Objective: In our postgraduate clinical training program, first-year residents are rotated among six subdivisions of internal medicine (cardiology, respiratory diseases, gastroenterology, and endocrinology plus either hematology, collagen diseases, or neurology) every 2 months. The residents are trained by clinical instructors (attending physicians or senior residents) on a one to-one basis. To evaluate training by instructors, a questionnaire survey of first-year residents was performed. Methods: Questionnaires were sent to all 14 first-year residents who took part in our training program in 1998. A questionnaire assessing the performance of 1st-year residents was also sent to 15 clinical instructors participating in the program. The instructors had an average of 7.5±3.9 years of professional expericence. All participants were confidentially informed of the results. Results: All 14 first-year residents responded. They rated experienced attendants more highly than senior residents. The survey revealed specific problems of certain attending physicians, such as communication difficulties and poor teaching skills. Conclusion: Evaluation by first-year residents of training by clinical instructors provides constructive criticism of the training program and of individual instructors.