Q & A session:

1. Q: What is an internship?

    A: After graduating from medical school, the next step in the education process in an internship.  This is the first year of "practice" after being freshly minted as a doctor.  All internships take place in the hospital setting, with some offering outpatient rotations and/or electives.  In most cases the internship is a rotating internship, which means that the new physician rotates through different specialties during the year gaining valuable experience.  Some graduates go on to a "specialty track internship" which focuses on a specialty such as Family Practice, Pediatrics, or OB/GYN.

2.  Q: Do you have to complete an internship to become licensed as a doctor?

    A: Sometimes.  Some specialties require that you complete an internship before you enter the specialty training.  These specialties include: Dermatology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Radiology, and Anesthesiology.

The other reason that you would be required to complete an internship is if you decide to pursue an osteopathic residency--no matter what specialty you choose to enter.  The American Osteopathic Association requires it in order to recognized and licensed by the AOA.  But, if you choose to enter an allopathic residency which doesn't require an internship year, then you can bypass this law.  The consequence is that some states (i.e.. PA, MD, FL) will not allow you to practice in their state without having completed an osteopathic internship.

In addition, most states require an internship before granting medical licensure.  Each state has it's own rules and regulations regarding medical licensure.

3.   Q: What is the difference between internship and residency?

       A:  This a common question, and the answer is nothing.  In most cases, residents and hospitals refer to the first year of post-medical school graduate training the "internship" year.  And the first year graduates are affectionately referred to as "interns."  "Residency" is the blanket term used to describe post-medical school graduate training.  This is the time when doctors spend all there time learning what they will be practicing for the rest of their professional career.  Only in the cases I explained above is the "internship" really a separate part of the education process, which requires a separate application and interview process from the residency application and interviews.

4.  Q: What happens after residency?

    A: After having completing a residency, a physician becomes "Board-Eligible" in that field.  After then passing the specialty Board Exam in that field, the physician then finally becomes Board-Certified in that field.  The final step in the formal education of a physician in the United States.  This takes a variable amount of time, depending on what specialty you pursue; ranging from 3 to 7 years.  In my case, General Surgery residency is a total of 5 years after medical school.  That's a total of 13 years from the start of college to the end of residency--if you are lucky enough to go straight through without a break!  Some residency graduates choose to go on to even more training and enter what is called Fellowship training.  This allows you to sub-specialize within your field.  (An example is a Surgery residency graduate that enters a fellowship in Plastic Surgery to become sub-specialized in Plastic Surgery.)

 5.  Q: Where are you doing your internship and residency?

    A: I completed my traditional rotating osteopathic internship at the Long Beach Medical Center on Long Island.  I then started General Surgery residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in Bronx, NY, and after a year of torture decided to pursue my original career path.  I am now a chief resident at Temple University's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program.  I will graduate in June 2006 and plan to pursue fellowship training in interventional pain medicine.

6.  Q: I have this pain in my elbow when I move it like this, what should I do?

    A: Don't move it like that.