Assistance deciding on PSIP track?

[AlteredScale]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I am about to start IM residency and am being considered for a new ABIM PSIP with our program. I will have an evaluation at my 6 month mark to determine if I am essentially clinical ready to do so and then I have to make a decision not so long after that on the fellowship which are between two right now.

1) research mentor is fairly young with first K grant. Lots of collaboration between other institutions. Research is clinically focused with some basic science opportunities mixed in.
1) research mentor has been around with new VA and NIH R grants. Just recently moved two post-docs into professor appointments from lab. Research is basic science focused.

My questions are:
1) When you are in the research phase of the PSIP, is it assumed that your research mentor will fund you? Does GME then pay for the 20% clinical time that you commit to?
2) Based on the info above, should I lean towards one vs another? I have heard that younger mentors have more "potential" for further funding but am unsure if that is true.
3) At what point should I start looking at completing applications for smaller extramural funding sources?
4) Is it "worth" going through this track if you want to have a career that is more on the research end of things? Will it be essentially impossible or exponentially harder to obtain this path if I choose do the classic residency --> fellowship route?

TIA!

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I am about to start IM residency and am being considered for a new ABIM PSIP with our program. I will have an evaluation at my 6 month mark to determine if I am essentially clinical ready to do so and then I have to make a decision not so long after that on the fellowship which are between two right now.

1) research mentor is fairly young with first K grant. Lots of collaboration between other institutions. Research is clinically focused with some basic science opportunities mixed in.
1) research mentor has been around with new VA and NIH R grants. Just recently moved two post-docs into professor appointments from lab. Research is basic science focused.

My questions are:
1) When you are in the research phase of the PSIP, is it assumed that your research mentor will fund you? Does GME then pay for the 20% clinical time that you commit to?
2) Based on the info above, should I lean towards one vs another? I have heard that younger mentors have more "potential" for further funding but am unsure if that is true.
3) At what point should I start looking at completing applications for smaller extramural funding sources?
4) Is it "worth" going through this track if you want to have a career that is more on the research end of things? Will it be essentially impossible or exponentially harder to obtain this path if I choose do the classic residency --> fellowship route?

TIA!

I don’t know this specific track for ABIM, but for the ABP, it’s essentially fast-tracking. Is that what this track is? For the ABP, the clinical time is condensed into two years and fellowship is expanded to 4 years. In most of those cases, the extra time in fellowship is supported by a T32 (or an F32 if you are a real go getter and lucky). If your end goal is to do academic research in a subspecialty, then it kinda seems like a no brained to me. As far as the mentor, it can be tricky, mostly cause of politics and some of it is financial. F grants are challenging with junior faculty as the NIH wants a mentor with a track record of success, but it’s not impossible. Likewise, they will have limited financial resources since K awards don’t afford much in the way of direct costs for supplies (very little actually). On the other hand, it is my opinion, that junior faculty are more hungry to be productive and prove themselves, thus are willing to be hands on in making you successful, while older faculty are just as content to let you founder around. The research they do and your interest in it is also very important. In any case, I’m not sure I’ve answered all your questions since I don’t the specifics of the ABIM program, but if it’s like the ABP program and your goal is to do a fellowship and academic research... yes, you should do it.

 

[AlteredScale]

I don’t know this specific track for ABIM, but for the ABP, it’s essentially fast-tracking. Is that what this track is? For the ABP, the clinical time is condensed into two years and fellowship is expanded to 4 years. In most of those cases, the extra time in fellowship is supported by a T32 (or an F32 if you are a real go getter and lucky). If your end goal is to do academic research in a subspecialty, then it kinda seems like a no brained to me. As far as the mentor, it can be tricky, mostly cause of politics and some of it is financial. F grants are challenging with junior faculty as the NIH wants a mentor with a track record of success, but it’s not impossible. Likewise, they will have limited financial resources since K awards don’t afford much in the way of direct costs for supplies (very little actually). On the other hand, it is my opinion, that junior faculty are more hungry to be productive and prove themselves, thus are willing to be hands on in making you successful, while older faculty are just as content to let you founder around. The research they do and your interest in it is also very important. In any case, I’m not sure I’ve answered all your questions since I don’t the specifics of the ABIM program, but if it’s like the ABP program and your goal is to do a fellowship and academic research... yes, you should do it.

Thank you!

Yep this is supposed to be a 2+3+1(or 2) fast track into fellowship. My goal is to subspecialize either in ID or GI and stay in academia.

This answered a lot of my questions. I appreciate it!