internship

n.
  1. (Med.) The state of being an intern; the position of an intern.
  2. The period of time during which a person is an intern; as, she served her internship over the summer.
  3. A program to provide novices in a field with apprenticeship training.
  4. The period of time during which a novice in a field serves in a subordinate capacity and continues to gain experience; the learning period before one becomes an expert.