Have you ever been treated by a resident doctor or intern?

Question

Just wondering how people feel about being assessed by a trainee doctor. Did you have confidence in them? Did the fully-licensed doctor supervising them double-check everything that they did? Did you actually find them easier to relate to than the attending doctor?

Answer 1

A resident (which included a PGY-I or 'intern') is a physician who is undergoing clinical training.  This physician in training is supervised at multiple levels by any number of more qualified or experienced physicians.  Particularly around this time of year (when the new wave of interns enters the clinical realm) most teaching hospitals go to great lengths to ensure that the intern/resident learns, but the quality of care of the patient always remains paramount.  Residents have skills, and granted haven't 'mastered' their craft, but in most situations, they take extra time to be conscientious and rigorous about what they do.  This has been how medicine has been taught since time immemorium.  You can certainly request that an Attending Physician see you (which invariably will be the case, even without such a request).

Also bear in mind that in many jurisdictions (including my own) I was a fully State licensed physician following completion of my first year of residency.  I certainly didn't know everything, but I knew what my limitations were and I wasn't afraid to ask for help when I needed it.

If you have a particular aversion to being treated by residents, then you may want to avoid teaching hospitals.

For what it's worth (and I'm not saying this to sound arrogant in any way), but as a resident many of my patients went on to write notes to my program director on how professional, caring and competent I was when interacting with them, so I imagine those patients whom I treated as a resident enjoyed their experience with having me as a member of their treating team.

Answer 2

All the time.

in fact, the hospitals around here know me as one who will often volunteer to be examined by students.

But when I'm bad off, I insists on the "real" doctor.

Answer 3

For everyday problems, a resident or intern might actually be better... because they try harder and research EVERYTHING. They also tend to have better people skills and take more time to listen to you. However, if you have a serious or complicated problem, I would recommend that you at least validate the new guy's opinion with the attending physician.

Answer 4

I had a resident doctor assist at the birth of our 3rd daughter. He was fine and I completely trusted him. He cried when she was born! He took care of her after she was born for well baby check ups too.