It is helpful to have the testamur status, but the full certification shows that you have extensive experience with hearts (i.e., not just 50-100 hearts in residency).
Yikes, does anyone do 50-100 hearts in residency???
I doubt there is a big difference in what groups like as far as certification vs testamur for TEE. I suspect the big difference comes if you got certified AND did a cardiac fellowship, which will be the only way to get certified soon anyway.
I did...and I was in a military training program (low numbers)....although that was a long time ago.