<p>Is that right after you graduate from med school? When do you choose what to specialize in---do you ever choose what to specialize in, or is it just whatever field you're best at? Anyone know exactly what happens upon graduation for a prospective surgeon who wants to specialize?</p>
<p>Once one graduates from med school, one begins training with a year of "internship". This is almost never a program unto itself anymore, but rather an anachronistic term applied to the 1st year of a multi-year "residency" program. In most states, finishing this year, regardless of its composition, makes the physician eligible for unrestricted licensure, assuming they have passed all 3 parts of the boards. [example: General Practitioner]</p>
<p>Residency then is the heart and soul of the post graduate training system, with many different types of programs leading to the many different specialties. The candidate chooses the area of medicine they wish to specialize in and then applies to programs that offer that specialty. Typically, residencies are between 3 and 7 years and involve a very deep commitment of time and effort (and sleepless nights) for very little recompense. Successfully finishing an approved program makes one "board eligible" in that specialty and the graduate may then begin to practice wherever they have become licensed. Any time down the road they may take the board and if successful, convert their designation to "board certified". [examples: Pediatrician, General Surgeon]</p>
<p>For those specialists who wish to become more narrowly focused, they may then go on to another level of post graduate training known as "fellowship". The fellowship period is generally an additional 2-4 years of residency-like existence; its successful completion allows the physician to become a subspecialist. Another set of boards is involved at this level as well. [examples: Cardiologist, Spine Surgeon]</p>
<p>BTW, I seriously recommend watching the Discovery Health Channel's series "The Residents" whenever you get a chance. It's on regularly in the evenings. It is documentary style and completely real.</p>
<p>I will definitely watch it as soon as I figure out exactly what time it comes on. Thank you for clarifying just what happens. I've always thought that after med school, there's just a certain number of years in residency and then the "doctor" takes the boards, and that's it--practice starts.</p>
<p>my cousin is a dermatology resident and works from 9am-4pm some days.......any comments?</p>
<p>as a resident?! that's not bad at all...i know a doctor who works from 8am to 4:30pm daily...someone with 20+ years experience...
wow! i always thought residents worked up to 80 hours a week...but i see relief! sleep will not cease to exist!</p>
<p>Papu: That sounds like a Sunday. There are some residencies that are limited to 70 hrs a week, on the books anyway, but really most residents have no life whatsoever. None. Derm is certainly on the mellow side though, so who knows? I can assure you there are no easy Internal Med or Gen Surg or OB-GYN pgms.
Practice hours are very different. My own hours are very limited.</p>
<p>Why do hospitals do that to residents?</p>
<p>In word, to provide comprehensive training and to produce physicians who can work under pressure. In deed, because interns, residents and fellows are very cheap labor.</p>
<p>Oh my God! That's horrible! But I think anything will beat the hours upon hours of calculus and statistics that I have to do now! Hands-on work will definitely be nice for a change!</p>
<p>residents is an awesome show!</p>
<p>so... how many years from the start of undergrad till being able to practice will it take to be a cardiologist?? is there any site that can give relative years needed to be able to practice in diff. specialties??</p>
<p>Undergraduate: 4
Medical school: 4
Int. Med Residency: 3</p>
<h2>Cardio Fellowship: 3</h2>
<pre><code> total=14 years
</code></pre>
<p>"Typically, residencies are between 3 and 7 years"</p>
<p>so if you dont go the accelerated 6 or 7 year programs the shortest amount of time between graduating high school and starting practice is 11 years?!</p>
<p>it's only a 1-2 year difference between a 6 or 7 yr. program and an 8 yr./traditional route</p>
<p>As a GP (a general practitioner), you could be in practice in 9 years (see above post of 10/31). I don't know any GPs and quite honestly one cannot learn enough to become a competent physician that quickly.</p>
<p>More importantly, why is the concept of how long it takes so daunting? It's not an unpleasant journey and in fact, the journey sometimes turns out to be more exciting than the final destination. I always used to tell myself "everybody has to be somewhere, I'm here. Not bad, not bad at all."</p>
<p>From what I've heard, by the time that you are in your 10th, 11th, 12th, etc. year, you have quite a lot of responsibility and you really are in many ways a practicing doctor. It's not like 10 years of medical school after medical school from what I understand. I'm sure Dr. Sedrish could elaborate/confirm/offer his own opinions on this.</p>
<p>You are a physician the day you graduate from med school. You then start all those training years which are in general referred to as PGY-I, II, III, etc. (Post Graduate Years). In all of those years (I was a PGY-VI !), you are worked pretty hard and paid pretty poorly, but you are never inadequately challenged. Every year your responsilbility level moves up a big notch (more supervising duties, more teaching & more procedures), yet there's always someone above you to look to for help.</p>
<p>However, even with all that help available, one of the most intimidating moments in medicine (in your life?) is your first night on call as the Intern (PGY-I). For the 1st time you realize when the phone rings in the middle of the night in the on-call room (oh you've heard it for at least 2 yrs...as a fat, dumb & happy med student), you have to answer it and know something! What a night that is!</p>
<p>Anyway, there's always so much to learn that I think most folks feel training programs are never too short.</p>
<p>I came across this link which is quite helpful in deciding which medical specialty you want.</p>
<p>Note: This link is to a pamphlet designed to help pts decide what kind of specialist they might need to see, not to help young docs choose a specialty.</p>
<p>If I were to go derm, would I need to do the fellowship as well?</p>