Fellowships that are in high demand

[jpro]

What are the fellowships that private practices are searching for these days? I assume the more demand for your sub-specialty the higher your chance of landing in a good group and making partnershps. Most resident that I've talked to seem to think MSK and interventional. (I didn't ask) To me it seems that just about evey fellowship is valuable to most practices since you tend to do a bit of everything. As a MS4 I'm interested in general diagnostic radiology and I'm lightyears away from making any desicion on fellowships.

Just curious. Any thoughts?

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[hans19]

The specialty most in demand is the one that YOUR group needs the most.

Generally speaking, though, most openings are for general radiologists. People willing to do 'body' imaging and anything else you feel comfortable with-- be it mammo, barium, or simple procedures. Even if you do a particular specialty, you will be expected to read everything, but you will be the go-to guy for tough cases in your area of expertise.

As far as subspecialists in demand private practice, most are looking for Mammographers (high malpractice exposure) and IR (perceived bad lifestyle). I would say these two fields are the most in demand, then MRI based specialists, then all others.

The demand for MRI specialists is still there, but it has cooled somewhat. The last generation of radiologists were minted before formal MRI training was readily available, so there was huge demand for MRI trained msk and neuro rads. In recent years residents were snapping up these fellowships over others. This in conjuction with the fact that todays residents are getting more MRI training in residency has made the demand for MRI specialists less than before.

Bottom line, it all depends on what your group is looking for.

 

[f_w]

If you are a MS4, you have another 4 years until you have to make that call and another 6 years until you have to find a job. Demand for different fellowships is cyclical (funny enough, demand for the subspecialists is not as cyclical).

If you have ever walked into a coop of 'free-range' chicken, you get a good idea about the dynamics involved in fellowship choices of radiology residents.

There was a time, you needed good connections and letters to land an IR fellowship. Then there was a time neuro was THE thing to do, next was MSK. And then there are times, you could walk into prestigious neuro fellowships as long as you had a heartbeat and a medical license.

So, bottom line, don't worry too much right now about a decision that is years off.

Now, some people are already in contact with the group they want to join during R3 (e.g. because they are from a small town and already know the local group or they are moonlighting at a particular place). In that case, people sometimes do a fellowship to 'fit' an anticipated retirement. You might not be all that hot about nucs, but heck if it gets you that lifetime job in that nice democratic group your uncle works in, why not.