency is often referred to as PGY-1 (Post-Graduate Year-1) and involves rotating through different specialties or focusing on specific areas within one specialty.
While interns are considered first-year residents, there is a distinction between the two roles. Interns are medical school graduates who are in their first year of residency training, while residents have progressed beyond the first year and have more clinical experience. Residents take on greater responsibilities in patient care and decision-making, often supervising interns. The duration of residency varies depending on the chosen specialty, with longer residencies associated with more specialized fields such as neurosurgery and cardiac surgery.
The path from internship to residency is a well-established progression in medical training. While interns have completed their medical education, they are still in the early stages of their practical training. The residency phase allows them to build upon their foundational knowledge and gain expertise in their chosen specialty under the guidance of experienced physicians. This gradual progression ensures that medical professionals acquire the necessary skills and confidence to provide effective patient care.
The transition from internship to residency marks a significant milestone in a doctor's career. During residency, they further their clinical skills, gain exposure to diverse patient cases, and receive supervision and mentorship from senior physicians. This comprehensive training equips residents with the competence and confidence needed to eventually practice independently and specialize in their chosen field of medicine. The duration and structure of residencies may vary, but they serve as a critical period for consolidating medical knowledge and honing clinical abilities.
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Frequently asked questions
A hospital intern is a doctor in their first year of residency. They are also known as first-year resident doctors, resident physicians, or simply “residents”.
Interns are first-year residents. Residents are doctors who have completed at least one year of their residency training.
Interns provide direct care to patients under the supervision of an attending physician or senior resident. They are usually restricted to writing prescriptions only for those under their care.
To become a hospital intern, you must have graduated from medical school. In some countries, such as Australia, medical graduates must complete an internship year in an accredited hospital before they receive full registration.


































