What exactly is a house officer (US definition)

[sunny123]

I saw a posting on a US hospital website for house officer (graduate medical education), but there was no description of the position, other than it was under the dept. of Surgery and was a night shift position. In the UK a house officer is a resident, and an online search I came up with this:

"An intern or resident who is employed by a hospital to provide service to patients during the period the intern or resident is receiving training in a medical specialty."

I'm gonna call the hospital tomorrow to see if I can apply, but I was wondering if anyone knew about these positions. I'll have some time before next year's match, and I thought this would be a good way to get my foot in the door.

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[illegallysmooth]

I saw a posting on a US hospital website for house officer (graduate medical education), but there was no description of the position, other than it was under the dept. of Surgery and was a night shift position. In the UK a house officer is a resident, and an online search I came up with this:

"An intern or resident who is employed by a hospital to provide service to patients during the period the intern or resident is receiving training in a medical specialty."

I'm gonna call the hospital tomorrow to see if I can apply, but I was wondering if anyone knew about these positions. I'll have some time before next year's match, and I thought this would be a good way to get my foot in the door.

The exact job position will likely vary a bit. Usually, house doc means resident, which goes back to the days when residents were called residents because they lived at the hospital. In the hospitals where I work, the house officer is a hospitalist attending who admits unreferred patients and responds to stat calls in the hospital. It is a Dept. of Medicine job. Perhaps at large hospitals with many surgical patients they have a surgical house officer too?

 

[SLUser11]

I saw a posting on a US hospital website for house officer (graduate medical education), but there was no description of the position, other than it was under the dept. of Surgery and was a night shift position. In the UK a house officer is a resident, and an online search I came up with this:

"An intern or resident who is employed by a hospital to provide service to patients during the period the intern or resident is receiving training in a medical specialty."

I'm gonna call the hospital tomorrow to see if I can apply, but I was wondering if anyone knew about these positions. I'll have some time before next year's match, and I thought this would be a good way to get my foot in the door.

In the US, "house officer" and resident are synonymous.


On a side note, the title "house officer" became less appropriate for me as of today, as I finished my last in-house call for residency last night. All of my calls for the upcoming year are home call. Feels good.

Of course, the surgery gods wouldn't let me go quietly.

 

[Musashi450]

congrats!

 

[njbmd]

I saw a posting on a US hospital website for house officer (graduate medical education), but there was no description of the position, other than it was under the dept. of Surgery and was a night shift position. In the UK a house officer is a resident, and an online search I came up with this:

"An intern or resident who is employed by a hospital to provide service to patients during the period the intern or resident is receiving training in a medical specialty."

I'm gonna call the hospital tomorrow to see if I can apply, but I was wondering if anyone knew about these positions. I'll have some time before next year's match, and I thought this would be a good way to get my foot in the door.

This sounds like a community hospital (with no residents) is looking for a "scut-boy" to do some night shift work for the attendings who don't want to come in and admit their patients. Plenty of small community hospitals will hire a "house officer" or "house physicians" to do things like put in central lines, run codes and write admission orders on patients. Most of these type of positions are done by IMGs who have some training in their country but are not BC/BE in this country.

This is likely not a residency position.

 

[sunny123]

thank you all for clarifying this for me

 

[Buzz Me]

In the US, "house officer" and resident are synonymous.


On a side note, the title "house officer" became less appropriate for me as of today, as I finished my last in-house call for residency last night. All of my calls for the upcoming year are home call. Feels good.

Of course, the surgery gods wouldn't let me go quietly.

No fellowship call for you?

 

[SocialistMD]

This sounds like a community hospital (with no residents) is looking for a "scut-boy" to do some night shift work for the attendings who don't want to come in and admit their patients. Plenty of small community hospitals will hire a "house officer" or "house physicians" to do things like put in central lines, run codes and write admission orders on patients. Most of these type of positions are done by IMGs who have some training in their country but are not BC/BE in this country.

This is likely not a residency position.

Exactly. One of the moonlighting positions for lab residents at our institution is to function as the "surgical house officer" at night at a community hospital without a residency. Basically, you are the in-house intern, putting out fires and writing admission H&Ps for all surgical patients. It is not a residency position.

 

[SLUser11]

No fellowship call for you?

Who knows, although most programs I've interacted with so far have only home call. All I know is no more mandatory overnights in Wichita hospitals.

 

[Buzz Me]

Basically, you are the in-house intern, putting out fires and writing admission H&Ps for all surgical patients. It is not a residency position.

I think that last sentence bears repeating.

This is NOT a residency position, for those interested in looking for open spots.

 

[SOUNDMAN]

I think that last sentence bears repeating.

This is NOT a residency position, for those interested in looking for open spots.

Interesting...all the residents where I am at are called house officers, or HO and then a number based on what PGY you are.