Intern orientation — The transition from medical student to physician is a rite of passage often marked by anxiety and a need for guidance and mentorship. Thus we created an orientation program to provide support and standardize performance of critical skills among incoming house officers.

The 10-day orientation (Monday-Friday) during the last 2 weeks of June involves interns in learning sessions emphasizing acquisition of knowledge and skills that they will need from the first day of internship.

Besides mandatory institutional training, incoming residents also complete an Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course and become certified caregivers in trauma. The remaining days are more informal and cover a wide range of topics. Taught by senior residents and faculty, these sessions emphasize "hands-on" activity and practical information about the primary teaching hospitals in our program. General Compliance Awareness Training (GCAT) and Clinical Documentation Training are required by UTHSCSA and are provided during orientation. Interns also attend a 1-day orientation at University Hospital, during which lab coats, ID badges, parking passes, and pagers are issued. Orientation also includes a new intern picnic in which the interns, residents, and faculty have the opportunity to socialize in an informal setting.