The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Preliminary Medicine Internship Program (Internal Medicine Residency) offers a friendly environment, where preliminary interns learn how to manage day-to-day medical problems ranging from simple to complex critically ill patients. The large number of dedicated core clinical faculty and the patient focused clinical training coupled with Academic Half Day conferences, grand rounds and teaching rounds make for exceptional medical training. Program graduates have gone on to pursue medical careers in various fields, including dermatology, radiology, anesthesiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and radiation oncology.
The Preliminary (and Categorical) Medicine Internship at the College of Medicine – Phoenix is divided into thirteen blocks, of which only seven include call, and six are elective without call duty. Depending on your area of specialty training, we will help you customize your electives for your future career. All preliminary interns have priority to have an elective in June so that they may have a vacation week and the last week of June to move to a new location if needed. Our goal is to give you an excellent foundation in internal medicine, while preparing you to be fabulous in your chosen specialty.
Here are what some of our past interns have written about the program:
"The preliminary experience at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix emphasizes valuable teaching from dedicated faculty, provides high-quality patient care and promotes a strong sense of camaraderie. The environment is warm and friendly within a general atmosphere of respect and dedication to medicine. The attendings are experts in their field, accessible, supportive, humble, eager to teach and provide the right amount of instruction and independence. The preliminary experience is spectacular and provides a strong foundation in internal medicine before specialty training. The program truly feels like a “large family,” where the attendings and residents clearly care deeply about the well-being of their patients and the well-being of one another. In a place like Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix, the goal is not to survive intern year, but to thrive."
-Adam Luber, MD, Preliminary Intern Class of 2015, Brown University, Dermatology
"I thoroughly enjoyed my preliminary year at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix program. The program has a collegial culture and is willing to collaborate with preliminary residents to shape the best and most educational elective opportunities possible. As a budding PM&R resident, I was able to rotate with both an inpatient physiatrist and a pain medicine doctor. UA COM Phoenix maximized my clinical development as an intern and afforded me the opportunity to live in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona."
-Kylie Johnson, MD, Preliminary Intern Class of 2022, University of Pittsburgh, PM&R
"I completed my prelim medicine year at University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix/Banner– University Medical Center Phoenix before going on to further training in anesthesiology. My intern year had invaluable experience taking care of a wide variety of medically complex patients. I was given appropriate autonomy to learn how to be a doctor, but always felt supported by my seniors and faculty. My co-residents were hard-working, kind, and intelligent. Inpatient and ICU months were busy, but educational and with a good balance of service and learning. Electives were flexible and allowed me to pursue experiences I was interested in (anesthesia, VA ICU, palliative care, etc). Didactics were relevant and high quality. By the end of my intern year, I felt well prepared with a good foundation of medicine and critical care experience going into my advanced program. I would recommend this program without reservation to anyone looking for a well-rounded internal medicine preliminary internship year. If you have any questions I would be happy to discuss my experience further with anyone: Chrisbeann@gmail.com"
-Chris Bean, MD Preliminary Intern Class of 2021, Massachusetts General Hospital, Anesthesia
If you are interested in the Preliminary Medicine Internship, please email Dr. Brenda Shinar, recruitment director for the internship program. Additionally, please review the How To Apply section for further details on eligibility and requirements.