Medical graduates in the US go to residency directly after graduation and first year of residency is usually considered as internship. Please note that there is no internship in the US that is similar to the ones offered in India or other ‘British medical system’ countries.
In the United States, completion of an internship is the minimum requirement for which a general license to practice medicine is granted. Many interns, however, continue for several more years working as a resident in the hospital or medical centre, acquiring all the skills and experience necessary to specialize in their chosen field of medicine. Increasingly, internships are being integrated with residency programs, and the term intern is slowly being phased out, with many medical settings now referring to interns as “first year residents.” Interns work alongside qualified medical practitioners in medical settings, practicing medicine under supervision. Many interns find that their internship is the first time they get to practice actual hands-on medicine, with their preceding medical training having provided them with the theoretical background.
Internship/ residency are a crucial step to becoming a qualified doctor, dentist, surgeon or podiatrist, and the process begins during the last year of medical school. In their final year, students are expected to apply for postgraduate internships in a chosen field of specialization, by contacting hospitals and medical centers for placements. Internships are highly competitive, especially those in the more desired fields of specialization such as surgery. Interviews and careful matching of a graduate to an internship often takes many months, and it is not uncommon for interns to have to apply for several program before they are accepted.
In the United States, completion of an internship/residency is the minimum requirement for which a general license to practice medicine is granted. Many interns, however, continue for several more years working as a resident in the hospital or medical centre, acquiring all the skills and experience necessary to specialize in their chosen field of medicine.
To qualify for an internship, a medical student has to have successfully obtained a medical degree, and usually take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) in order to qualify to practice general medicine. Internships are notoriously hard work. Many interns find themselves working long hours, up to 16 hours continuously, with a working week often exceeding 60 hours. The work is also hard and varied. Interns perform the same tasks as qualified medical practitioners, albeit under supervision, and often find themselves conducting tasks that other professional prefer not to do.
While successfully completing an internship and attaining the USMLE or COMLEX qualifications enables a graduate to practice medicine, many interns continue with their residencies. Internships provide graduates with the opportunity to finalize which field of medicine they wish to specialize in, with the exposure to a proper medical setting helping them to decide if certain areas of medicine are actually suitable.
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY (AIM-U) is an institutional partner of Washington Medical Science institute and Government of Saint Lucia. AIM-U’s US Campus /Clinical Admin is centrally located at the Washington Adventist University and Hospital Campus, Takoma Park, Maryland, USA.
AIMU offers prerequisites and support programs at the above mentioned campus. AIM-U is one of the new generation medical schools, which offers residency focused on USMLE centred programs and a 4 Year accelerated MD program with high standards. This MD program is fully accredited and widely recognized in the USA
AIMU’s pre-medicals and clinical rotations are offered in both the campuses. Clinical Rotations are also offered though AIMU’s affiliate hospitals in Atlanta, Chicago, London, Ireland and in India for Electives.
Likewise at this Caribbean university, students can enjoy excellent education with higher acceptance rates and a reasonable tuition. The medical school features a program based on the US model and offers education using the latest technology and teaching methods. A major part of their curriculum includes extensive preparation for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
We also offer many opportunities for students to learn through experiences close to the actual practice. As early as their first semester, students will begin interacting with patients through supervised activities at local hospitals.
We have Partnerships and affiliations with various renowned institutions and organizations such as:
Washington Adventist University, USA
The Ministry of Health – Government of Saint Lucia
We are also widely listed and recognized by many organizations including:
ECFMG (listed with FAIMER’s IMED)
World Health Organization
Medical Council of India
Medical Council of Canada
After their basic science semesters at the St. Lucian Campus, students spend the remaining semesters in affiliate teaching hospitals located mainly in the US.
Upon completion of post-graduate residency training, graduates become eligible for a license in many countries including the United States and Canada