Definition: An intern is a physician in their first year of residency training. After medical school is over, a physician enters a training period called residency. This part of training may last many years, and the first year is always referred to as the "intern year".
An intern may have just graduated from medical school or may have almost a year of residency training. After one year of residency is completed, a physician is no longer called an intern, but may be referred to as a "second year".
If an intern is providing your care, they are typically working under the observation of physician who has completed more of their residency, as well as an attending physician who has completed their training and practices independently.
Also Known As: first year doctor, resident physician, resident doctor, first year, new grad physician, new grad doctor,
Common Misspellings: inturn, in turn, inter, inntern, innturn,
Examples:
The intern helped explain the surgical procedure, then answered questions for the patient.
