CA2 year is almost over!

[usnavdoc]

Who's thinking about fellowships?

I didnt like Pain clinic enough to do a Pain fellowship so It boils down to Cardiac and Peds. Very dissimiliar I know. But I really liked peds, but I think overall Cardiac will make me a better anesthesiologist. Same could be said of ICU I guess but I just dont see that as a good fit for me since I am likely headed to private practice.

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[cchoukal]

I always thought I'd do a critical care fellowship and pursue academic practice. I really like my peds experience though, so I'm starting to check that out as well (just what I need, two sets of apps/interviews). Sounds like peds fellowship programs are ALREADY getting plenty of apps for the 2009 cycle, though.

And I also definitely didn't like pain enough to do a fellowship in that. I wanted to love it, I really did.

 

[usnavdoc]

I always thought I'd do a critical care fellowship and pursue academic practice. I really like my peds experience though, so I'm starting to check that out as well (just what I need, two sets of apps/interviews). Sounds like peds fellowship programs are ALREADY getting plenty of apps for the 2009 cycle, though.

And I also definitely didn't like pain enough to do a fellowship in that. I wanted to love it, I really did.

I wanted to love it as well. I really liked the acute side but not the chronic patients. But once I started my peds rotation after being on pain for two months I realized how much I like the OR environment.


Any advice from the Attnedings on here?

 

[jetproppilot]

I wanted to love it as well. I really liked the acute side but not the chronic patients. But once I started my peds rotation after being on pain for two months I realized how much I like the OR environment.


Any advice from the Attnedings on here?

Yes Sir.

Unless youre headed for academics, skip the fellowship.

Join a busy practice.

Your new partners who've been there a while will show you the ropes....make you bigger, faster, stronger.

And you'll have three-hundred-large-plus plowing through your checking account a year earlier.

 

[Coastie]

Yes Sir.

Unless youre headed for academics, skip the fellowship.

Join a busy practice.

Your new partners who've been there a while will show you the ropes....make you bigger, faster, stronger.

And you'll have three-hundred-large-plus plowing through your checking account a year earlier.

Doesn't a cardiac, peds or pain fellowship not only add significantly to the bottom line, but open up the top jobs to a new grad?

 

[jetproppilot]

Doesn't a cardiac, peds or pain fellowship not only add significantly to the bottom line, but open up the top jobs to a new grad?

A pain fellowship, potentially, yes.

The others, in most private practices,

nope.

 

[deleted126335]

.

 

[Skip2myLou]

A pain fellowship, potentially, yes.

The others, in most private practices,

nope.

Hey Jet...i just want to say I'm one of the many silent members who just reads and tries to soak up as much information as possible and I truly do enjoy your posts alot.
That being said, I'm a CA2 resident at a very average community hospital setting so the "rep" of my program probably will not carry much weight. I enjoy PEDS and would like to pursue a fellowship for a few reasons:
1- Gain more expertise in the field and be very comfortable doing any sick peds
2- Potentially go to a higher caliber program for fellowship and improve my chances at landing a job in a desireable setting.

Do you think this is a good idea or it really doesn't matter?

My only concern is that I enjoy doing a variety of cases through all age groups. I don't want to be pigeon holed into being the PEDS guy and just do PEDS every single day.

Your thoughts as well as any one else's is highly appreciated!

-K

 

[Masseter Spasm]

I think there are two questions you need to ask yourself:

1. What type of environment do you want when you finish. (Academic, Private, Tertiary care center, large community hospital, small community hospital, surgery center, or some combination of these?) If you like doing peds but have no interest in academics or tertiary care, you probably will not need the additional training from a fellowship to do routine pediatric cases in a community hospital or surgery center.

2. Why do you like pediatrics? Is it because many of the patients are healthy, in contrast to their adult conterparts? (Most cases at community hospitals are routine.) Realize that you will likely do a fellowship at a referral center for sick kids. Much of your time will involve caring for ASA III-V patients. If you like peds cases but would prefer to avoid the neonates, heart defects, chronic diseases, etc., you may be wasting your time. (Realize that groups looking to hire someone who is pediatric fellowship trained expect this person to do exactly these cases.)

Do a fellowship because you enjoy the sub-specialty. Do not overthink how this will make you more employable, more popular, etc.

Do not worry about "pigeon-holing" yourself either. The people doing exclusively peds, usually made that choice. (i.e. joined a pediatric group or children's hospital) Post-fellowship you could choose to join a large group/hospital, enabling yourself to do general cases in addition to complex pediatric cases.

 

[Skip2myLou]

I understand what the Academic center is about. I thought that everything else is a private setting. Is there a big difference b/w a large and small community hospital. I assumed the only difference is that of case load and variety. Tertiary care center are self explanatory and are usually the busiest and most complex cases. I don't how much I would enjoy the surgical center but it is definitely an option.
I guess at the end of the day I want a combo of these things where I have some challenging cases sprinkled in to the usual "bread and butter". I am by no means an adrenaline junkie that needs grueling/complex cases all the time. In residency I enjoy them because you learn so much from them and you realize how much you don't know.

If you elaborate on each setting that would be great. Also, another issue is that I'm single and not bound to any location. I HAVE NO CLUE in which region I want to end up. I'm from NY but my family and friends have slowly been dispersing throughout the country and have no reason to stay, even though I would like to.

Thanks

 

[Masseter Spasm]

This is a difficult question to answer without knowing more about where you intend to practice. Are you looking for a major city, smaller city, or rural environment? A small community hospital in a major city may be very different from a small hospital in a rural area in terms of case diversity.

Try to talk to recent graduates from your program. Who went where? How did they like it? (You will be familiar with their personalities/values and gain an appreciation of what practice characteristics might fit your situation the best.)

Most new graduates leave their first position. Be honest with yourself and prioritize what is important to you. (Location, income, lifestyle, case diversity, ability to practice a sub-specialty, etc.) There is no perfect job, despite what the recruiter or group president tells you. You may not be able to "have it all."