Is there anything like a heirarchy of medical doctors? I know that a resident has more training and could be considered higher ranking than an intern, but what is the next step up after being a resident?
American system:
Pay and status increase with years of training.
PGY-1 (post-graduate year 1) is internship but you can call her an intern or a resident.
PGY-2 is residency
PGY-3 is residency
Some specialties require more than 3 post graduate years.
Some people do an extra year as a “chief resident”
Fellowship (Only required for subspecialization and can be 1 or more years). For example, after 3 years of internal medicine training someone might begin a fellowship in infectious diseases)
When training ends, paths diverge:
The private sector:
PMD (private medical doctor) Often regarded by medical students and residents as a potentially dangerous bumbler but she drives a Jag
Academic medicine:
Ass’t Prof. Doesn’t know everything but works really hard.
Assoc. Prof. Knows almost everything and works too hard.
Prof. Used to know everything but maybe starting to forget and having a little trouble with that new-fangled stuff. May have a life.
Don’t forget the medical student; they are the part of the totem pole that is imbedded in the ground.
Then you got your Assistant Attending Physicians, Associate Attending Physicians, Attending Physicians, Chief of <your discipline here> Service.