“There’s a Lot of Support”: Junior Doctors’ Experiences of the Medical Internship

Abstract Background: It is known that the transition from medical school to clinical work can be stressful. In some countries, an introductory service bridges the gap, introducing the doctor-to-be to clinical work. However, there is a lack of scientific knowledge about whether these introductory services serve their purpose as justifiable introductions. To address the gap, this paper aimed to explore experiences that junior doctors hold of the medical internship.Methods: Using a qualitative description approach, data was collected through twelve individual in-depth interviews with volunteering medical interns from three different hospital sites in Sweden. Data were verbatim transcribed and analysed by qualitative content analysis, generating categories and themes. Results: Four main themes were identified in our data. The interns felt increasingly comfortable as doctors (‘finding one’s feet’) through taking responsibility for patients while receiving necessary help and assistance (‘a doctor with support’). Although appreciative of getting an overview of the healthcare organisation (‘healthcare sightseeing’), interns were exhausted by repeatedly changing workplaces and felt stuck in a rigid framework (‘stuck at the zoo’).Conclusions: This study showed that the transition from medical student to clinical doctor does not necessarily have to be characterised by stress and mental exhaustion but can, with extensive support, provide a fruitful opportunity for interns to grow into their roles as doctors.