Internship & Residency Experience for MBBS Students in India

MBBS Internships and MD residency programs help students gain the necessary clinical skills. Both programs are highly physically demanding and require proper stress management. The student experience of Internship and residency programs includes rotation in various departments, gaining patient care skills, and learning diagnosis techniques. Read below to know about the internship and residency experience for MBBS students in India. 

Why Is the MBBS Internship In India Essential?

The year-long MBBS internship provides students with opportunities to develop real-life clinical skills. Besides receiving a medical license in India, students get the chance to interact with real patients. Read below to know about the importance of the MBBS Internship in India.

• Students get the eligibility to be permanently registered with the National Medical Commission (NMC) or State Medical Councils. Without this, it is not possible to practice medicine in India. 
• Students gain practical clinical skills as they get a chance to interact with real patients.
• The internship during the MBBS program gives students exposure to a variety of departments, including medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics, and many more. This helps them choose PG streams.
• Students develop essential soft skills like communication and teamwork

Structure and Duration Of MBBS Internship

The internship is referred to as the Compulsory Rotational Medical Internship (CRMI) and lasts for 12 months. This time period is distributed proportionately across core medical and surgical rotations, offering a well-rounded patient exposure. The regulation for this internship is prescribed by the National Medical Commission(NMC). 

How Is the MBBS  Internship Experience for Medical Students in India?

During the internship period, MBBS students in India have to work in multiple departments in rotations and assist senior doctors with patients. Read below to know in detail about the MBBS internship experience for medical students in India.

Daily Life Experience Of MBBS  Interns

MBBS Interns in India have to follow a very hectic schedule. This includes starting early, performing clinical and administrative duties. Read below to know about the daily life experience of MBBS interns in detail

Morning Routine

For an MBBS intern, the day typically starts early. Most people get up by 6:00–6:30 AM, and then arrive at the hospital by 7:30 or 8:00 AM. Rounds with the unit begin promptly at 8 AM.  

The rounds are a valuable learning experience for the interns when they get to see the consultant and the trainees talking about cases, changing diagnoses, and examining patients. Interns need to be alert, take notes, and, on occasion, present the patient’s history or status.

Clinical Responsibilities

Interns perform various daily clinical responsibilities, including placing IVs, drawing blood, vital sign collection, and patient prepping for procedures. They also help with diagnostic and therapeutic tasks under the direction of a doctor.

For surgical rotations, they support in the operating theatre by passing instruments, maintaining sterility, and sometimes stitching minor cuts. This sort of hands-on experience is crucial for learning real-world medicine.

Administrative Duties

In addition to clinical duties, interns have to handle a huge volume of paperwork. They update patient case sheets, write progress notes, draft discharge summaries, and fill in lab and radiology request forms. Interns assist in obtaining consent for surgery or procedures and relay basic information to patients and their families. This is important for good medical records and to keep the medical team on the same page.

Work Hours

An intern’s duty hours are normally from 8:00 AM to 4:00 or 5:00 PM. However, in practice, working hours are often more, particularly in disciplines like Emergency or Obstetrics, where night duties, 24-hour standbys, and weekend calls are routine. Time and durability are key in these marathon shifts. Interns develop the ability to be vigilant in stressful situations.

Emotional Challenges

It is not unusual for interns to experience distressing events while on the job, such as resuscitating patients, experiencing patient death, or working with distraught families.  The pressure of doing many things at once and being held responsible has its own consequences. Yet these same obstacles make them mature emotionally and professionally. They gain empathy, they experience the pressure of a crisis, and they understand the importance of teamwork

Experience of MBBS Interns During Each Department Rotation

Departmental rotations are an important part of the entire MBBS internship experience. During each rotation, students get to learn specific skills of a particular department, like taking patient history in the medicine department and handling tools in operating theatres of the surgery department, and many more. 

Read more to know about the experience of MBBS interns during the internship:

Medicine 

Students get a 2-month rotation in the medicine department. Here they will find a wide variety of cases, from basic fevers to complicated chronic diseases, such as poorly controlled diabetes or severe kidney disease. They  spend hours interviewing patients, carefully noting down their history, and performing physical exams

Surgery (including Anesthesia)

The 2-month rotation in the surgery department is filled with practical experience. The intern's time will be largely split between the surgical wards (seeing pre-/post-op patients, pulling sutures out) and the operating theatre (OT). In the OT, you will get a chance to handle various operations tools.  

Students may even get to do some of the simpler procedures, such as closing wounds or inserting a urinary catheter. Anaesthesia exposes you to the monitoring of patients during surgery, but here it is a more narrowly focused, technical kind of experience.

Obstetrics & Gynecology 

This 1 month is when students get to learn skills like assisting during deliveries, antenatal and postnatal care, and many more. Besides, students develop empathy and sensitivity.

Pediatrics

Interns get 1 1-month rotation in the pediatrics department. They learn about  childhood illnesses, vaccinations, and how to evaluate a child  

Orthopedics

This 1 month of rotation is dedicated to students learning practically fractures, dislocations, and joint issues.  They will get to experience casting, splinting, and spend time in the ER seeing acute injuries. Assisting in orthopedic operations is a challenging job with heavy instruments and force. 

Community Medicine:

This is a 2-month off-campus rotation in public health centers and is part of preventive medicine practice. Students learn about public health programs, epidemiology (how diseases spread), vaccines, and health education in the community.

Emergency 

These 2 months of rotation in the Emergency department are filled with high stress and unpredictability.   Students get to deal with road accident patients, victims of heart attacks, patients suffering from fatal infections, and many more. Students learn rapid assessment, stabilization, and immediate management under intense pressure. 

Ophthalmology 

Students get a 15-day rotation period in the Ophthalmology department. Here, they mostly learn about eye examinations. Short-term looks at eye conditions and basic eye exams. It’s more a question of exact examination techniques and knowledge of the subtle eye structures.

ENT 

In this 15-day period of rotation, students learn to treat diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. 

Choose Post

Students get an opportunity to choose a particular department for 15 days. This enables them to get concentrated exposure to a particular department of interest.

What is The MBBS Internship Stipend in India?

The MBBS internship stipend in India varies according to the type of medical college. The MBBS internship stipend of government medical colleges ranges between ₹20,000-₹30,000. The private medical colleges pay between ₹15,000 - ₹25,0000. Read below to know more in detail.

What is the Medical Residency Program?

Medical Residency in India is a training program for 3 years (for MD/MS/DNB) or 2 years (for diploma). It is intended to teach specialty skills (clinical, procedural, or decision-making) under supervision. There are two types of  medical residency programs in  India

• Junior residency: Refers to training during the MD/ MS / DNB program. The roles include patient care. 
• Senior residency: After completing MD/ MS programs, students can take up senior residency for 3 years.

How Is the Residency  Internship Experience Of  PG Medical Students in India?

Resident doctors in India follow a fixed daily routine. They have to take up multiple roles and responsibilities based on the residency type. Read more to know in detail about the residency experience of PG medical students in India.

Daily Life Of A Resident Doctor In India

The resident doctors have to take up various responsibilities each day. These include starting early, taking case histories, handling paperwork, and many more. Read more to know about Dail

• Early start before 7 AM and give patients updates to residents and consultants
• Constant movement between patient beds, nursing stations, labs, taking patient histories, and conducting physical exams.
• Handle large amounts of paperwork, including case notes, discharge summaries, and medical records.
• Attend long shifts of 12-14+ hours
• Students get the responsibility of dealing with real patients and learn to make quick decisions.
• Exposure to pain, death, and grieving families. Students develop coping skills needed to manage stress while remaining empathetic.
• Increased confidence with patients and procedures, and the hammering home of your doctor identity.
• Exposure to internship specialties will assist the intern in deciding on postgraduate specialties.

Roles and Responsibilities of Resident Doctors in India 

The medical residency system in India is hands-on, academically rigorous, and more intense. It comprises long hours of work,  clinical postings,  night duty, academic sessions,  thesis work, and regular examination. Residents are equipped by the end of their training to be proficient, self-reliant practitioners. Read below to know about the roles and responsibilities of resident doctors in India.

