Residency Program

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Residency training programs are part of advanced career training in many medical fields including physicians, pharmacists, dentists, surgeons, etc.

Medical residency in the US[edit | edit source]

In the United States, medical residency programs are a crucial component of physician training, offering hands-on experience and instruction in a particular medical specialty. Typically, they are completed after a physician has completed medical school and obtained a medical degree (MD or DO).

MCAT[edit | edit source]

In the United States, the process of becoming a resident physician begins with the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and the application to medical schools. After completing medical school and receiving a medical degree, graduates participate in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) matching process to gain a position in a residency program.

Categories[edit | edit source]

In the United States, residency programs are often separated into two categories: category and preliminary.

Categorical programs[edit | edit source]

The conventional path for the majority of residents, categorical programs lead to board certification in a specialized speciality. Depending on the expertise, these programs often last between 3 and 7 years.

Preliminary programs[edit | edit source]

Preliminary programs, on the other hand, are often one-year training programs in a particular speciality but do not lead to board certification. These programs are designed to give residents with a broad basis of experience and prepare them for specialized study.

Accreditation[edit | edit source]

The majority of residency programs in the United States are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), which recognizes over 140 specialties and subspecialties. Internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and emergency medicine are some of the most prominent specializations.

How do they work?[edit | edit source]

Working alongside seasoned physicians and other healthcare professionals, residents acquire hands-on instruction and experience in a particular medical specialty during their residency. In addition to training, they participate in didactic instruction and attend conferences and seminars.

In the United States, residency programs place a major focus on patient care, with residents accepting increasing amounts of responsibility for patient care as their training progresses. This includes seeing patients in the clinic and hospital, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, and establishing and carrying out treatment programs.

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After completing a residency program, trainees are entitled to take specialty-specific board certification tests and become fully certified physicians.

It is important to note that the process of becoming a licensed physician in the United States is extremely competitive, and residency program slots are restricted. In addition, the expense of medical school is considerable, and many residents have substantial student debt.

Other types of residencies[edit | edit source]

Grant Programs Residency – a training program that provides a person or group of people (known as "residents") with advanced clinical training in a specialty area. National Health Service Corps and Nurse Corps Postgraduate Training (Residency) – advanced training of a graduate from a health professions education program (e.g., internships, residencies, chief residency, and fellowships). This experience may provide a financial award to help pay costs associated with advanced training in a specific content area.

Residency training programs - lists[edit | edit source]

Here are lists of residency training programs by country

United States[edit | edit source]

Also see[edit | edit source]

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD