ER fellowship?

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watermelonseed

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has anyone ever heard of someone doing a ER fellowship after doing internal medicine? is it custom made? how long is the fellowship?
 
there isn't an EM fellowship after IM. There are a few combined EM/IM 5 year residencies with full board eligibility for both specialties. There is also a fellowship after FP that has limited utility in my opinion as it does not allow the physician to sit for the ABEM board exams. Thus, one who completed that fellowship may be more prepared for working in an ED where Board Certification/Eligibility in EM were not required, but the days of EDs having that type of physician are limited. It will soon be only in rural and underserved areas and eventually all practicing EM will probably be BE/BC in EM. My program has a couple of residents who've completed an IM residency and changed their minds and now have started a second residency in EM. I think they got 6 months credit towards this residency but it is program dependent.
 
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In my experience, you get 6 months credit, but this translates into 6 more months of elective time over 3 years and not to finishing your residency earlier.
 
RRC rules say you can have 6 months off a residency if there are 2 completed years in another field. Some will do that - let you out at then end of December in your 3rd year (of 3 year residencies). However, as my PD said, "that's not what you're here for". Also, of note, you have to do it before your first day of residency - if you wait even that one day, you're in for the entire time.
 
What about if you do an EM residency and you decide to do an IM or Gen Surg residency after that.... does anyone know if you would get any credit?