Onboarding plan
Internist Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new internist from first day to full productivity.
Internist onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: ABIM board certification, State medical license (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: electronic health records; diagnostic imaging systems; lab systems; clinical guidelines
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Internist training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Reconcile medications
- Follow infection control
- Use structured handoffs
- Prevent falls and blood clots in hospital
- Shadow an experienced internist through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: build a differential diagnosis
- Supervised practice: lead a goals-of-care conversation
- Supervised practice: write a discharge plan that prevents readmission
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Diagnose adult illnesses: independently
- Manage chronic conditions: independently
- Care for hospitalized patients: independently
- Order and interpret tests: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, ABIM board certification)
- Discuss the career path: Resident → Internist or Hospitalist → Subspecialist
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build a Differential Diagnosis | |||
| Lead a Goals-of-Care Conversation | |||
| Write a Discharge Plan That Prevents Readmission | |||
| Diagnostic reasoning | |||
| Chronic disease management | |||
| Hospital medicine | |||
| Pharmacology |
How to measure onboarding success
- Days until the new hire works without a preceptor
- Competency sign-offs completed on time
- Documentation or charting error rate
- 90-day retention
How Internist training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Internist Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Internist Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Internist Career
- Final Knowledge Check