I'm interested in hearing from residents or applicants to the ABIM fast-track residency programs for folks who intend to be physician scientists.

I'm especially interested in hearing authoritative opinions on how safe a specialist will be after completing only 2 versus 3 years of categorical IM via this program. Also, is the 3-year basic science component 'set in stone'? (again, residents in this program can probably help). Thanks!

I'm especially interested in hearing authoritative opinions on how safe a specialist will be after completing only 2 versus 3 years of categorical IM via this program. Also, is the 3-year basic science component 'set in stone'? (again, residents in this program can probably help). Thanks!

Well, I'm not sure what you mean by safe. Are you asking if I'm as good of a generalist IM doc as my colleagues who are completing their 3d year of IM while I'm a first year Onc fellow? If so, the answer is probably no. Can I diagnose and manage the majority of the things I'm likely to see and know when to get help (i.e. consult)? Then probably yes. If you're asking whether I'll be as good of a specialist clinician as if I completed the standard IM --> Specialty course then probably yes because the clinical requirements are the same for me and for my non-research pathway colleagues.

As for the research requirement, the answer is yes and no. Yes, you will have to complete 3 years of research and a total of at least 4 years of fellowship training (clinical+research) as this is an ABIM requirement. This isn't like grad school where if you get lucky and have a project go really well you can get a few papers and be done early. It's more likely that you'll spend longer on the research (and continue on as junior faculty) than you could shorten it up. 3 years isn't a long time to do real, meaningful basic science research and get funding for an indpendent lab. If you don't finish the research years you have to go back and do your 3rd year of medicine (although some programs will let you do an extra clinical year in the specialty rather than doing another medicine year). The "no" answer is that you can do clinical research instead of basic science.

The way that you phrased your questions makes it sound like you're looking at the research pathway as a way to get done sooner. You should definitely re-think this if that's the case. It actually takes longer, start to finish, to do the research pathway than it does to go straight IM/Specialty.