Residency (medicine)

Anesthesia residents being led through training with a patient simulator

Medical Residency represents the critical stage of postgraduate training in medicine, following completion of medical school and preceding independent practice or further subspecialty training. This period allows a physician or other healthcare professional to gain specialized experience and training under the guidance of a seasoned clinician, known as an attending physician or consultant.

Participants and Settings

Participants in a residency program typically hold an advanced degree, such as MD, DPM, DDS, DMD, DVM, DO, OD, PharmD, BDS, BDent, MB, BS, MBChB, or BMed. They carry out their practice in clinical settings, including hospitals and clinics, and may be referred to as a resident, house officer, registrar, or trainee, depending on jurisdictional norms.

Supervision and Licensing

Residency programs provide a closely supervised environment where trainees can apply their medical knowledge and develop advanced clinical skills. In most jurisdictions, completion of a residency program is a prerequisite for obtaining an unrestricted license to practice medicine, particularly for practicing within a chosen specialty.

Further Training

Following the completion of a residency, some physicians may choose to undergo further training in a sub-specialty, known as a fellowship. This extra training allows physicians to acquire in-depth knowledge and expertise in a narrower field of medicine.

The Role of Medical School and Residency

The role of medical school and residency in medical education cannot be overstated. While medical school provides a broad foundation of medical knowledge, basic clinical skills, and initial supervised experience across various fields of medicine, residency offers in-depth, focused training within a specific branch of medicine.

Specialty selection

Different specialties differ in length of training, availability of residencies, and options. Specialist residency programs require participation for completion ranging from three years for family medicine to 7 years for neurosurgery.

Following is a list of some medical specialties:

• Anesthesiology
• Cardiology
• Cardiothoracic surgery
• Dermatology
• Emergency medicine
• Endocrinology
• Family medicine
• Gastroenterology
• General surgery
• Hematology
• Hepatology

• Immunology
• Internal medicine
• Nephrology
• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Oncology
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedic surgery
• Otorhinolaryngology

• Pathology
• Pediatrics
• Physical medicine and rehabilitation
• Plastic surgery
• Podiatry
• Psychiatry
• Pulmonology/Respirology
• Radiology
• Radiation oncology
• Rheumatology
• Urology
• Vascular Surgery

See Also

• Medical Education
• Medical school
• Fellowship (medicine)

Residency (medicine) Resources
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References