Job timeline for Geriatrics

[DMike]

I am a third year Internal Medicine resident, and am trying to decide where to go for Geriatrics fellowship. I have moved from the Mountain West to the Southeast to do my residency. It's very important to me that when I'm done with my fellowship, that I can get a job as a Geriatrician in the Mountain West or Pacific Northwest region. Also, while many of the good training centers are in larger cities, I'm wanting to settle down in a more suburban/small or medium sized city.

This is making it a little harder for me to decide where to train for fellowship (which is only one year long) because I'm looking at at least one major move, if not two (ie, one move across the country, and then maybe another move to a smaller city after fellowship). While this may be totally fine, it is expensive and inconvenient - particularly since I have a family.

And so I'm wondering...if I were to stay in the Southeast for training, would it be acceptable to take a few months after I complete fellowship to explore jobs? Or would that gap in time look bad? I'm imagining that: (A) it would be much easier to stay here now, and only move once and for all to wherever I decide to work longterm, and (B) I might not have time to travel across the country to look for jobs during fellowship.

On the other hand, training in the area I that ultimately want to practice in may be helpful for job networking. How important is that to take into account?

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[rokshana]

I am a third year Internal Medicine resident, and am trying to decide where to go for Geriatrics fellowship. I have moved from the Mountain West to the Southeast to do my residency. It's very important to me that when I'm done with my fellowship, that I can get a job as a Geriatrician in the Mountain West or Pacific Northwest region. Also, while many of the good training centers are in larger cities, I'm wanting to settle down in a more suburban/small or medium sized city.

This is making it a little harder for me to decide where to train for fellowship (which is only one year long) because I'm looking at at least one major move, if not two (ie, one move across the country, and then maybe another move to a smaller city after fellowship). While this may be totally fine, it is expensive and inconvenient - particularly since I have a family.

And so I'm wondering...if I were to stay in the Southeast for training, would it be acceptable to take a few months after I complete fellowship to explore jobs? Or would that gap in time look bad? I'm imagining that: (A) it would be much easier to stay here now, and only move once and for all to wherever I decide to work longterm, and (B) I might not have time to travel across the country to look for jobs during fellowship.

On the other hand, training in the area I that ultimately want to practice in may be helpful for job networking. How important is that to take into account?

It is important to consider training in the area where you want to live...most people do end up working close to where they trained.

But wouldn’t worry about taking time off after fellowship...lots of people do...it is generally the Longest break you are going to get. And as geriatrics, you will be in demand...you should have no problem getting a job...heck you can probably accept a job and ask to start a few months later...many people wait til after boards to start working...and that’s the reason you have for the gap...no one will care.

 

[DMike]

That's reassuring. Thank you so much! It sounds like if I don't start looking for jobs in earnest until July/August when I finish fellowship, it would still be acceptable.

Would picking a fellowship in the Mountain West/Pacific Northwest be worth it in terms of the added benefit of job networking in the area? Or would networking not be such a big deal since Geriatrics is in such high demand?

What about having an easier time exploring local jobs/cities in person during fellowship?

 

[Geri21]

Anyone know if USMLE failure will impact acceptance to CA program?