Pre-registration house officer
Encyclopedia
Pre-registration house officer (PRHO), often known as a houseman or house officer, was until 2005 the only job open to medical graduates in the United Kingdom
who had just passed their final examinations at medical school
and had received their medical degrees.
Newly-qualified doctors are only allowed provisional registration with the General Medical Council
, hence their first jobs are prior to full registration with the GMC and these jobs were named pre-registration house officer jobs, and they usually consisted of two six-month jobs; one predominantly involved with general surgery (often being called a house surgeon), and one predominantly involved with general medicine (often being called a house physician). PRHO was the lowest grade in the medical hierarchy of qualified doctors in the National Health Service
, and was the doctor most often called by nursing staff to see patients on hospital wards, especially at the most unsocial hours of work shifts. After satisfactory work reports in both house jobs the PRHO gained full registration with the General Medical Council
, which is a legal requirement to be able to work in all other medical jobs in the UK. Although the PRHO year was taken after graduating from university, the supervision of the PRHO was the responsibility of the medical school
from which the PRHO graduated, and a representative of that medical school was responsible for signing the registration forms which go to the General Medical Council
to certify that the PRHO year had been completed successfully. After completing the PRHO year, the junior doctors usually became Senior house officer
s to further their career in the NHS.
Following changes in postgraduate medical education, from 2005, what was the PRHO year now forms the first year of Foundation Training (Foundation Year 1), and trainees during this year now have the job title of Foundation House Officer
1 instead of PRHO.
In other parts of the world, this stage is generally referred to as medical internship
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
who had just passed their final examinations at medical school
Medical school (United Kingdom)
In the United Kingdom, medical school generally refers to a department within a university which is involved in the education of future medical practitioners...
and had received their medical degrees.
Newly-qualified doctors are only allowed provisional registration with the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
, hence their first jobs are prior to full registration with the GMC and these jobs were named pre-registration house officer jobs, and they usually consisted of two six-month jobs; one predominantly involved with general surgery (often being called a house surgeon), and one predominantly involved with general medicine (often being called a house physician). PRHO was the lowest grade in the medical hierarchy of qualified doctors in the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
, and was the doctor most often called by nursing staff to see patients on hospital wards, especially at the most unsocial hours of work shifts. After satisfactory work reports in both house jobs the PRHO gained full registration with the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
, which is a legal requirement to be able to work in all other medical jobs in the UK. Although the PRHO year was taken after graduating from university, the supervision of the PRHO was the responsibility of the medical school
Medical school (United Kingdom)
In the United Kingdom, medical school generally refers to a department within a university which is involved in the education of future medical practitioners...
from which the PRHO graduated, and a representative of that medical school was responsible for signing the registration forms which go to the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
to certify that the PRHO year had been completed successfully. After completing the PRHO year, the junior doctors usually became Senior house officer
Senior house officer
A senior house officer is a junior doctor undergoing training within a certain speciality in the British National Health Service or in the Republic of Ireland. SHOs are supervised by consultants and registrars, who oversee their training and are their designated clinical supervisors...
s to further their career in the NHS.
Following changes in postgraduate medical education, from 2005, what was the PRHO year now forms the first year of Foundation Training (Foundation Year 1), and trainees during this year now have the job title of Foundation House Officer
Foundation House Officer
A Foundation Doctor is a grade of medical practitioner in the United Kingdom undertaking the Foundation Programme - a two-year, general postgraduate medical training programme which forms the bridge between medical school and specialist/general practice training...
1 instead of PRHO.
In other parts of the world, this stage is generally referred to as medical internship
Medical intern
A medical intern is a term used in the United States for a physician in training who has completed medical school. An intern has a medical degree, but does not have a full license to practice medicine unsupervised...
.
See also
- Foundation House OfficerFoundation House OfficerA Foundation Doctor is a grade of medical practitioner in the United Kingdom undertaking the Foundation Programme - a two-year, general postgraduate medical training programme which forms the bridge between medical school and specialist/general practice training...
- Senior house officerSenior house officerA senior house officer is a junior doctor undergoing training within a certain speciality in the British National Health Service or in the Republic of Ireland. SHOs are supervised by consultants and registrars, who oversee their training and are their designated clinical supervisors...