A brief history of the internship.

The internship is the focal point of the transition of medical student to physician. From its origins in hospital apprenticeships, this experience of professionalization and initiation into direct patient responsibility has followed an erratic path. Modern US internships began in the late 19th century, and evolution of many of their characteristics has been determined more by socioeconomic-political issues than by consideration of educational objectives. The recent move to incorporate internships into residency programs is currently being reconsidered because there is a new appreciation of the role that the internship experience can play in the professional maturation of the physician.