3rd year fellow, looking for my first job

[Smallmelon]

I'm in my 3rd year, mid-tier academic program in midwest.

Despite publications in GI, I do like thoracic, breast, and benign hem. In other words, I enjoy variety w/o a strong desire to subspecialize. I want to go into general oncology, at least for the first few years, to get my feet wet and grow clinically strong. Later, if I develop burning desire for clinical research or administration, I can hopefully tailor my schedule; if not, I can just practice and make good money.

The fear is what if general oncology/community practice is a one-way street, and this commitment will permenantly closes the door to academia. What if I end up in a bad practice and quickly burn out seeing patients 4.5-5 days a week? Based on my goal, does university satellities make the most sense? Especially my home institution, since I know these people already.

Appeciate any feedback! I feel like an outlier, since all the other fellows in my program are going for academic positions...

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[gutonc]

I do think that an academic satellite MIGHT be a good option for you, but you need to choose wisely.

Some of them are academic in name only. Basically, the University buys a private practice, throws the "Man's Greatest Cancer Center" sign on the side of the building and calls it a day. Others are true hybrid/associated practices with teaching (student/resident/fellow) and clinical research opportunities (IIT or PI on industry or cooperative group trials).

I'm not saying one is better/worse than the other, but you'll probably get more of what you want from the latter than the former.

I happen to run one of the latter, and have a very good friend that used to be the director of one of the former. She now works for a large hospital based practice with residencies and a cancer research institute but without an actual academic affiliation. That is much more of the latter type of practice than when she used to work at the "Man's Greatest Cancer Center Affiliate".

 

[Smallmelon]

Thank you gutonc for your reply!

Among the satellite jobs that I interviewed so far, non of them have residents/fellows rotating. They can participate in tumor board, refer patients for second opinion, some are more active than others in recruiting patients in cooperative group trials but no PI-initiated or industry-initiated clinical trials because people are getting paid for seeing patients. Gosh, where to find the latter practice as you mentioned? Is your group recruiting?