Workload and Duty Hours

Residents usually work 60–100 hours per week, depending on the hospital and specialty. The day hours include 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. They have to attend night duty on call. Students generally get one 24-hour shift in 4–7 days. The residents must work on Sundays/Holidays in case of emergencies.

Clinical Responsibilities

The patients are managed as outpatients and inpatients. The key tasks include history taking and physical examinations, checking daily vitals, and surgery assistance. Coordinating care with other physicians. Rotations are for 1 – 6 months according to the institute's schedule. 

Daily Academic work 

Daily Academic work runs parallel to the clinical work. This includes attending seminars, Case reports or cases, participating in journal clubs, and continuation of thesis and research work.

Logbook and Record-Keeping

Each resident must maintain a logbook of cases handled, procedures done, and academic activities attended. Logbook Verification is done by supervising faculty. The final exam requires logbook submission.

Evaluation and Exams

Learning is assessed informally on rotations and formally in exams. These include internal assessment, Periodic viva, ward-leaving exams, Supervisor feedback, and University Final Examination (MD/MS). 

Supervision and Hierarchy

The roles are divided according to hierarchy. Different responsibilities are shared by junior residents and senior residents. Read below to know the details.

• Junior Residents 1st year: Hands-on work, under direct observation.
• Senior Residents (2nd and 3rd year): More responsibility, more supervision of juniors and interns.

What Are The Different Courses That Offer Residency Programs in India

Post graduate residency program is offered by the MD/MS/ DNB program. However, the focus of each residency varies as per the course demands. Read below to know about courses that offer residency programs in India and the aim of each course. 

MD (Doctor of Medicine)

The MD program in India is a 3-year postgraduate degree and is dedicated to only non-surgical specialties. For e.g., General Medicine, Pediatrics, Dermatology, Radiology, and Pathology.  It is generally characterized by intense education in the diagnosis and treatment of illness, as well as a focus on scientific research, data analysis, and attribution of clinical indicators. 

MS (Master of Surgery)

The 3-year postgraduate degree focuses on the surgical specialty. MS programs in India train students in surgical skills, patient management in pre-operative and post-operative settings, and decision making.

DNB (Diplomate of National Board)

DNB is granted to candidates by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) or the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). The course is considered equal to an MD/MS by the National Medical Commission (NMC) in terms of practical and academic aspects. Clinical experience in  DNB programs in India is reputed because of their clinical learning with plenty of hands-on clinical exposure in reputed private/ corporate hospitals.

What is The Resident Doctor Salary In India?

The salary of a resident doctor in India varies according to the type of medical institution. Resident doctors of Government medical colleges are decently paid. Private government colleges pay low to resident doctors. Read below to know about the resident doctor's salary in India. 

Government Medical College Residency Program Salary

The junior residents of government medical colleges earn between ₹1 lakh to ₹1.10 lakhs per month. Senior residents earn around ₹1.20 Lakhs- ₹1.30 Lakhs. 

Private Medical College Residency Program Salary

A survey by the NMC revealed that over 25% of PG students in private colleges receive no stipend, and more than half receive less than their counterparts in government colleges. The average salary of a junior resident ranges between ₹ 0-₹6000 per month. Senior residents in Private medical colleges in India earn around ₹0-₹70,150. Read more to know about the private medical college residency program salary.

What are The Key Differences Between MBBS Internship and Residency Program (MD/MS) in India?

MBBS internship and residency programs differ based on course level. The MBBS internship is a 1-year mandatory program included in the MBBS course, whereas the residency program is a postgraduate program. Both programs have different purposes. The MBBS internship program aims towards blending theory with practical knowledge, whereas the residency program focuses on the specialty. Read below to know about the key differences between MBBS and residency programs.

Conclusion

To become a licensed doctor, MBBS students need to undergo the compulsory 1-year internship program. This program ensures basic clinical exposure in different departments, thereby arming the graduates with general patient handling skills. The MD/MS/DNB residency program in India is offered. Though both phases are rigorous, residency provides higher stipends, and pathways to post-residency, practice and academic opportunities, and career advancement.