Making the most of the surgical internship: Optimizing preliminary year for future vascular and interventional...

The surgical internship represents a unique opportunity over that of transitional years or internal medicine preliminary years because it allows trainees to develop procedural confidence, clinical judgment, and patient-care habits that directly translate to vascular and interventional radiology (VIR) practice. Although the internship year is often viewed as a prerequisite before radiology residency, available evidence suggests that surgical preliminary training may offer advantages in procedural exposure and perceived preparedness for trainees pursuing VIR. As VIR continues to evolve into a clinical specialty centered on image-guided therapy and longitudinal disease management, the internship year assumes increasing importance in shaping future vascular and interventional radiologists. This review examines the rationale for surgical internship training, compares available internship pathways, and provides practical recommendations for maximizing the educational value of the surgical year. When approached deliberately, the surgical internship serves not merely as a prerequisite to radiology residency, but as an early foundation for the clinical and procedural responsibilities of contemporary vascular and interventional radiology practice.