Joseph Tein (asker) Feb 10, 2010:

THANK YOU to everybody for your suggestions. After thinking about it, and because of/in spite of Lirka's comments, I've decided to use the word 'residency'. In the CVs that I'm translating, these doctors go for their 'specializzazione' right after completing their basic medical degrees (laurea in Medicina and Chirurgia). This fits the timetable for what is considered a residency, so this is the term I decided to use. I find many Google hits for "obtained his/her residency" but I'm more used to seeing "completed his/her residency" (just to explain my thinking). Ciao e grazie di nuovo a tutti.

Lirka Feb 8, 2010:

Joseph, you may :) --http://www.jefferson.edu/pathology/residency_training.cfm,

BUT it really depends on the larger context. Personally I like 'fellowship' better, to be honest.
USUALLY, 'residency' is reserved for clinical specializations such as pediatrics, surgery etc. or something with at least some clinical component. In addition, residency is 4 years minimum.
On the other hand, a fellowship may be 1 year only, or longe,r and it covers a narrower specialization.
For instance, after finishing med school, one enters internship [ 1 year] then residency, say, in internal medicine-cardiology. After getting board-certified in IM/cardio, people usually go on and do a fellowship in, say, echocardiography and/or nuclear medicine. You see what I mean?
It really depends on your context, but I am leaning towards 'fellowship' because their specializations seem narrower [ take Igiene, for instance]

Joseph Tein (asker) Feb 8, 2010:

Residency? Lirka and all: Can I consider this 'specializzazione' like a 'residency' in U.S. medical training?

Joseph Tein (asker) Feb 8, 2010:

Thanks Antonio These are excellent, useful references.

Antonio Tomás Lessa do Amaral Feb 8, 2010:

) http://www.proz.com/kudoz/english_to_italian/medical_general...
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specializzazione_(medicina)

Lirka Feb 8, 2010:

Joseph, if they are MDs, you can say 'obtained board-certification in...' or 'pursued a fellowship in...', all depending on the detailed context