Like medical school, residency programs are selective and often competitive, requiring formal application, letters of recommendation, and personal interviews. Unlike medical school, they offer salaries and benefits. Many physicians look back on their residencies as years filled with hard work and invaluable lessons Residents may work 80 hours a week or more, including on-call shifts of up to 24 hours. Their time is spent treating patients, teaching less-experienced colleagues, and completing paperwork and other tasks. It can be a grueling experience, but one that reveals medicine's challenges and rewards.
Residents assume greater responsibilities as they proceed through their programs.
The first year of postgraduate medical education is sometimes called internship, though this term is no longer used as widely as in the past. The next rank, senior resident, usually comes in the third, fourth, or fifth year, depending on the specialty. Finally, the chief resident is a doctor who has completed his or her residency program and is charged with overseeing its daily operations. Physicians who seek even more specialized training may pursue fellowships after their residencies. For example, a doctor who intends to specialize in cancer treatment may complete an internal medicine residency followed by an oncology fellowship.