Interns vs. Residents vs. Attendings

[RDH-NrsgStudent]

As a preface to my question/lack of knowledge...I just finished my pre-req. courses and will be starting nursing school Aug. 2008.

For future reference, can someone please explain to me the differences between interns, residents and attendings?

Thanks, in advance!

Angel

[kat911]

Interns, a term not used much anymore. They are the first year Residents in a teaching hospital. Now we just refer to them as Residents, first, second or third years, etc. Residents are Doctors who have graduated from medical school and are accepted into a training program for a specific type of medical practice: Surgical residents will become surgeons, internal medicine residents will become internist or go on to become cardiologist or nephrologist by taking an additional training program. In the second level of training they are called "Fellows" Surgery Residents who specialize in Plastic Surgery or Neurosurgery are Fellows as well. Attendings are docs who have fininshed all training and have either thier own practice/office somewhere or work for a clinic or hospital. They generally make the big bucks. FYI in Texas interns are not yet licensed by the state, that doesn't happen unitl after the first year. Used to be docs would sometimes quit after first year and become "General Practitioners" and open an office somewhere, don't see much of that anymore.

[RDH-NrsgStudent]

Thank you very much for the explanation, kat911. I truly appreciate it! :thankya:

[TazziRN, RN]

Thanks from me, too! Never worked in a teaching hospital, never truly understood exactly what an attending was. I thought it meant the "real" doctor on duty backing up the residents at the moment. I didn't realize it meant all "real" doctors.

No offense to residents, I meant that with tongue in cheek such as when we refer to "real" nurses versus new grads who are IP's or preceptees.

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

How does this relate to "housestaff" or a "house officer"? I THINK at the hospital where I just did my preceptorship (and I totally just ended that word with a "t" by accident...) the housestaff were residents, but I'm not sure...

[ragingmomster, BSN, MSN, RN]

For us, we refer to the lowest man on the totem pole as the house officer.

Basically whoever is taking "first call" for the university group. It is usually the first year resident.

This gives that resident the widest range of experience while allowing the first year to call on the second and third years for assistance.