How hard is it to match Peds Cardiology coming from a community program?

[PediatricMan]

And what can I do to increase my chances? Should I rank all my community programs where it's close to an academic program for possible connections, outside research, and elective opportunities?

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[fitz0809]

And what can I do to increase my chances? Should I rank all my community programs where it's close to an academic program for possible connections, outside research, and elective opportunities?

I matched from a community med-peds residency. Two of my pediatric cohorts matched peds cards this year as well (8 total per year in peds program).

It can be done.

Work hard. Try to publish some case reports/ do a research project. Get solid letters of rec. Do an away if you can (I matched in a place I did an away). The other two residents matched without doing aways at their respective programs.

 

[PediatricMan]

I matched from a community med-peds residency. Two of my pediatric cohorts matched peds cards this year as well (8 total per year in peds program).

It can be done.

Work hard. Try to publish some case reports/ do a research project. Get solid letters of rec. Do an away if you can (I matched in a place I did an away). The other two residents matched without doing aways at their respective programs.

Do step scores count (took complex only) and how much DO bias is in the Peds cardio world?

 

[fitz0809]

Do step scores count (took complex only) and how much DO bias is in the Peds cardio world?

I am not in the position to know how much they count for. All I can tell you is my experience.

I only took COMLEX 1,2 and 3. I got more interviews than I accepted- went on 10 total. These ranged from East Coast to midwest mostly. I didn't apply out west- and feel there may be some DO bias there. I got some interviews at big name places, but not at "top 5" programs.

COMLEX scores were above average but not my too much.

Hope this helps!

 

[MEN2C]

The question you should ask is not if you can match but where you can match - if you don't go to one of the top places for cardiology fellowship - what will your job prospects be like when you're done? The market is tight.

 

[TheRebels]

The question you should ask is not if you can match but where you can match - if you don't go to one of the top places for cardiology fellowship - what will your job prospects be like when you're done? The market is tight.

What makes you say that?
I’m a 4th year and did a cards rotation. A 3rd year fellow was looking for job and she’s saying that she’s been receiving interviews left and right. She’s just being selective
Also, she’s PGY-6 so by the time I’m in her shoes, the market would change quite a bit. Keep that in mind

 

[PediatricMan]

Why is the market so tight, especially for interventional?

 

[TheRebels]

Why is the market so tight, especially for interventional?

Interventional peds cards needs the population for it. These jobs only exist in major academic and large community hospital. In other words, there aren’t that many position available.
For example, all of the Chicago hospitals that I rotate at have adult interventional cards because of how prevalent coronary diseases and such are . But for peds, only a few places offers such services, I’m talking handful (Lurie, Rush, UofC, Advocate Christ, maybe UIC). not that many kids have an ASD or VSD

 

[fitz0809]

Interventional peds cards needs the population for it. These jobs only exist in major academic and large community hospital. In other words, there aren’t that many position available.
For example, all of the Chicago hospitals that I rotate at have adult interventional cards because of how prevalent coronary diseases and such are . But for peds, only a few places offers such services, I’m talking handful (Lurie, Rush, UofC, Advocate Christ, maybe UIC). not that many kids have an ASD or VSD

This is true. EP and interventional cardiology sound like they have bottle necks recently. I think 4th year positions in both have been restricted due to decreased demand. Other subspecialties such as heart failure, cardiac intensive care and adult congenital all seem to be on the upswing. It's hard to predict the market in 5-6 years when there may be a lot of change over in some of the currently saturated fields.

I've heard that general cardiology is in a neutral demand period right now. Essentially it seems you can still get the job you want, but not necessarily where you want it. If you are tied to a certain area then it may be more difficult.

It may be true that if you have your heart set on a specific peds cardiology subspecialty- especially EP or cath- then maybe consider a place that has these programs. On the flip side of that, places that have these programs have so many people in line for the procedures it may be hard to get experience.

The first step in all this is becoming a solid pediatrician.

 

[applicant2016]

Thank you fitz.

How does that match goes for IMGs? I am in a mid-size university program in mid west, I have tons of published work in cards, location is not an issue for me and I am applying to every single program in the nation.

Thanks.

 

[MEN2C]

Keep in mind that Adult Congenital is an official 2 year fellowship after a 3 year pedi cards (or adult cards) fellowship. That's more years of training than a neurosurgery residency. But hey, you gotta do what you love .

 

[fitz0809]

Keep in mind that Adult Congenital is an official 2 year fellowship after a 3 year pedi cards (or adult cards) fellowship. That's more years of training than a neurosurgery residency. But hey, you gotta do what you love .

legit think my wife might leave me if I decided to do med peds + peds cards + adult congenital. That 2 years does seem like an awful lot.

 

[MEN2C]

I'm in the same boat. I'm doing NICU and maybe, if I buy lots of flowers and make lots of promises, she'd let me do one more year of palliative care fellowship. But that would be it.

 

[SurfingDoctor]

I'm in the same boat. I'm doing NICU and maybe, if I buy lots of flowers and make lots of promises, she'd let me do one more year of palliative care fellowship. But that would be it.

I know someone who is doing that exact course, ICU then palliative care fellowship. The trick is to get institutional buy in where you choose to do fellowship that will hire you as faculty at the same institute once you complete the fellowship training. Sometimes, you can actually do fellowship training and get paid as an attending to provide ICU coverage (since you are eligible to do just that) and get a instructor level position. Not as good pay as an assistant professor, but better than a fellow.

 

[TheRebels]

legit think my wife might leave me if I decided to do med peds + peds cards + adult congenital. That 2 years does seem like an awful lot.

I’m applying med peds right now. I like the idea of adult congenital. But also the idea of a PGY-9 still on fellow salary isn’t all that appealing