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Ok so there has been a lot of talk over the past couple years that cardiothoracic surgery is a dead/dying field....decreasing reimbursements, open slots in fellowship programs, a market flooded with out of work surgeons.
I have spoken to some cardiothoracic surgeons at my home medical school and residency program who seem to think the time has come for a new breed of cardiothoracic surgeon. This new cardiothoracic surgeon would not be entirely dependent upon the ole' bread and butter procedure (CABG); but rather would look something like this:
*Trained in traditional adult cardiac revascularization procedures for those times when the interventionalists can't unclog the coronaries
*Trained in general thoracic procedures (Nissen fundoplication, pneumonectomy, lobectomy, Ivor-Lewis, Trans-Hiatal esophagectomy, lung transplant, lung volume reduction surgery
*Trained in peripheral vascular surgery with a focus on endovascular techniques
*Trained in the latest cardiac procedures that involves valve repair/replacement; cardiac transplantation; heart failure assist devices
If a training program (integrated 4+3) board eligable in both general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery were created that could offer to train the above described "new breed" of cardiac surgeon....do you think a graduate of that program would be desirable in the current/future marketplace?
I would appreciate anyone's input into whether they think pursuing such an integrated program would be worthwhile at this present point in time.
Or is it better to just practice general surgery and wait to see what happens with cardiothoracic surgery in the next few years and train in a traditional 2 or 3 year fellowship?
I have spoken to some cardiothoracic surgeons at my home medical school and residency program who seem to think the time has come for a new breed of cardiothoracic surgeon. This new cardiothoracic surgeon would not be entirely dependent upon the ole' bread and butter procedure (CABG); but rather would look something like this:
*Trained in traditional adult cardiac revascularization procedures for those times when the interventionalists can't unclog the coronaries
*Trained in general thoracic procedures (Nissen fundoplication, pneumonectomy, lobectomy, Ivor-Lewis, Trans-Hiatal esophagectomy, lung transplant, lung volume reduction surgery
*Trained in peripheral vascular surgery with a focus on endovascular techniques
*Trained in the latest cardiac procedures that involves valve repair/replacement; cardiac transplantation; heart failure assist devices
If a training program (integrated 4+3) board eligable in both general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery were created that could offer to train the above described "new breed" of cardiac surgeon....do you think a graduate of that program would be desirable in the current/future marketplace?
I would appreciate anyone's input into whether they think pursuing such an integrated program would be worthwhile at this present point in time.
Or is it better to just practice general surgery and wait to see what happens with cardiothoracic surgery in the next few years and train in a traditional 2 or 3 year fellowship?
