How do you choose a child and adolescent fellowship program?

[Jalapeño King]

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I'm wondering how to go about choosing a child and adolescent fellowship program. I have an idea of where I want to go, but I have been told by another resident that I shouldn't bother with a couple of my top choices. What are the major factors to consider? I've heard that training in a big city is ideal, but I don't know if that is necessarily true. (Plus, I think I'd rather live in a smaller-sized community.) I want to receive a good education and be adequately prepared to handle anything I may encounter, but I am not necessarily desirous to go to a big name program or participate ambitiously with research. Mainly I just want to learn how to provide high quality care to patients. Other than that, I'm also interested in programs that are DO-friendly and family-friendly, and training in an area with a low cost of living.

 

[hamstergang]

You're currently in a residency program, correct? So you should know what factors matter to you in a training program. What others say you should and shouldn't care about are largely irrelevant. It sounds to me that you already know what you want, so I'm confused as to why you're letting others influence you away from this.

 

[Jalapeño King]

You make a good point, and I agree that I should do what I want. I just started to get concerned that unless I'm at a major medical center in a large city, I might miss out on an adequately diverse training experience. Part of the reason for this worry is that I feel like my general program is lacking in some areas, so I want to ensure that after subspecializing I will be well prepared for anything.

 

[wolfvgang22]

Location, location, location. Be where you will be happy, not where somebody else thinks you should go because "prestige". There are more fellowship spots than applicants, and doing a child fellowship won't get you much in the way of increased income or recognition.
And, it's not so much WHAT you are doing, but WHO you are doing it with. Work/train with people you like and respect.

 

[notdeadyet]

Agree with wolfvgang. Also, the majority of folks will end up practicing where they train. You obviously don't have to, but statistically speaking, you likely will. And I can see why. It would be hard to generate the sort of built in referral base you'd get elsewhere.

 

[masterofmonkeys]

Location, location, location. Be where you will be happy, not where somebody else thinks you should go because "prestige". There are more fellowship spots than applicants, and doing a child fellowship won't get you much in the way of increased income or recognition.
And, it's not so much WHAT you are doing, but WHO you are doing it with. Work/train with people you like and respect.

Totally agree. I am going where I can be near my SO. Didn't take much work even though a (small) piece of me still wishes I'd applied at Seattle, Portland, and the Northeast.

I'll also second the people piece. I started general residency at a very large program with excellent attendings and training. I am now at a program half the size (although still university affiliated) with excellent attendings and trainig. Both also had great resident camaraderie.

I do agree that training at a place that offers diversity in patients and approaches is important, but I'm not sure that can't be accomplished anywhere in the country within a few hour drive f wherever you are at the time.

 

[Jalapeño King]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies! I appreciate all of your input, which was very helpful. Just a quick update: Today I had the opportunity to talk with our department's medical director of child psychiatry and ask for her opinion on some programs. Before I could tell her which ones I am applying to, she happened to first recommend the one program I am currently most interested in. Maybe that's a sign... I further asked if the smaller size of the city it's in made any difference in the training experience and she basically laid to rest any concerns I had about that.