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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Houseman

💰 $ - $

HealthcareHospitalClinicalEntry-level

🎯 Role Definition

A Houseman (hospital intern) is an entry-level medical professional responsible for delivering safe, supervised clinical care on wards, supporting the multidisciplinary team, and completing foundation clinical tasks during the internship/housemanship period. This role focuses on patient assessment, documentation, basic procedures, escalation of clinical concerns, and contributing to efficient ward operations while developing core clinical competencies.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Newly graduated medical student (MBBS/MD/MBChB) eligible for provisional registration
  • Clinical internship placement following medical school graduation
  • Recent graduate completing pre-registration clinical rotations

Advancement To:

  • Junior Medical Officer / Resident Doctor
  • Senior House Officer / Specialty Trainee
  • Foundation Programme Year 2 or equivalent clinical training posts

Lateral Moves:

  • Clinical Research Assistant / Trainee Researcher
  • Occupational Health or Medical Education Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Conduct timely, structured inpatient assessments on admission and during daily ward rounds, including focused history-taking, system-focused physical examination, and documentation of findings in the patient record.
  • Admit and triage patients under supervision, complete admission notes, initial investigations and orders, and coordinate prompt senior review when indicated.
  • Prepare clear, comprehensive progress notes, handover summaries, and discharge summaries using the hospital’s electronic medical record (EMR) or paper chart in accordance with institutional standards and legal requirements.
  • Perform and document routine clinical procedures under supervision as required, such as venipuncture, IV cannulation, urinary catheter insertion, wound dressing changes, nasogastric tube insertion, and ECG acquisition.
  • Monitor and interpret vital signs and basic investigations, recognize deterioration, escalate to senior clinicians or critical care teams, and initiate immediate lifesaving measures following established protocols.
  • Participate in and contribute to multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, ward rounds, and discharge planning to facilitate coordinated patient care and timely transitions between levels of care.
  • Administer and document medication administration where permitted, check drug charts, and report medication discrepancies, allergies, or contraindications to senior staff following local prescribing policies.
  • Support on-call services by responding to pages and urgent ward requests, performing initial assessments, stabilizing patients, and arranging escalation or transfer when clinically necessary.
  • Coordinate investigations and follow-up of test results (laboratory, imaging), ensure timely review and communicate critical results to appropriate clinicians and patients’ families.
  • Provide patient and family education on diagnoses, inpatient plans, investigations, and basic post-discharge care instructions; ensure comprehension and document counseling.
  • Maintain accurate procedural logs, competencies and mandatory training records required by the hospital and regulatory bodies.
  • Ensure strict adherence to infection prevention and control measures including PPE use, hand hygiene, safe sharps disposal, and isolation protocols to protect patients and staff.
  • Support quality improvement and audit projects by collecting data, participating in ward-level audits, and implementing small-scale improvements under supervision.
  • Assist in pre-operative assessment and post-operative care for surgical inpatients, including pain assessment, wound checks, and early complication identification.
  • Facilitate timely referrals and communication with allied health professionals (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, pharmacy) to ensure comprehensive care planning.
  • Manage routine clerical and administrative tasks such as arranging patient transport, booking investigations, completing sick notes and forms, and ensuring accurate patient demographics in the EMR.
  • Participate in teaching sessions, tutorials and formal training as part of the hospital’s housemanship program; mentor more junior trainees and medical students where applicable.
  • Maintain professional, confidential, and ethical standards in line with hospital policies and national medical regulatory requirements.
  • Contribute to safe patient flow by identifying barriers to discharge, escalating complex cases to social work and bed management, and assisting with timely completion of discharge documentation.
  • Support hospital emergency responses (e.g., code blue/rapid response) as a team member, following the lead of senior clinicians and trained resuscitation personnel.
  • Document and report adverse events, near misses and clinical incidents in line with governance processes; participate in root-cause analysis and improvement actions when required.
  • Participate in rota and shift work including nights and weekends, ensuring reliable coverage of assigned wards and timely handovers at shift changes.
  • Maintain personal professional development through reflective practice, completion of mandatory competencies, and active engagement with feedback from seniors.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist in data collection for clinical research projects, registries or departmental audits and contribute to manuscript drafting or presentations when feasible.
  • Support infection surveillance activities by reporting trends observed on the ward and contributing to local infection control reviews.
  • Help orient new interns and medical students to ward protocols, EMR navigation, and routine procedures.
  • Participate in hospital committees or task forces related to patient safety, junior doctor wellbeing, or clinical governance when assigned.
  • Contribute to patient satisfaction initiatives by soliciting feedback and implementing simple process improvements under supervision.
  • Support transition clinics and follow-up phone calls for recently discharged patients to ensure continuity of care.
  • Perform administrative support for specialty clinics including triage of referral letters and pre-visit checklist completion.
  • Facilitate telehealth consultations by coordinating equipment, patient consent, and documentation for virtual follow-ups.
  • Assist pharmacy reconciliation processes by clarifying medication histories and assisting in medication reconciliation at admission and discharge.
  • Support departmental training events by organizing materials, scheduling simulations, or running basic skills stations for peers.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Clinical assessment and focused history taking for acute and chronic presentations
  • Basic physical examination skills across medical and surgical domains
  • Venepuncture and peripheral IV cannulation competence
  • Urinary catheter insertion (male/female) and basic wound care technique
  • Basic life support (BLS) / CPR certification and familiarity with resuscitation algorithms
  • ECG acquisition and basic interpretation (arrhythmia recognition, ischemic changes)
  • Familiarity with common laboratory tests and interpretation of results (CBC, electrolytes, renal and liver function)
  • Proficiency with Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems, e-prescribing and digital charting
  • Medication chart review and safe medication administration practices (as permitted by local scope)
  • Infection prevention and control practice, including PPE use and isolation precautions
  • Basic radiology request procedures and ability to review common imaging reports
  • Documentation, discharge summary preparation and medico‑legal record keeping

Soft Skills

  • Clear verbal and written communication with patients, families and multidisciplinary teams
  • Strong teamwork and collaboration in fast-paced clinical environments
  • Attention to detail and accuracy in documentation and orders
  • Clinical judgment and timely escalation of deteriorating patients
  • Empathy, professionalism and patient-centred bedside manner
  • Time management, prioritization and ability to manage competing tasks on the ward
  • Resilience and adaptability to shift work and unpredictable clinical demands
  • Problem-solving mindset and willingness to learn from feedback
  • Cultural sensitivity and respect for patient diversity and confidentiality
  • Initiative to identify improvement opportunities and participate in quality projects

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Medical degree (MBBS, MD, MBChB or equivalent) completed; eligible for provisional registration/licensure as required by the employing jurisdiction.

Preferred Education:

  • Completion of university-based clinical rotations with verified competencies; prior completion of a supervised internship or clinical elective in relevant specialties is advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Medicine
  • Clinical Sciences
  • Family Medicine / General Practice Foundations

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0–2 years post-graduation; entry-level role for newly qualified physicians.

Preferred:

  • 0–1 year clinical exposure in inpatient settings, emergency department or surgical wards, and documented competency in basic procedures (venepuncture, IV cannulation, catheterization).
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