Table 1. Typical duration of postgraduate training for common medical specialties in the US*.
| Medical specialty | Postgraduate training duration (including internship) |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiology | 4 years (+ optional 1 year fellowship) |
| Dermatology | 4 years |
| Emergency Medicine | 3-4 years (+ optional 1-2 years fellowship) |
| Family Medicine | 3 years |
| Internal Medicine | 3 years |
| Neurology | 4 years (+ optional 1 year fellowship) |
| Neurosurgery | 7 years |
| Obstetrics and Gynecology | 4 years (+ optional 2-4 years fellowship) |
| Ophthalmology | 4 years (+ optional 1-2 years fellowship) |
| Orthopedic Surgery | 5 years (+ optional 1 year fellowship) |
| Otolaryngology | 5 years (+ optional 2 years fellowship) |
| Pathology | 4 years (+ optional 1-2 years fellowship) |
| Pediatrics | 3 years |
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | 4 years (+ optional 1 year fellowship) |
| Plastic Surgery | 6 years (+ optional 1 year fellowship) |
| Psychiatry | 4 years (+ optional 1-2 years fellowship) |
| Radiation Oncology | 5 years |
| Radiology | 5 years (+ optional 1 year fellowship) |
| Surgery | 5-7 years (+ optional 1-2 year fellowship) |
| Subspecialties in Medicine and Pediatrics, including Cardiology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, Medical Oncology, Endocrinology, Nephrology, or Rheumatology | 3 years (Internal Medicine or Pediatrics residency) +3 years fellowship |
| Urology | 5 years (+ optional 1 year fellowship) |
*, the time durations listed above are estimates, and training length may vary among residency and fellowship programs at different institutions. In addition, some trainees opt to complete a combined residency program and/or more than one fellowship.