What will I learn as a resident?

During your fourth year of medical school, you’ll choose a medical specialty and apply to graduate medical education programs (known as “residencies”). 

During residency, which typically lasts between three and seven years (depending on the specialty), you will learn to treat patients under the direct supervision of attending physicians. You can expect to learn to apply your basic science knowledge and clinical skills in diagnosing and treating patients’ illnesses and injuries. You’ll learn clinical decision-making and patient management skills, and you will interact daily with faculty members, whether at the bedside, during inpatient team discussions (known as “rounds”), on patient visits, or in case-based lectures and small-group discussions.

For More Information:

•  NIH Elective Rotations for Residents and Fellows
  The NIH elective rotations offer residents or clinical fellows the opportunity to have direct experience in the care of patients enrolled in investigational protocols in the disciplines of allergy and immunology, anatomic pathology, critical care medicine/internal medicine, hematopathology, infectious diseases, medical genetics, and transfusion medicine. Participants will have first-hand exposure to the design, conduct, and management of clinical trials.