Cardiology fellowship competitiveness

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Trisphorin

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Hello,
I am a MS3 at a US allopathic school. I am between cardiology and a surgical subspecialty for much of the third year. I enjoyed the cardio pathophysiology a lot and it is something i think i will miss if i go into another specialty. i have a step 1 in the 240s with decent third year grades. i was warned by an IM resident recently that if i decided to pursue cardiology, i should be prepared that there is a chance I won't match into fellowship and i should be mentally content with general IM practice if that were the case. I want to hear different opinions on this issue because if i were to go into IM then i only want cardio. I wouldn't be content with a general IM practice.

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You will be able to obtain a cardiology fellowship if you continue to work hard, do research and obtain strong letters, especially as a US graduate. I wouldn't worry too much about it. Cardiology fellowship is more difficult to obtain if you an international graduate or coming from community programs. Your goal should be to secure the best internal medicine residency possible.
 
Hello,
I am a MS3 at a US allopathic school. I am between cardiology and a surgical subspecialty for much of the third year. I enjoyed the cardio pathophysiology a lot and it is something i think i will miss if i go into another specialty. i have a step 1 in the 240s with decent third year grades. i was warned by an IM resident recently that if i decided to pursue cardiology, i should be prepared that there is a chance I won't match into fellowship and i should be mentally content with general IM practice if that were the case. I want to hear different opinions on this issue because if i were to go into IM then i only want cardio. I wouldn't be content with a general IM practice.

As a USMD it's very attainable. Go to the best IM residency possible, work hard, and get great letters. Work on a research project, and try to publish if you can. Apply broadly and you'll be okay.

I'm not sure in what circumstance your resident is, but yes there are people yearly who go unmatched. However American grads tend to do pretty well with the match; Caribbean, DO, and FMG grads tend to have a bit more of an uphill battle (although it's still doable for them).
 
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As a USMD it's very attainable. Go to the best IM residency possible, work hard, and get great letters. Work on a research project, and try to publish if you can. Apply broadly and you'll be okay.

I'm not sure in what circumstance your resident is, but yes there are people yearly who go unmatched. However American grads tend to do pretty well with the match; Caribbean, DO, and FMG grads tend to have a bit more of an uphill battle (although it's still doable for them).

This.
 
Supply and Demand. Cardiology has close to 1000 spots. It is much easier to get a fellowship but bc of saturation it is much tougher to get a job after fellowship.

Wonder if cardiology fellowships should cut back spots to help out the field?
 
Supply and Demand. Cardiology has close to 1000 spots. It is much easier to get a fellowship but bc of saturation it is much tougher to get a job after fellowship.

Wonder if cardiology fellowships should cut back spots to help out the field?

As I recall there's closer to 800 spots and more than 1100 applicants. It's still a competitive field. It's just harder for FMGs and DOs.

As for cutting back spots, there's plenty of need for gen cards and heart failure. EP and IC are more saturated to my understanding, and that's mostly in the big metro areas and not necessarily elsewhere. Also my guess is there'll be plenty of people retiring soon enough.
 
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