Internal Medicine Physician Scientist Tract - Commitment

[Drawn]

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I'm an MD-only graduate that took some time off during the middle of medical school and did 1 year of research. I was actually fairly lucky and I am able to walk into the 2010-2011 application cycle with several manuscripts and several posters, among other publications.

I received and invitation to apply to a physician scientist IM tract +/- American Board of Internal Medicine Short tract (3 year residency where 1 year is research). In addition, they essentially (within reason) guarantee fellowship of my choice (and if it were cards/ GI, would be huge!). Then I would do a post-doctorate fellowship and work with me to transition into junior faculty. Throughout all of these years I would be getting extra funding as well. All around a pretty awesome deal!

I'm just not sure what to do.

Questions:

1) What if I change my mind during training? Would there be any ramifications if I decide to, say, not do a post-doctoral fellowship and go into practice after the fellowship?

2) Should I change my categorical applications to tracts similar to this one?

3) With a strong research background, would the physician scientist tract make easier for me to be considered at more competitive IM residencies than otherwise?

Thanks!

 

[docbill]

I'm an MD-only graduate that took some time off during the middle of medical school and did 1 year of research. I was actually fairly lucky and I am able to walk into the 2010-2011 application cycle with several manuscripts and several posters, among other publications.

I received and invitation to apply to a physician scientist IM tract +/- American Board of Internal Medicine Short tract (3 year residency where 1 year is research). In addition, they essentially (within reason) guarantee fellowship of my choice (and if it were cards/ GI, would be huge!). Then I would do a post-doctorate fellowship and work with me to transition into junior faculty. Throughout all of these years I would be getting extra funding as well. All around a pretty awesome deal!

I'm just not sure what to do.

Questions:

1) What if I change my mind during training? Would there be any ramifications if I decide to, say, not do a post-doctoral fellowship and go into practice after the fellowship?

2) Should I change my categorical applications to tracts similar to this one?

3) With a strong research background, would the physician scientist tract make easier for me to be considered at more competitive IM residencies than otherwise?

Thanks!

It is called ABIM research track .. and it is actually longer than regular track. Usually by 1 years.

http://www.abim.org/certification/policies/research/requirements.aspx

1) You cannot get ABIM accreditation without doing the 2+2+3. If you change your mind, you will have to go back and do the extra years of training. The program may not guarantee you those 2 years of training.. 1 in IM and one in Sub specialty.

2) If you are interested in doing research, then it is a track you should consider. They guarantee you 80% protected research time for 3 years.

3) Considering most high end IM programs attract research heavy applicants, I don't think it will improve your chances. Plus remember the other applicants may have Master or PhD degrees.

If you go in to an ABIM research track program and that is not what you want, you will be miserable for 3 years while you do research. Plus I am not sure how likely you will get a job after you are done the program. Sure you will have 3 years of research, but you will have 2 years less of clinical training. This track is really meant to train people to return to academia and research, while being a clinician (to some level).

 

[Drawn]

^^ I'm aware of the ABIM tract itself. This program explicitly states that you can pursue a clinician-scientist career either inside or outside the formal ABIM tract. I.e., you can pursue a categorical residency and then continue being prepared for an academic career. It would be nice to get the semi-guaranteed fellowship after a categorical residency. Let's say for GI, it would be: 3 IM + 3 GI + 2-3 postdoc work.

But, if I end up taking the incentive to specialize and then decide to not continue along with a post-doctoral research fellowship (i.e. still have the same clinical acumen as any other non-academic tract IM specialist), I fail to see how this would benefit a program after having invested in you. Would they allow me to change my mind? If I do 3 IM + 3 GI and then in PGY-6 then say, "yeah I change my mind, I'd prefer to just practice clinically, bye!"

An academic career would be amazing. I obviously like research. And a tract that almost guarantees acceptance into a fellowship of my choice is an obvious benefit. I just can't see how I would be able to extract myself if I change my mind after having enjoyed the benefits of the program.

 

[Doctor&Geek]

I have heard of no one getting a "semi-guaranteed" fellowship outside of the research track.

 

[Scottish Chap]

I have heard of no one getting a "semi-guaranteed" fellowship outside of the research track.

True. Fellowship is a separate match so nothing is a guarantee. The ABIM Researh Track is the only way to get the fellowship match right out of medical school (with the exception of some the top programs that will NOT guarantee the fellowship at the same institution).

Some institutions running the ABIM Research Track will let you switch fellowship specialty if you change your mind, but all of them make you go back and complete a third year of general IM if you don't honor the research commitment. Most of the applicants (but not all of them) have are MD/PhD students.

 

[Shifty B]

Haha, well a lot of fellowships are "semi-guaranteed" because they are simply less competitive than the IM residency at a given program. This applies for pretty much everything other than GI and cards. If you want to stay at your home institution, you pretty often can.