Fellowships: Best bang for your buck

[BobBarker]

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Unlike IM, you aren't guaranteed a pay raise by doing a fellowship. You may even make less than just being a general anesthesiologist. What now and also in the future looks to be the best fellowship for both the largest reimbursement and most job security. I feel the latter is the primary reason for going for the extra year of training.

 

[IlDestriero]

I did my fellowship because I liked pediatric anesthesia and wanted to dump adults completely. If you don't have a passion for what you're giving up $300k+ and a year of your life to study then don't do it. And forget about those pseudo fellowships that are spreading like wildfire. (trauma, regional, OB, ambulatory (really saw that somewhere), etc.)

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"The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is."

 

[urge]

The best bang is no fellowship.

 

[MD Dreams]

I think it will be difficult to find a cardiac job in the future without a cardiac fellowship. Most places are starting to ask for fellowship training and/or tee certification.

 

[2win]

Critical care.
Define for us please - what does it mean making less - per hour or generally?
2win

 

[darby11]

I think it will be difficult to find a cardiac job in the future .

with all the minimally invasive stuff going on.

 

[gasattack3]

with all the minimally invasive stuff going on.

Actually, the minimally invasive stuff adds an added level of complexity to cardiac procedures from what I've been told (doing one tomorrow actually and it will involve one lung ventilation and a good deal of TEE for a M.I. AVR).

Perhaps some of the cardiac folks here could further elaborate.

Also, I have no idea what the data is showing or projections are, but it seems like a LOT of patients are presenting formerly "asymptomatic" with multi-vessel disease.

 

[Bertelman]

with all the minimally invasive stuff going on.

Cardiac disease is not going away. And those fancy minimally invasive cases still need an anesthesiologist in the room.

 

[yappy]

I have heard that pain medicine physicians make a substantial amount of money. Curious why that had not been mentioned yet?

 

[MD Dreams]

with all the minimally invasive stuff going on.

My statement was used out of context so I'll reply. Those minimally invasive procedures require the anesthesiologist to be an expert at TEE because the surgeon can not appreciate the caliber of his/her work due to limited visualization. So if the ologist doesn't interpret the TEE comprehensively and accurately then there will be a big mess!

 

[MD Dreams]

I have heard that pain medicine physicians make a substantial amount of money. Curious why that had not been mentioned yet?

To me pain medicine is far removed from anesthesia. It has a lot of the traits most of us dislike. Also I've heard reimbursements are on the way down. Plus there is competition from other specialties like PMR and neurology. Just my two cents.

 

[FiremedicMike]

with all the minimally invasive stuff going on.

I've read a lot of your posts lately and come to the conclusion that you must just be a riot to hang out with.

 

[imfrankie]

Unlike IM, you aren't guaranteed a pay raise by doing a fellowship. You may even make less than just being a general anesthesiologist. What now and also in the future looks to be the best fellowship for both the largest reimbursement and most job security. I feel the latter is the primary reason for going for the extra year of training.

I would say pedi-cardiac.

 

[BLADEMDA]

Cardiac disease is not going away. And those fancy minimally invasive cases still need an anesthesiologist in the room.

Correct.

Going forward ten years it won't just be the money issue as everyone get slashed by Obamacare; the main concern is JOB security/Job enhancement with a fellowship. Being able to do things a CRNA can't or won't should be a factor in your career decisions.

1. Pediatrics/Peds Hearts
2. Pain
3. CCM
4. Cardiac with TEE Certification

The others are for personal enjoyment and Academic positions. That said, there is nothing wrong with an Academic career as ObamaCare takes hold and destroys private practice income over the next ten years.