Interventional Cardiology as a DO

[FutureDoc01]

So I tried the search, but I didn't see anything specifically about the chances of a DO getting to become a peds interventional cardiologist.

If a DO would get a ACGME IM program, is there a good shot to get a ACGME cards fellowship and then interventional? Or is it about impossbile as a DO getting a ACGME neurosurgery residency.



What about a DO getting a ACGME IM program since it is the first step? I saw a lot of DO's on the current residents website of many univeristy IM programs. Do you think it would be more difficult in the next 4 years with the increasing MD/DO class sizes?

Final question is that if I wanted to do peds interventional cardiology would you do a peds residency instead of IM?

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[group_theory]

For 2010 Medical Specialities Fellowship Match, there were 718 available Cardiology spots, of which 713 filled in the match. There were 1184 applicants.

450 of those who matched were US MD grads
26 were US DOs
1 was Canadian
42 were US IMGs
1 was 5th-pathway IMG
193 were non-US IMGs


If you want to be a pediatric interventional cardiologist, you have to do a general pediatrics residency first, followed by a pediatric cardiology fellowship, then a subfellowship in peds inverventional cardiology

For the 2010 Pediatric Specialties Spring Match, there were 118 spots, of which 117 were filled through the match. There were 179 applicants.

84 were US MD grads
5 were US DOs
1 was Canadian
4 were US IMGs
23 were non-US IMGs




If you're interested in a competitive fellowship, training at a university program is preferable (although there are people who matched from community programs all the time). If you are going to train in a community program, train in one with its own inhouse fellowship OR one well known in the academic medical community if it doesn't have its own inhouse fellowships.

 

[taylormade2006]

Group_theory, how would you recommend setting up rotations for people with a goal like this? Should you do audition rotations in IM or cardio? Or should you do them in IM programs at places that have cardio fellowships?

It seems like you only get a few auditions in a certain field, so we have to choose wisely. I'm also interested in [non-peds] interventional cardio.

 

[LesBois88]

group_theory, are those ACGME-only numbers?

 

[group_theory]

They are acgme numbers. There are only 12 AOA interventional cardiology fellowship programs and I don't think there are any pediatric osteopathic cardiology fellowships (let alone osteopathic pediatric interventional cardiology fellowshis). There are only a handful of osteopathic pediatric residencies and the majorities are not at major childrens hospitals.


As for rotations - you can do audition rotations in either medicine or cardiology as visiting students. Doing rotations on general medicine will get you exposed to faculty attendings as well as more residents who can vouch for you or say positive things about you to the Program Director. Doing rotations on cardiology will get you exposure to cardiology, and meet residents (and there may be a few cardiology attendings who sits on the residency selection committee).

For fellowships, no one will care where or what you did your medical school rotations.

 

[nlax30]

To the OP: If you're plan is go for a competitive specialty such as cardio (or Peds cardio, though I don't know how competitive it is) then you really should be looking at good ACGME IM or Peds programs, which are very attainable as a DO.

 

[FutureDoc01]

Ok Great! I really want to do peds interventional cardio. I shadowed one a couple times last month, but he didn't have much to say about coming from the DO angle. He was ivy MD trained so I wasn't sure if I even had a shot.


This field really appeals to me since I have a coarctation of the aorta and aortic bicuspid valve. I think I could be really understanding since I have been there, done that!


So to recap as long as one gets a ACGME peds program and does well, then a ACGME cards and interventional fellows are attainable?

 

[nlax30]

At that point, in regards to fellowship, in my opinion it's more about where and what you did (research, evals, letters, etc...) doing residency than it is about being a DO or not.

 

[pancakesyrup]

This summer I am shadowing a DO interventional cardiologist who did his residency at Georgetown and his fellowship at Northwestern.

It is doable but you really have to study your ass off.

 

[FutureDoc01]

That is great news!