2013: What percentage of anesthesiology residents go on to fellowship? or at least apply for fellowship? Do most applicants find a spot?
How many are going into fellowship now?
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I can't quote a number but I believe at least 50% of people went into a fellowship across the country. Cardiac, peds, pain>CCM is what is typically seen.
If you're considering a fellowship, I would highly recommend it. It's not fun to make chump change for another year when your friends who elected not to are out making bling, but it has definitely opened doors for me many times along the way.
If you're considering a fellowship, I would highly recommend it. It's not fun to make chump change for another year when your friends who elected not to are out making bling, but it has definitely opened doors for me many times along the way.
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In my class of 18, 11 are doing fellowship and 2 others (myself included) are seeking or interviewing for fellowship. I decided late for a number of reasons, one of which is the option of academics later on.
I don't know how easy it is to go from PP to academics without a fellowship. I think residents realize they may need sub-specialization for an unknown future (anesthesia apocalypse??). I admit that thought crosses my mind, but I have a genuine interest in the fellowship I plan on going into.
I don't know how easy it is to go from PP to academics without a fellowship. I think residents realize they may need sub-specialization for an unknown future (anesthesia apocalypse??). I admit that thought crosses my mind, but I have a genuine interest in the fellowship I plan on going into.
Although its widely known that more resident are choosing to pursue fellowships, I suspect that the increase is much greater than what most people think. A clear indication of this is the fact that the 3 most popular fellowships (cards, peds, pain) have all begin to participate in a match over the last couple years. The match is designed to add some organization to a somewhat disorganized selection process when there are so many applicants.
With so many people starting to do fellowships, I fear that this will be the new "norm". Then what's next? Everybody starts doing 2 or 3 fellowships to be competitive for good jobs?
With so many people starting to do fellowships, I fear that this will be the new "norm". Then what's next? Everybody starts doing 2 or 3 fellowships to be competitive for good jobs?
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4 out of 11 of our seniors are pursuing fellowships. 3 are going this year, one is going to work as an attending at the program for one year and then go the following year. 2 pain. 1 pedes, 1 CT. 7 of 12 out of the CA2s are applying for fellowship.
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6 out of 7 of my prog's graduating class are doing one...
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10 out of 22 doing fellowships in our CA3 class. 1 regional, 2 pain, 2 CC, 3 cardiac, 1 peds, 1 quality and patient safety
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Pain: Different skill set, CONTROL, go from an expense in the eyes of hospital systems to a potential income source.
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Our CA3 class has 15 of 20 doing fellowships.
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I don't think so. What is the definition of anesthesia? Does it have to be acute, intra-operative only?
Despite its "name", anesthesiology deals primarily with intraoperative and perioperative care, including acute pain. Pain fellowships train chronic pain doctors which is entirely different. I was wondering more along the lines of real world factors as to why so many ANESTHESIOLOGY residents would choose to go into Pain. It seems most people who went into anesthesiology chose the specialty for its (other than interest) shift work, acute care, short patient contact, and lack of clinic or rounding.
It makes sense that the other specialties that go into pain (PMR, Neurology, Psychiatry) would have hugh incentive to go into pain as it increases their income potential significantly. But doesn't private practice general anesthesia have comparable incomes to Pain without all the above headaches?
It makes sense that the other specialties that go into pain (PMR, Neurology, Psychiatry) would have hugh incentive to go into pain as it increases their income potential significantly. But doesn't private practice general anesthesia have comparable incomes to Pain without all the above headaches?
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Comparable income but different headaches. As has been alluded to by many posters, one of the biggest complaints of being an OR anesthesiologist is the lack of control over your life and schedule. You are tied to the surgeons you work with and if they've got cases you've got cases. Pain allows you to have control over your life. Last patient scheduled at 430 then you're done. No add ons unless you say it's ok. Surgeon shows up 45 mins late for a 5 o clock case? Too bad you're going to stay late. Pt not worked up appropriately? You might have to stick around an extra hour to wait for labs but you're still doin the case. In the pain clinic it's a different story. Pt shows up 45 mins late I'm sorry but you have reschedule. Pt not worked up, please reschedule....being your own boss has a lot of upside
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pain, i believe, has higher potential than anesthesiology.
also, people do burn out from the OR setting. maybe they decide it's not for them and want a better lifestyle, something more laid back, and just do procedures most days. although, that's not to say people can't burn out from chronic pain patients either. you also own your hours.
