Is a pediatric fellowship required to treat pediatric patients?

[Sandy4321]

I'm interested in pursing pediatric pm&r but not so interested in the extra years of training. I've come across a few physiatrists who treat pediatric patients with no post-residency training. Assuming my residency provides a solid pediatric experience, how necessary is it to be fellowship trained in peds? If it helps at all, my interests primarily lie in spasticity management (among other areas).

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[j4pac]

I'm interested in pursing pediatric pm&r but not so interested in the extra years of training. I've come across a few physiatrists who treat pediatric patients with no post-residency training. Assuming my residency provides a solid pediatric experience, how necessary is it to be fellowship trained in peds? If it helps at all, my interests primarily lie in spasticity management (among other areas).

It’s going to be hard to get a large panel doing Peds if you don’t work in an academic center…and you will likely need a fellowship to get an academic appointment doing Peds rehab. University of Wisconsin (Madison) promoted itself as a Peds heavy program. I’d see if anyone who went General from that program did heavy Peds.

 

[flapjack3d]

N=1 but know a recent grad (2 y ago) that sees exclusively peds and isn’t fellowship trained. That said, I feel like you probably should be bc we really don’t get enough in residency, as much as it pains me to think of having to do fellowship. I’m also interested in peds.

 

[RangerBob]

I know at least two physiatrists doing 100% academic peds without fellowship. They used all their elective time to do peds, and also did peds prelim years.

I agree with the above poster however that it’s is best to do a fellowship if you want to do peds PM&R. Not having the fellowship will close some doors at larger/more prominent institutions.

 

[Sandy4321]

This is all helpful information! Thank you! Seems like picking a program that is heavy on peds is the way to go but also likely will end up doing the fellowship for more job opportunities.

 

[Butterfly23]

There has been increases popularity with pedi pm&r and if you want to work at big cities in california or other places, you will still face competitions. And many pediatricians do not trust pm&r trained only physicians.
But i also think that many academic places hire too many pedi rehab physicians without considering the census and the number of volumes. There is one nyc program i know and why are they looking for fourth pedi pm&r ?
This trend will force pedi pm&r fellowship trained folks suffer RVUs

I also think pedi pm&r trained physicians should feel comfortable and be open to treating adults.

Pediatric pm&r is tough road indeed!

 

[Iamnew2]

I'm interested in pursing pediatric pm&r but not so interested in the extra years of training. I've come across a few physiatrists who treat pediatric patients with no post-residency training. Assuming my residency provides a solid pediatric experience, how necessary is it to be fellowship trained in peds? If it helps at all, my interests primarily lie in spasticity management (among other areas).

We had one resident who did an unofficial fellowship/attending job after residency where he trained while getting paid some sort of salary while doing unofficial pedi pm&r fellowship. Had other grads do the painful two year fellowship.

Census in pedi rehab tends to be low, and it's tough to get a job without being in a large academic center. which means most of your life you will be tied to an academic place. for some that's great, for me that would be a nightmare.

$$ speaking it's also rough. It's a 6 year training program after 4 years of med school and undergrad. that's 14 years! for typical 100's type salary, if lucky low 200. don't see why peds fellowship would be so long!

 

[Sandy4321]

We had one resident who did an unofficial fellowship/attending job after residency where he trained while getting paid some sort of salary while doing unofficial pedi pm&r fellowship. Had other grads do the painful two year fellowship.

Census in pedi rehab tends to be low, and it's tough to get a job without being in a large academic center. which means most of your life you will be tied to an academic place. for some that's great, for me that would be a nightmare.

$$ speaking it's also rough. It's a 6 year training program after 4 years of med school and undergrad. that's 14 years! for typical 100's type salary, if lucky low 200. don't see why peds fellowship would be so long!

Wow! Did not realize the salary was comparable to that of a 3-year residency trained general pediatrician. It's hard to tell if I'd enjoy academic medicine but I'm also not so keen on limiting myself geographically. Sad reality given I love pm&r and enjoy working with kids. Lots to re-consider!

 

[j4pac]

Wow! Did not realize the salary was comparable to that of a 3-year residency trained general pediatrician. It's hard to tell if I'd enjoy academic medicine but I'm also not so keen on limiting myself geographically. Sad reality given I love pm&r and enjoy working with kids. Lots to re-consider!

Peds PM&R physicians aren’t sitting on the street corner asking for change. Do what you think you’ll love. I’ll say this much about Peds…it always mops the floor with the other specialties in regard to job satisfaction.

Peds PM&R gives you the option to just do general PM&R and get good pay, or do Peds and have a great job satisfaction; or a mix of the above.

 

[Momentum70]

Doing some subspecialty stuff can also depend on the area you are in. For instance one of my partners scaled back and only does inpatient and a couple hours 3 days a week EMGs, he used to do peds clinic 2 days a week. After he stopped they all have to go 2 hours away to closest peds PMR in Dallas. Also we have no movement disorder neurologist, so one of the generals sees most of it, but some of those also have to go 2 hours away. When my son needed to see peds urology.......you guessed it, 2 hour trip to Dallas. Its the same for many different fields that have missing coverage, the more rural you practice, the more jack of all trades you can become.

 

[flapjack3d]

Anyone know peds PM&R in private practice?

 

[PainRehabMD]

Wow! Did not realize the salary was comparable to that of a 3-year residency trained general pediatrician. It's hard to tell if I'd enjoy academic medicine but I'm also not so keen on limiting myself geographically. Sad reality given I love pm&r and enjoy working with kids. Lots to re-consider!

There is a reason that the peds fellowship is not at all competitive. A better way to go about is doing the 5 year peds PM&R residency to save a year for prospective medical students.

With that said, do what you love. I've seen some private practice peds PM&R (100% peds) docs who have done well financially. They do a lot of baclofen pump refills and botox for spasticity.