Observership

Requirements

• Graduate of medical school OR
• Current medical student OR
• Graduate of PhD degree

 Responsibilities

• Participate in grand rounds, seminars, and other didactic activities
• Participate in case conferences or chart rounds
• Observe walking rounds or procedures with the supervising attending or senior resident
• Participate in surgical skills lab activities
• Participate in journal club
• Participate in at least 1 research project

The SIU School of Medicine provides educational experiences for individuals who have completed their medical training but do not hold medical licensure. The Division of Orthopaedic Surgery allows for 2 individuals to hold the title of “observership” every 6 months (starting January 2012).

Examples of situations that would be considered appropriate for observership

• A practicing physician from another country who desires a focused experience for a skill to take back to his/her country of practice.
• An incoming resident who has matched with an SIU residency program, but whose start date is delayed and needs to keep up with didactics, etc.
• An incoming resident who has matched with an SIU residency program whose program director believes that a focused observership experience prior to the onset of residency would help him/her succeed in the program.

Examples of situations that would not be considered appropriate for observership

• A graduate of an international medical school who wishes to gain US experience prior to applying for a U.S. residency program.
• A graduate of a U.S. or international medical school who did not match in