Fellowships -- Worth the year?

[RDickerson]

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Does anyone have an idea on the effectiveness of a whole other year spent in residency for a fellowship...let's say, geriatrics.

Will the client base and the extra pay be worth spending a whole extra year for family practice? Anyone here on the boards currently attending a FP fellowship?

Thanks for your input.

 

[edfig99]

I don't know if there's really a way to report on the "effectiveness" of pursuing fellowship training in family medicine.

The reasons people decide to pursue fellowships are really varied, and many times not necessarily based on "client pay" and "extra pay". Some people are really attracted to a particular skillset or age group, while others choose fellowship basically because they are afraid to graduate. Some people opt for the fellowship because they anticipate working in an area where they could potentially be "competing" with subspecialists and know that with subspecialty training, they are going to get their share of the pie. Others may be interested in more academic positions where fellowships can make you a much more attractive applicant.

is it worth spending another year...or two...or more with post-grad training? don't know...it depends on what you do after. If you spend a year getting a certificate of added qualifications in geriatrics and don't practice in a community with a lot of elderly folks or become affiliated in some capacity with a nursing home and/or hospice...then no, it wasn't worth it. you delayed income (and probably personal satisfaction) for that time you were training when you could have been doing something else.

i'm completing a faculty development fellowship in primary care research. Because the program is federally funded, it's a 24 month program. During the course of this fellowship I'm getting an MPH and I'm learning some valuable skills. Is it worth it? I'll find out when I land an academic position or secure my first really big research grant.

-ed

 

[deleted6669]

I know some fp folks who have done one of the 1 yr em fellowships. they then got positions as em physicians for $$$(more than twice their anticipated salary as fp md's).
this is obviously politically charged because of the position of em groups that only residency trained/boarded em physicians should work in er's. when there are enough em residency grads this may become a reality(and it will probably be a good thing).until then there is plenty of room for fp docs with em training and other providers to cover emergency depts.

 

[scienceguy]

I know some fp folks who have done one of the 1 yr em fellowships. they then got positions as em physicians for $$$(more than twice their anticipated salary as fp md's).
this is obviously politically charged because of the position of em groups that only residency trained/boarded em physicians should work in er's. when there are enough em residency grads this may become a reality(and it will probably be a good thing).until then there is plenty of room for fp docs with em training and other providers to cover emergency depts.

Is it possible to become BC in EM By the ABEM if you do a FP residency then a fellowship in EM

 

[deleted6669]

nope-there is an alternate board called abps for fp's to become boarded in em. florida recognizes this board as equivalent to abem.it is a subject of some contention to em residency trained folks.....
http://www.abpsga.org/certification/emergency/index.html