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True, anesthesiologists may be tied to the surgeons, but pain doctors like surgeons are tied to their patients. And that means answering phones calls, seeing unexpected ER admits, and refilling prescriptions even after the case is over and the anesthesiologist is already sleeping at home. 🙂
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Lol.
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Pain certainly has it's share of warts they're just different than those of a general anesthesiologist and depending on the type of person you are you may prefer one to the other
My residency was about 50%.
If you are interested in a specific sub specialty - do a fellowship.
If you need to stay in an area that is saturated with general anesthesiologists - do a fellowship
You want to do academics - do a fellowship
You want to make a lot of money - Don't waste you time with a fellowship (except maybe peds cardiac and who the hell would want to do that?)
If you are interested in a specific sub specialty - do a fellowship.
If you need to stay in an area that is saturated with general anesthesiologists - do a fellowship
You want to do academics - do a fellowship
You want to make a lot of money - Don't waste you time with a fellowship (except maybe peds cardiac and who the hell would want to do that?)
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Average Anesthesiologist doing pain in private practice earns 25-50 percent more money than General Anesthesiology. Pain pays well particularly if you can avoid governmental insurance.
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according to freida, in 2011 43% of anesthesiology residents finishing up residency planned to do fellowship... they track this for every specialty on the site below...
https://freida.ama-assn.org/Freida/...o?method=viewGraduates&spcCd=040&pageNumber=3
https://freida.ama-assn.org/Freida/...o?method=viewGraduates&spcCd=040&pageNumber=3
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According to that, 1563 residents or fellows completed training, and they received responses from 1313 (84%) of them. 2 (0.2%) of those who responded were unemployed. I suspect that those who are employed are probably more likely to respond, but I don't think that the majority of those who did not respond are involuntarily unemployed.
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In my class 24/28 are doing fellowship with pain being the most popular. In the current CA2 class, 21/23 are applying for fellowship with cardiac being the most popular.
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You colleagues are doing the right thing. Who gave them such good advice? Regardless,
They will all find jobs after fellowship and likely have more locations available to them.
Really? With so many doing a fellowship, are you so much at an ADVANTAGE for doing a fellowship or is it more likely that you are at a DISADVANTAGE for not doing one when it comes to finding jobs. (I know, it's just semantics but there is a finer point I'm trying to make.) As I've mentioned before in previous posts, the general trend for fellowship is just becoming the norm, especially since it's just one additional year. If fellowships move to 2-3 years, then it will start to separate people more as many will choose not to do them.
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Then do one while its just 12 months. Stop the semantic games. The person who does a fellowship has an advantage in the job market over the person who chose not to do one.
The truly sad thing about anesthesiology fellowships is that many of them may not really add significant skillset/knowledge (expcept maybe pain) to the point that you couldn't truly practice that subspecialty if you weren't fellowship trained. It's not like Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, or General Surgery Fellowships where the fellowships truly define what kind of doctor you would be. For example, a interventional cardiology fellowship or transplant surgery fellowship is truly necessary if you wanted to become a interventional cardiologist or transplant surgeon. A general internist or a general surgeon could not possibly practice those subspecialties safely without having done a fellowship. In anesthesiology, fellowships are often done just to be more "marketable." And depending on where you did your residency, you could easily and safely do hearts anesthesia, or pediatric anesthesia, or OB etc without having to do a fellowship.
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The biggest problems with this specialty can't be solved by doing a fellowship unless it gets you out of the OR
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Good luck doing complex peds without a fellowship. I've seen ~100 fellows start and none were competent to be hired without further training, and we have our choice of great residents. Not a single fellow. Can anyone do a healthy tonsil or a hernia that they might see in a general practice? I sure hope so, but that's not why you do a peds anesthesia fellowship.
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