GI pathology fellowship

[rose-petals]

Is it fine to do a #1 GI pathology fellowship from a newly started program followed by a #2 cytology fellowship from a good program. Suggestions and comments are welcome.

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[MetroPath]

Yes good combo. Some here will say not to do Cyto. I did a Cyto fellowship and I think you can learn it by working hard during your residency assuming your residency is a busy one. I recommend residents to look at all the cases in your residency and go out of your way to look at more Cyto cases on your own so you don’t have to do a fellowship.

 

[octopusprime]

So long as you look for jobs after your GI fellowship...don't commit to a 2nd fellowship before even having done your first...

 

[Alteran]

I would only recommend doing a GI fellowship where there is a strong hepatobiliary specimen referral base. Otherwise, I'd say your wasting your time.

 

[rose-petals]

Thanks everyone for your genuine suggestions. I have previous pathology background from home country. When we apply jobs, do recruiters look for a good surg path fellowship training in addition to your GI fellowship. Also I know spending one whole additional year for cyto training doesn’t feel worth it, but Cytopathology being board certified, does it increases the chances of jobs. so shall I do cyto or Surgical as a second fellowship ?

 

[MetroPath]

If you aren’t a us citizen then it’ll be more difficult to find a job but most IMGs do. Really depends on where you did your residency. If you did your residency at a strong program then you can skip the surgpath fellowship. It really depends on how you feel. Seems like most want you to be good at General surgpath for private jobs. A Cyto fellowship will get you an interview like I said.

Gi and Cyto are both marketable fellowships. Whether you pick gen surgpath or Cyto depends on how you feel in gen surgpath. If you feel comfortable at signing out breast, Gyn, GI, gu and derm then you can do Cyto. Remember private practices want you to be confident at signing out everything that includes derm and medical liver biopsies.

If you do surgpath I would go to all big places. Employers look at your cv and where you trained. Big names will open eyes. Do not train at lesser named places for fellowships.

If you choose surgpath, realize that you will have to signout Cyto in practice without a fellowship. If you choose Cyto, you will have to feel comfortable signing out General surgpath in practice.

Also depends if you want to join a group or do GI only in a corporate practice, which I don’t recommend because it will limit your jobs.

Like was mentioned earlier, I would look for a job after your first fellowship. You don’t need to do two fellowships. If you didn’t go to a strong training program then you may have to do a second fellowship to makeup your weak areas.

I would work hard and look at as many Cyto cases as you can. You should be looking at all the Cyto cases not just paps. Look at as many surgpath cases you can focusing on your weaknesses.

Pathology is broad and the amount you have to know and be able to diagnose is overwhelming. I know people who are out in practice who don’t even know cytopath but they learn on the job from the senior pathologists in the group.

 

[Vicinal]

Is it fine to do a #1 GI pathology fellowship from a newly started program followed by a #2 cytology fellowship from a good program. Suggestions and comments are welcome.

Regular GI is bread and butter path especially from a decent training program. If you learn liver well it may set you apart. A good cytology fellowship can help in a practice that has heavy EBUS, EUS, Breast cytology, Head and Neck, endocrine services/outreach. Most programs have crappy cytology fellowships so if you do it at program without great graduated responsibility to independent coverage of the aforementioned service it’s not worth it. Many cytology fellowships have attending just hanging out and sipping herbal tea.

 

[Iceman24]

If you aren’t a us citizen then it’ll be more difficult to find a job but most IMGs do.

For job search it's irrelevant whether one has citizenship, permanent residency is more then enough.
Most of the IMGs on visas do not find jobs.

 

[LADoc00]

Wasnt the J-1 visa system itself pretty much gutted?

I would think you need at least a green card now.

for anyone else on this forum, you need to file Form I-360 "Special Immigrant" and select box for physician and then wait.

 

[Iceman24]

for anyone else on this forum, you need to file Form I-360 "Special Immigrant" and select box for physician and then wait.

LOL what?

Wasnt the J-1 visa system itself pretty much gutted?
I would think you need at least a green card now.

This is what I mean. The chance to find job after J1 in path is close to 0.

 

[Unty]

The job market is tight enough for us citizens. I can’t imagine how hard it is for j1 applicants.