Could someone explain the intern year rule?

[cryhavoc]

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First I’m ever hearing about it. And from google searches and threads, I can’t seem to get a clear picture of what it means.

To be a DO, you have to do an internship for a year before starting residency? Is that true? I’m just confused how this rule works.

 

[Rekt]

First I’m ever hearing about it. And from google searches and threads, I can’t seem to get a clear picture of what it means.

To be a DO, you have to do an internship for a year before starting residency? Is that true? I’m just confused how this rule works.

This was a historic thing. For the most part, I think this is going away, otherwise you just fill out some forms and have your PD sign it and your normal year counts for that year. IIRC it was only like 4 states that required it.

 

[cryhavoc]

This was a historic thing. For the most part, I think this is going away, otherwise you just fill out some forms and have your PD sign it and your normal year counts for that year. IIRC it was only like 4 states that required it.

Thanks.

 

[gamerEMdoc]

I just explained it further in the resolution 42 rule. Don't be concerned. At all. It shouldn't affect where you chose to go for residency at all.

 

[hallowmann]

First I’m ever hearing about it. And from google searches and threads, I can’t seem to get a clear picture of what it means.

To be a DO, you have to do an internship for a year before starting residency? Is that true? I’m just confused how this rule works.

In a nutshell, some state DO boards required DOs to complete an AOA intern year (either as a standalone internship or an AOA residency) in order to license them to practice in that state. The requirement is for an unlimited independent license, not a training license, which is what you have during residency. As a way to address the fact that 50% of DOs train in ACGME programs, the AOA created Resolution 42 as a way to certify ACGME residency programs as "AOA-equivalent".

They also created something called Resolution 56 (I believe) to make ACGME residency programs AOA-equivalent for the purpose of applying to AOA fellowships or becoming board eligible for AOA specialty boards.

As of now, I believe its down to 3 states (I want to say its PA, FL, and OK) that still require an AOA-equivalent intern year for independent licensure. Its possible/likely these will change given the merger, but even if they don't you just need to apply through Resolution 42 and get your residency viewed as equivalent. I'm personally trying to do this now, but hopefully I won't need it.

 

[gamerEMdoc]

Yeah, its silly. Its not a "DO hating" law in these states. Its the DO boards themselves that created the requirement. Basically to pressure DO students into doing AOA residencies. All of the states that had such rules were in the states where the AOA was the most powerful. Thankfully several of them have taken them off the board in the last few years, and in 2020, they all should be gone since there is no such thing as an "AOA intern year" after that.