Unfortunately where I'm at there aren't EM subspecialty fellows to ask this. I'm wondering how much more difficult it would be to get a fellowship if I waited 4-5years post-residency than if I applied directly out of residency? I'm quite interested in toxicology, but for personal reasons, I don't want to go straight into the field.
Feasibility of a delayed fellowship
- Thread starter Rendar5
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Harder. Particularly something like tox where you need research etc. It is also hard to go back to a fellows salary and work hours.
Tox isn't a crazy demanding fellowship, although there is alot of reading etc for the tox boards.
Tox isn't a crazy demanding fellowship, although there is alot of reading etc for the tox boards.
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It is certainly possible, although it can be difficult if you don't plan for it. I think most tox programs are happy to look at qualified applicants. 5 years out, your residency letters of recommendation will look a little bit stale. You'll have to get one or two that are more up to date. Usually the chair of your department, is good. It would also be good if you weren't totally non-academic for those few years.
The biggest problem is one of money. You expand your spending to meet your income. If you plan to go back and do a fellowship, you have to plan for it before that happens. You have to make sure you don't enter into a mortgage/rent/car payment, etc that requires an attending salary. The pay of a tox fellowship can be highly variable. I got a PGY 4/5 salary plus I worked between just over a 1/4 attending salary. You probably won't have to live on purely resident wages, but your won't be anywhere near full time attending.
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Today were the Tox boards. I can't describe how much reading I've done in the last 6 weeks.
I will say that my total time commitment to the tox fellowship, especially when you include the on call time, was significantly more than as a resident. That home call doesn't count towards work hours unless you are called in, greatly benefits tox programs.
