Elimination of the internship requirement will seriously limit the future psychiatrist's unique contributions to his own field as well as to other areas of medical practice, in this author's opinion. The implications of such a change have not yet been fully discussed, and clarification is needed as to how the desirable features of the internship are to be incorporated into psychiatric residency training programs. The author warns that blind acceptance of the trend toward earlier specialization in medical education may lead to neglect of the major issue—the provision of quality education for future psychiatrists.Abstract Teaser