Family Medicine and Specialties

[FSUMED]

Ok, I know it is a long time before I have to think about all this but I was just curious, is it possible to specialize in an IM field such as cardiology, after completing a fmily md residency as opposed to an internal med residency. And what other types of specialties can family practioners go into after residency?

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[Magree]

Hi:

Medicine subspecialties like Heme/Onc etc. require an IM residency I believe. Fam practice can do fellowship in Gerontology and Sports Medicine. Hope this helps.

Cheers

M-

 

[Lt. Ub]

FM residents train in outpatient setting. In order to perform well as a cardiologist or other medical fellow one needs to have much more extensive inpatient training the FM residencies don't provide - critical care units, etc. Understandably so, in my opinion.

 

[Djanaba]

Not all FM programs are so outpatient-oriented. One of my choices even as a med student is FP ICU. The FP residents here get quite a bit of inpatient exposure, just as the IMs get clinic exposure. Plus electives -- my hunch is that if you were to get some experience after graduation, you could do a fellowship with IM -- but you might have to work with the program to do something along the likes of a transitional year or, yes, do a second residency.

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

As far as I've been able to tell, you need board certification in internal medicine to due medicine subspecialties such as cardiology, gastroenterology, heme/onc, endocrine, etc. Family practice usually gets 1 1/2 year or less training in adult medicine and its subspecialties due to their required pediatrics and OB rotations. There are very few fellowships from family med, the only ones I know of are sports med and gerontology as mentioned by a previous poster.

Although it may be possible to work out a special deal, I think it would be very difficult because program will have plenty of better qualified medicine residents to choose from, especially in Cards and GI.

The other option if you're thinking of family practice but aren't sure if you want to subspecialize is to do Med/Peds, which is four years. That way you can do medicine or peds subspecialties. Good luck

 

[UHS2002]

I would like to add that FP also offers OB fellowships, which are one year in length, after the completion of residency. This fellowship enables one to perform c-sections and obtain a level of training in operative obstetrics which should enable you to gain operative obstetrics privileges for your own patients at most hospitals. They are also great if you are interested in rural or missionary medicine. Additionally, many FP programs have special emphasis tracks in rural or international medicine.

 

[mcwmark]

Just a note: Your best bet would be to do a combined FP/IM program, which there a few of out there, and it is 4 years (only one extra year) to get double boarded.

Unfortunately, the FP with OB really doesn't pull much weight at urban/suburban hospitals, where "turf wars" between the OB/GYNS often shuts out FPs from doing deliveries and C-sections, even if procedurally competent. There was a case in California, FP (with CA Medical Association backing) vs OB/GYNS, and the FP lost. Sad to see medicine has become so much of a business...