<p>I've heard of MD/PhD's skipping a residency and instead going straight to a postdoctoral program. Is this a viable option as a replacement for a n-year residency program? Does the NIH offer a specifically research oriented "residency" program?</p>
<p>But then I guess you wouldn't be able to practice medicine, instead just research/teach the theory. But I suppose that is what PhD's would want to do anyway.</p>
<p>Postdoctoral programs are for PhD's that want to get more research experience. With a postdoctoral program only, you will not be able to pratice medicine. You need to do at least an internship to get your full medical licenses, but I would not want to have my own practice with one year of experience. The only residency that I know have research years is surgery. Its mandatory at some program, but generally you see this in the big academic medical centers (MGH, UCSF, etc). You do the first 3 years of your surgery resdiency, then you take 1-2 research year(s), and then you complete you residency. Those research year can be done at NIH probably, if you want. Afterwards, you can do a fellowship. Research is an unspoken requirement for a pediatric surgery fellowship. Still not mandatory, but most have.</p>