Medical school is a time of great transformation. In addition to learning the science of
medicine, students must develop a core set of skills common to all physicians. One key
element in this process is the subinternship or acting internship. The subinternship was
created in response to the shortage of interns during World War II (1). Since then, it has
evolved into a prominent feature of medical school training. Changes in the structure of
medical care and medical education may challenge educators to reevaluate the role of the …