funding your own fellowship

[AndyDufrane]

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has anyone heard of a resident finding their own source of funding from say pharmaceutical or medical device company or other entity with deep pockets and setting up a pain , interventional spine or musculoskeletal fellowship at a hospital or practice? Can it be doable at large community hospital that lets residents rotate through? any insight would be appreciated

 

[topwise]

I don't know much about doing it at a large community hospital, but it's fairly easy to set something like that up at a VA.

 

[axm397]

it's really not about the funding - it's more about credentialing to get permission at these hospitals to "perform" procedures. also can't be accredited if sponsored by a company. u might be able to do it easier in a private practice setting - but u would have to secure your own malpractice insurance, etc. and the teacher would have to be willing to take the risk of complications and the slowed pace that comes with teaching. also depends on market and patient population i would think...

not sure about the VA being easy thing - my fellowship was based at a VA and there were definitely LOTS of paperwork/red tape/bureaucracy there.

there are plenty of private practice fellowships - why not just do one of those?

 

[AndyDufrane]

thanks for the input might look intothe private practice

 

[ml2001]

On the same line, is it possible to fund ur own fellowship + malpractice insurance and sit for pain boards?

 

[bedrock]

you won't be able to sit for the standard ABMS pain boards without an ACGME approved pain fellowship in a university setting.

 

[ml2001]

you won't be able to sit for the standard ABMS pain boards without an ACGME approved pain fellowship in a university setting.

I'm interested in doing a pain fellowship. However, I'm still trying to figure out this ACGME vs non-ACGME thingy. What are the disadvantages of going non-ACGME route other than not being able to sit for the pain boards which will most likely in-turn shrink the opportunities when applying for a job after fellowship?

 

[bedrock]

I'm interested in doing a pain fellowship. However, I'm still trying to figure out this ACGME vs non-ACGME thingy. What are the disadvantages of going non-ACGME route other than not being able to sit for the pain boards which will most likely in-turn shrink the opportunities when applying for a job after fellowship?

You said two of the three key points. The other big disadvantage to a non-ACGME fellowship is that you will have a much harder time finding a job in the competitive metros. If you just have to live in LA or NYC (or other popular urban areas), you'll be hard pressed to find a pain/interventional spine job without an ACGME pain fellowship. If you're flexible with where you live, then it's not as big of a concern.
Clinically, there are quite a few good fellowships that teach you everything you need to practice good MSK/pain medicine, including all the procedures. Many teach you better clinical and procedural skills than some ACGME fellowships. However, you have to understand that you will significantly limit your future job options without an "ACGME" approved pain fellowship.

 

[eljefe]

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