CT Fellowship

[Still Searching]

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Hey all!

I am a CA-2 considering a CT fellowship and would appreciate the forum's input. My understanding is that this year is more competitive than years past. For individuals actually applying this year, does that seem true? Or is "competitive" a realitive thing. i.e., everyone wants to go to Stanford or Hopkins? When do you recommend applying?

Also, any information on UW (Seattle), Virginia Mason, Univ CO, and Mayo would be appreciated.

I have searched the forum and read many of the opinions about fellowship vs. no fellowship. While I would not want to repeat something already covered, feel free to voice your thoughts.

Thanks.

 

[bubalus]

Many fellowships filled quite a bit earlier this year than previously. My hunch is that people are heading to cardiac for the TEE experience. I'd suggest dropping the fellowship directors at places you're interested and ask them when they would recommend that you apply.

 

[Still Searching]

That is good advice and something I plan on doing this Fall. I was hoping for more specific information from individuals who are applying this year or from fellows who just started at programs. Or just finished this summer.

Thanks again.

 

[starsop93]

The big difference this year vs all previous is that now cardiac is an ACGME fellowship. Not every fellowship out there is ACGME-certified though. I suspect the "certified" programs filled early and with the best candidates. I do not know at what point the "non-certified" fellowships will have to either become certified or go away, but I suspect that will be soon. Clearly you need to look for programs that are certified or if not, that plan to be. I don't believe Virginia Mason has a fellowship anymore and UW was not certified last I checked. UW has great faculty though, but I do not know what their future plans are.

 

[bubalus]

There are pros and cons in an ACGME cardiac fellowship, both for the fellow and the program. I think more annd more will go accredited, but I think it will be several years before there's a CAQ in cardiac, and usually there's some sort of grandfathering. I was looking at one not ACGME accredited, and I wasn't concerned. 3 of the best anesthesiologists I've known all spoke extremely highly of the place--moreso than many of the better known places.

 

[InductionAgent]

If you're a CA-2 this year and will finish residency before July 1, 2009, then you can get TEE certified without a cardiac fellowship if that plays into your consideration.

 

[swpm]

If you're a CA-2 this year and will finish residency before July 1, 2009, then you can get TEE certified without a cardiac fellowship if that plays into your consideration.

Do you have a link to the requirements for doing so? Thanks.

 

[Still Searching]

The ability to become echo certified without a fellowship is certainly a consideration. With hard work I think this can be done without too much difficulty. From my limited job searches on gasworks, most groups that do hearts are satisfied with that - in addition to the other important clinical skills needed to do hearts.

Here is a link for the echo boards:
http://www.echoboards.org/certification/pte/reqs.html

Given the fellowship requirement for the echo boards after 2009, I suspect that more jobs will also require the CT fellowship to do hearts. However, I really do not think that will impact jobs for probably 10-15 years. And if you have an echo certification and experience I suspect you should be fine. (Did I just talk myself out of a fellowship?...)