Infectious Disease

[DrMaximus]

Hey guys,

If someone goes through an AOA internal medicine residency, is it possible to apply to allopathic infectious disease fellowship?

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[cliquesh]

It is somewhat rare to go from an AOA residency to an ACGME fellowship, but it is technically allowed. You usually see it in "undesirable" fellowships, which may include ID, hah. If I were you, I would aim to do an ACGME residency at a program that has an affiliated ID fellowship.

 

[DrMaximus]

Thank you!

Do you think that if I go into an ACGME residency even without an associated fellowship that it would make it easier?

 

[cliquesh]

Yeah, it would be easier. There are only two AOA ID fellowships, and they both only take 1 person a year. One is part of UMD-NJ and the other is associated with MSU-COM.

 

[marke]

it's possible
it's unfortunate that there are so limited DO ID fellowship
but if u were to go AOA internal med residency then ACGME fellowship...
u might have trouble getting ID boarded
if I am not mistaken u'll have to go thru a petition process w/ AOA before you can get boarded w/ AOA ID (if you did a non-AOA fellowship)
from what I heard, ACGME wouldn't even consider boarding you for ID if you did an AOA residency..
but again, these are what I heard... anyone else can confirm?
my 2 cent

 

[TexasPhysician]

Not sure about the whole AOA vs ACGME thing, but ID is NOT competitive. Apply and you shall receive.

 

[DrMaximus]

Not sure about the whole AOA vs ACGME thing, but ID is NOT competitive. Apply and you shall receive.

Is there a reason that it is not competitive? I mean is it just a really bad specialty or does it have bad pay? Or is it just simply that not many people like ID?

 

[cliquesh]

Is there a reason that it is not competitive? I mean is it just a really bad specialty or does it have bad pay? Or is it just simply that not many people like ID?

It is a 3 year fellowship and your pay is roughly the same as a general IM physician who did not do a fellowship.

 

[cliquesh]

Clinical ID programs are 2 years and academic programs are 3 years. Mayo and PITT are 3 years, for example. The DO program at Botsford is 2 years.

 

[DrMaximus]

Interesting.

All the programs I clicked on here http://www.acgme.org/adspublic/ and here
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/education-careers/graduate-medical-education/freida-online.shtml said 2 years, but obviously I didn't click on every one of them.

So... it can be done in 2 years, but your point still remains.

I guess it's one of those fellowship that you take if you really love it. I think I would like the research aspect of it, too. What does an academic fellowship mean?

And would an ID specialist technically have better hours than general IM?

 

[TexasPhysician]

I guess it's one of those fellowship that you take if you really love it. I think I would like the research aspect of it, too. What does an academic fellowship mean?

And would an ID specialist technically have better hours than general IM?

Typically, ID adds no bump in pay despite extra years of training. Meaning in the long run you are better off financially not doing the fellowship. The extra training is generally used to help get you an academic gig or help with research. Hours are not typically any better either.

Typically, more competitive fields make you more money than others. Hence why cardio and GI are the most competitive fields in IM.