Trainee interns: education and service roles.

AIMS

To examine the education and service roles of trainee interns in New Zealand.

METHODS

A questionnaire was completed by 123 trainee interns from the four clinical teaching schools. Areas examined were the amount of teaching received and the groups providing teaching, service work load, debt levels and the value of electives.

RESULTS

In hospitals trainee interns are taught for 30% of their week. The rest is spent performing service work, 58% of which is unsupervised and 12% supervised. Registrars and house surgeons provide the bulk of total teaching, 33% and 32% respectively. On average, trainee interns in general practice were working 40 hours/week and while on the wards 50 hours/week. On relevant wards trainee interns performed 38% of the ward work. The position of acting house surgeon had been filled by 88% of trainee interns. A debt greater than $10,000 was carried by 40%. Without the trainee intern salary 89% would not have been able to afford their electives, 25% performed electives in New Zealand. Electives were viewed as very beneficial in a number of areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Trainee interns are working many hours, providing valuable service work in New Zealand hospitals. The majority of teaching is practical, on the wards, from registrars and house surgeons. Debt affects a substantial number. Electives are a valuable part of the trainee intern course.