while ss's comments are correct, your participation in the or is usually based on confidence and ability, not entirely pgy year. So a repeat prelim intern early on may have a leg up and do more in a given case if they are proving to be more adept (particularly on a case like an lap appy, open inguinal hernia, lipoma removal, intern level cases). They, depending on the chief, may be able to get into the or slightly more early on as a reward for being more efficient and organized, that is, while the other interns have to focus early on on how to intern, you should already have that mastered, and if you are carrying more than your weight for the team, the chief MAY reward you. Also, if you are more efficient and finish work earlier, there may be more opportunities to double scrub procedures with chiefs and get more experience. You also may gain independence earlier with bedside procedures. Chiefs love when their interns don't have to have supervision for an i&d, chest tube, central line (I mean, I have no problem with it, but I like to let my juniors feel like doctors and do **** on their own if I can) so if you can do any of those well you might be granted more independence (chest tube maybe not, but it does vary, I was super visioning er residents do them as a pgy1, but that was just cause I was unfortunate enough to have a ton on my ct rotation, and it was probably pgy2 year before I was truly comfortable doing a line without a chief hovering)