Sub-I

Medical abbreviation · Medical Specialty

Sub-I
Stands forSub-internship
CategoriesMedical

Sub-I stands for Sub-internship, a medical specialty abbreviation.

Advanced clinical rotation, usually in the fourth year of US medical school, in which a student takes on intern-level responsibilities such as primary patient care, writing orders under supervision and taking call. Sub-Is in the intended specialty often serve as audition rotations at programs where the student hopes to match.

Example: Her surgery Sub-I at the program earned a strong letter of recommendation.

Usage notes

Also called an acting internship (AI). Sub-internships typically last four weeks. Away rotations at other schools are booked through the AAMC's Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) system. Performance on a sub-internship weighs heavily in applications to competitive specialties.

More medical specialty abbreviations

  • A&I – Allergy and immunology
  • ABMS – American Board of Medical Specialties
  • ACGME – Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
  • Anes – Anesthesiology
  • Cards – Cardiology
  • CCM – Critical care medicine
  • CT – Cardiothoracic (surgery)
  • Derm – Dermatology
  • ECFMG – Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
  • EM – Emergency medicine
  • Endo – Endocrinology
  • ENT – Ear, nose and throat (otolaryngology)

See all 47 medical specialty abbreviations →

This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.