Medical Residency

What is medical residency?

Medical residency is a multi-year training and work period right after medical school for doctors who recently graduated. All physicians must complete residency if they want to practice medicine.

Medical residency is like the ultimate work-study program. During this time, resident physicians (or just “residents”) build on what they learned in med school. They’re still doctors and do all the work of one. But they also train, and experienced doctors oversee their work.

How long is medical residency?

Residency takes at least three years. For surgery specialties, it takes at least five. Some specialties, like neurosurgery, have residencies that last up to seven years.

Each year of residency has a PGY number. That stands for “postgraduate year.” PGY-1 is the first year of residency, and so on.

There are five “tracks” that residents can follow for residency. They are:

• Categorical (C): These are specialty-focused residencies. They include all the training a doctor will need to pass the board certification exams in their specialty.
• Primary (M): These residencies are very similar to the Categorical track. But they put a large focus on primary care specialties, like internal medicine or pediatrics.
• Preliminary (P): These are PGY-1 programs that last a year. A resident who finishes one of these will then go to an Advanced track program.
• Advanced (A): These are specialty programs that start the following year, in PGY-2. Residents secure their spots in these a year in advance.
• Reserved (R): These programs start in PGY-2 the same year (unlike Advanced programs that have a one-year delay). They’re meant for residents who’ve at least completed PGY-1, if not more. These programs aren’t as common.

There are over 6,000 residency programs in the U.S., and they can vary widely. That’s partly because of how specialized medicine can be. There are over 35 different medical specialties recognized in the U.S. And under those, there are over 130 different subspecialties. Many programs let doctors pick and train in multiple specialties.

Do doctors get paid during residency?

Yes, residency programs are paid, full-time jobs. Residents can expect to work up to 80 hours per week (averaged over four weeks) during residency. That includes their clinical and education activities.

What’s the difference between a medical resident and a fellow?

Medical residency is what doctors have to do right after medical school. Fellowships are even more advanced training that comes after residency. They’re for doctors who want to narrow their focus in their specialty even further.

What is the first year of residency called?

Residency’s first year is known as PGY-1. It used to be called internship. But the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (which oversees these programs) stopped using that term in 1975. While it’s not an official term these days, some people still use it.