CT Surgery

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DrRowing81

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Hey

I am applying to General Surgery this year. I really love CT surgery, and I already know that the future does not look promising. Trust me, anytime I mention it I get a full 10 minutes lecture. Regardless, I still love it, and I hope that over the next five years some new things will help to open it up. I figure I have 5 years before I need to make a decision, so for right now I will just keep my fingers crossed

Anyway, in the event that I do end up doing a CT fellowship, I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations on where I should do my Gen Surg training. Should I try to go to a program with a great CT program, or do I want to go somewhere that does not have fellows so I can get more experience? Is research not a good idea anymore for CT since it is not that competitive, would it be a waste of time?

Any help appreciated, thanks

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Hey

I am applying to General Surgery this year. I really love CT surgery, and I already know that the future does not look promising. Trust me, anytime I mention it I get a full 10 minutes lecture. Regardless, I still love it, and I hope that over the next five years some new things will help to open it up. I figure I have 5 years before I need to make a decision, so for right now I will just keep my fingers crossed

Anyway, in the event that I do end up doing a CT fellowship, I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations on where I should do my Gen Surg training. Should I try to go to a program with a great CT program, or do I want to go somewhere that does not have fellows so I can get more experience? Is research not a good idea anymore for CT since it is not that competitive, would it be a waste of time?

Any help appreciated, thanks

Having a CT fellow shouldn't really affect your general surgery training - after all, you are there to learn general surgery and any CT rotations would be a few months out of the entire 5 years at best.

The match rate right now for CT is so poor that although in the past you required research and connections, should the situation be the same when you are ready to apply, neither should be necessary. That is not to say that it won't change by then, or perhaps the integrated programs will be up and running. There will always be a need for CT surgeons, just not as many as previously.

IMHO, choose the general surgery program you like the best, preferably one with an active CT program, not necessarily a fellowship, but one which can give you some "insider's" info on the field, some exposure and some guidance when the time comes.
 
Hey

Anyway, in the event that I do end up doing a CT fellowship, I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations on where I should do my Gen Surg training. Should I try to go to a program with a great CT program, or do I want to go somewhere that does not have fellows so I can get more experience? Is research not a good idea anymore for CT since it is not that competitive, would it be a waste of time?

Any help appreciated, thanks

CT surgeons will always be needed in academics; however, the private work associated with it may diminish, as most of the CABGs you’ll do will be complex cases. The fellowships aren’t hard to get but attaining a consultant post will be difficult as this is where the bottleneck is. Research is a big big big advantage. If you’re really serious about CT start preparing now to ensure you don’t run into difficulties in the future when you’re applying for consultant posts. There are areas of cardiac surgery that cardiology cant fully touch (i.e transplant, congenital in kids/adults, aortic). Almost all of these cases will be dealt with in a major academic unit and thus a research background is highly favourable.
 
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