Applying PGY-3 and 1 yr of Hospitalist

[Cantal]

Is it poor form to do 1 yr of hospitalist work before doing your fellowship? Does that make you less desirable to highly competitive fellowships?

I've been reading into this, and it seems like a nice idea to pull in a quick 130-180 for one year before starting fellowship, mainly to pay off loans but also to buy a house and be able to live a nicer life throughout your 4 years of fellowship (I'd be interested in doing EP)

Cantal

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[ProgCoordinator]

Although I absolutely understand where you're coming from, I personally think that you need to be careful if you should make this choice. The first two things that pop into my mind are A) you must stay active with cardio-related research [preferably within a university-based setting] and B) prepare to answer questions as to why you made this choice when you hit the cardio fellowship interview trail.

I say this making the assumption that you're interested in doing your fellowship in a university-based cardiology fellowship.

 

[tibor75]

You don't "have" to stay active in cards research at all. You do need to state what you are going to do with a year to kill and saying you'll be working in the real world won't hurt you at all, provided you did research during residency.

 

[gwen]

actually, that's what a lot of people do. apply 3rd year and do a year of hospitalist or moonlight. as others have said, make sure you stay in touch with cardio and be prepared to answer the question of "why now" why later, etc.