Internship Guide — MBBS Program

The internship year occurs after students successfully complete all requirements of the medical curriculum and it is the final requirement in order to receive the MBBS degree. The one-year internship consists of specialty rotations in Surgery, Medicine/Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Family Medicine/Community Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and choice of Elective. The main goal of the internship is to consolidate medical knowledge, enhance practical skills, and develop professional competencies under supervision.

Duration
Upon completing the academic requirements, medical students must undergo one full year (12 months) of supervised clinical training. This rotation must include the following clinical disciplines, as specified in the table below:

Starting Dates
The internship must commence on the following dates:

• July 1st
• February 1st

Times
The intern must work 8 hours daily, five days per week, and complete six monthly on-call shifts.

Placement

• The Intern shall spend the internship year in hospitals inside or outside of the Eastern Province, provided there is approval from the College's Internship Office.
• The training must be conducted in a hospital approved by the College.

Delay in Starting the Internship

Start Deadline:

• Students must begin the internship no later than six (6) months after completing graduation requirements.

Approved Postponement:

• A postponement of up to two (2) months may be granted based on personal circumstances and subject to College approval.

Penalties for Delays Exceeding 6 Months:

• If the delay or interruption exceeds six (6) months, the intern must complete the full internship year in addition to the following penalties:

Interruption during Internship

General Rule:

• All periods of interruption are cumulative and subject to the penalty in the schedule below.

Excused Interruptions:

Unexcused Interruptions:

• The intern is referred to an Evaluation Committee, which submits recommendations to the College Council.

Professional Misconduct

Failure of Professional Duty:

• The intern must repeat the rotation in which the misconduct occurred for its full original duration.

Violations of Ethics, Morals, or Professional Conduct:

• Issuing a written warning
• Repeating the entire internship or part of it
• Recommending a deduction from the internship allowance.
• Referral to University Administration for potential revocation of the Bachelor's degree

Unexcused Absences

• If an intern accumulates 10% or more unexcused absences in a single rotation, they must repeat that entire rotation after completing the internship year.

• Evaluation Report Preparation: Upon the conclusion of the intern's training period in the relevant department, the Head of the Department shall prepare an evaluation report (using an approved form). This report must be signed by the supervising member or consultant and submitted to the Internship Office. The report must evaluate the intern's professional skills and competencies, attendance and discipline, relationship with patients, relationship with supervisors, and relationship with nursing staff.
• Feedback and Discussion: The supervising individual shall discuss the report with the intern to highlight the strengths and weaknesses in their performance and advise on how to improve and develop their professional capabilities.
• Departmental Approval: The evaluations must be officially ratified and signed by the Head of the Department at the hospital, using the approved form attached to these regulations.
• Submission: The evaluations must be sent to the Internship Office via formal, confidential letters. The reports must be officially stamped by both the supervising consultant and the hospital's Training Center.
• Penalty for Tampering: In the event that any unauthorized alteration or change is discovered in an intern's evaluation, the penalties determined by the College Council shall be applied.
• Unapproved Schedule Changes: If any training period is modified or altered without the prior knowledge and approval of the Internship Office, the intern must repeat the entire training period again.

Interns must strictly adhere to the following duties:

• Compliance with Regulations: Adherence to all provisions contained within these overarching regulations.
• Training Institution Regulations: Compliance with the specific regulations of the training institutions, including observing professional safety, infection control requirements, and adherence to patient rights and quality policies.
• Attendance and Departure: Strict adherence to the attendance and departure system followed by the institution in which the intern is training.
• Workload: The weekly workload for interns must be equivalent to or greater than the workload specified for a resident physician, encompassing departmental work, on-call duties, and other assigned tasks.
• Departmental Tasks: Each department shall specify the medical duties that the intern must perform during their training period in that department, which constitutes an integral part of these regulations.
• Unexcused Absence (10% Rule): If an intern has 10% or more unexcused absences during a single training rotation, they must repeat that entire rotation after the full internship year is over.

• Initial Examination and Documentation: The intern shall perform the initial examination of assigned patients, record the comprehensive medical history and physical examination findings in the patient's file, document the provisional diagnosis, propose initial investigations, and outline the treatment plan, followed by discussion with the medical team.
• Daily Clinical Participation: Accompany the medical team during daily patient rounds, actively participate in scientific discussions related to patient management, and perform delegated medical procedures strictly under the supervision of the attending team.
• Treatment and Diagnostics: Implement approved patient care plans. This includes completing all required documentation and requisition forms for laboratory and radiological tests as directed by the attending physician, ensuring timely submission of samples, and diligently following up on and communicating test results to the medical team.
• Patient Monitoring and Documentation: Closely monitor patient status and document all clinical progress, changes, and developments accurately in the patient's medical record, escalating and discussing significant findings with the supervising physician.
• Confidentiality and Data Protection: The intern must strictly protect patient confidentiality and must not disclose any medical information verbally, electronically, or via social media platforms.

• Academic Engagement: Actively and consistently participate in departmental academic activities, including seminars, lectures, grand rounds, and research meetings.
• Professional Attire: Adhere strictly to the professional dress code for physicians as mandated by the University's Code of Conduct and Disciplinary rules, in addition to any specific requirements set by the training hospitals and centers.
• On-Call and Handoff: Complete all assigned on-call shifts as scheduled by the Department Head. Interns must not leave their post upon the conclusion of a shift until a proper handoff is conducted with the relieving intern or team member.
• Professional Development: Commit to continuous professional development by attending and actively participating in all practical and field training programs.

• Initial Examination and Documentation: Interns are strictly not authorized to issue patient discharge orders, sign medical reports or sick leave certificates, or write medical prescriptions without explicit prior consultation and approval from the attending physician.

The Intern is entitled to the following rights during their training period:

• Structured Supervision and Scope: The right to receive training directly supervised by consultants and specialists across various departments. Each department must clearly define the specific medical tasks and procedures that the intern is expected to practice during their rotation.
• Comprehensive Educational Resources: Access to a diverse patient case mix for comprehensive learning. This includes in-depth case discussions, structured educational programs, scientific lectures, critical reviews of recent specialty research, and other activities designed to enhance the intern's professional capacity.
• Direct Team Support: The right to receive direct, readily available support from all members of the medical team.
• Professional Respect and Dignity: The right to be treated with respect and dignity by all personnel, as mandated by professional ethics and established regulations. Any instance of harassment or unprofessional conduct must be reported to the Internship Office for immediate action.
• Leave Entitlement: Entitlement to approved leave (vacation/sick) as stipulated by the provisions of this regulation.
• Stipend: The right to receive the prescribed monthly stipend in accordance with the regulations governing Saudi Universities.
• Evaluation Review and Feedback: The right to review and discuss all performance evaluations received from the training departments, sign the results, discuss any noted areas for improvement, and receive a stamped copy of the final evaluation document.

General Rules

• It is not permissible to combine two types of leave in the same period, and the leave period shall not exceed five days in a single block.
• If final approval for leave is issued but the physician does not utilize it, the days will be deducted from their balance, and they will not be entitled to claim them later.

The Internship Office at the College of Medicine oversees the training of eligible medical students. The main tasks of the office are summarized as follows: