Pain versus cardiac fellowship?

[Pablo94]

I like both pain and cardiac, but can’t decide between the two. I know they are vastly different, but I would just like some extra training after residency and was wondering what attendings/people with more experience than me would advise? Thank you

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Onefellswoop87]

Deciding on fellowship

I am in the beginning of my CA-2 year and still undecided on if I want to pursue fellowship or not. I am considering Pain and cardiac fellowship, I know they are both very different from each other, but each has their pros and cons in my opinion. Is it a little too late for me to be in this...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Deja vu . . . must be a glitch in the matrix

 

[nimbus]

Pain is better if you want to run your own business and be an entrepreneur. If not, cardiac is better.

 

[Pablo94]

Deciding on fellowship

I am in the beginning of my CA-2 year and still undecided on if I want to pursue fellowship or not. I am considering Pain and cardiac fellowship, I know they are both very different from each other, but each has their pros and cons in my opinion. Is it a little too late for me to be in this...

forums.studentdoctor.net

Deja vu . . . must be a glitch in the matrix

Lol my bad I don’t know how to delete the post

 

[PpfSuxTube]

One involves dealing with abusive, manipulative people who will do anything to satisfy their cravings for more and more, by getting you to agree to shady practices..

And the other is a pain fellowship

 

[TheLoneWolf]

Cardiac guy chilling on pump doing routine work>90% of the time

Vs

Factory work of 30-40 procedures a day with a prison guard mentality on medication management.

 

[Bertelman]

I love these threads.

“Tell me your anesthesia subspecialty without telling me your anesthesia subspecialty.”

 

[dmk5n]

What don't you want.


you like anesthesia but hate OB, you may be able to leverage cardiac fellowship into getting out of taking OB call. Not everywhere, some places.
You hate call, nights and weekends, do pain. It aint gravy though. Read all the posts in the pain forum, those guys are straight shooters.
There is no free lunch.

 

[Bertelman]

you may be able to leverage cardiac fellowship into getting out of taking OB call.

This.

And it’s totally worth it.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

you may be able to leverage cardiac fellowship into getting out of taking OB call.

This.

And it’s totally worth it.

Or you could do pain and get out of doing both OB and cardiac call. Or any call shift in general. For the rest of your life.

 

[Bertelman]

But then I’ve got to deal with pain patients.

 

[Anesthesia_Guy]

I like both pain and cardiac, but can’t decide between the two. I know they are vastly different, but I would just like some extra training after residency and was wondering what attendings/people with more experience than me would advise? Thank you

Neither. Start working and make $500k. You'll never recoup that by blowing a year in fellowship.

 

[nimbus]

Or you could do pain and get out of doing both OB and cardiac call. Or any call shift in general. For the rest of your life.

But then I’ve got to deal with pain patients.

Cardiac patients are asleep. Pain and OB patients are awake. Many people go into anesthesia because they prefer to take care of patients who are asleep.

 

[PpfSuxTube]

I mostly do cardiac. Today I had to do 7 hernias and gallbladder... get me back to cardiac Pronto... ill do the worst endocarditis or double valve any day over that

 

[ToKingdomCome]

Pain is better if you want to run your own business and be an entrepreneur. If not, cardiac is better.

I do anesthesia and I’m still an entrepreneur

 

[TheLoneWolf]

I did a pain fellowship from probably the most interventional program in a large state.

I often look back and think I should have done a cardiac fellowship. Finances completely aside, it opens more opportunities and makes you a better rounded anesthesiologist.

Low daily case load if doing own cases is a plus.

I have seen current offers for cardiac only PP in big cities, including my own, offering 12 weeks vacation, 550 base plus additional pay for calls/postcalls, full benefits and max retirement contribution, all own cases.

No PP, hospital employed, or academic pain job can match that.

 

[gator2886]

I have done pain and cardiac fellowships and practiced both. They each have pros and cons. Pain you are dealing with the public-all day. And they are pain patients. You can tailor you practice to limit fibromyalgia, drug seekers etc but they still are a part of your practice. There are also legit people with real pain that you just can not help. I only did pain for a few years. It sucks your soul out. The upside is no call, nights, evenings or weekends. If done right, you can make a fortune. Cardiac-You are mostly dealing with professionals-surgeons, CRNAs, nurses. If your surgeons are easy to get along with and competent this can be a great and rewarding work environment. Right now the pay is very good for cardiac. The down side is call, nights, evenings, weekends, very tough cases at times. If I had it to do all over again I would have tried to take some extra rotations in cardiac in residency, taught myself TEE and skipped both fellowships, and stayed in the OR.

 

[Onefellswoop87]

I do anesthesia and I’m still an entrepreneur

I’m not a businessman. I’m a business, man.

 

[narcusprince]

One involves dealing with abusive, manipulative people who will do anything to satisfy their cravings for more and more, by getting you to agree to shady practices..

And the other is a pain fellowship

One involves dealing with manipulative abusive people and becoming one yourself.

 

[JiPo]

I did a pain fellowship from probably the most interventional program in a large state.

I often look back and think I should have done a cardiac fellowship. Finances completely aside, it opens more opportunities and makes you a better rounded anesthesiologist.

Low daily case load if doing own cases is a plus.

I have seen current offers for cardiac only PP in big cities, including my own, offering 12 weeks vacation, 550 base plus additional pay for calls/postcalls, full benefits and max retirement contribution, all own cases.

No PP, hospital employed, or academic pain job can match that.

Where are you seeing these offers? I am certainly interested.

 

[Status Sciaticus]

I did a pain fellowship from probably the most interventional program in a large state.

I often look back and think I should have done a cardiac fellowship. Finances completely aside, it opens more opportunities and makes you a better rounded anesthesiologist.

Low daily case load if doing own cases is a plus.

I have seen current offers for cardiac only PP in big cities, including my own, offering 12 weeks vacation, 550 base plus additional pay for calls/postcalls, full benefits and max retirement contribution, all own cases.

No PP, hospital employed, or academic pain job can match that.

Pain at my academic program is offering 500, 6 weeks, and the additional things you mentioned. Granted its not 12 weeks, but its academic. PP private practice works more because they own the business and make significantly more. Its just a question of more money, less vacation vs less money more vacation.

I’m not a businessman. I’m a business, man.

 

[kidthor]

I like both pain and cardiac, but can’t decide between the two. I know they are vastly different, but I would just like some extra training after residency and was wondering what attendings/people with more experience than me would advise? Thank you

Just do whichever one you like more and can picture yourself doing. There’s not much more to it…

 

[Anesthesia_Guy]

I’m not a businessman. I’m a business, man.

Alright Jay Z.

 

[SRYSPAC]

Just do whichever one you like more and can picture yourself doing. There’s not much more to it…

Basically this 👆 I'm pediatric trained and couldn't see myself enjoying less than a 50% peds job. When I get called in on pager for a peds case, it doesn't bother me nearly as much as doing a routine C/S in the middle of the night or a cholecystectomy some surgeon wants to get done at 1 AM. Funny enough, the market has shifted in certain areas, and my new gig pays a lot more for pediatric specialists than general anesthesiologists in the same group, with a similar call burden and the potential for more call pay. I couldn't stomach a cardiac or pain job, but understand that's what some people enjoy, just like some people want to steer far away from kids. At the end of the day, don't think about the numbers, try and find something you're relatively happy doing for 20+ years and stop saying "pain patients this, cardiac surgeons that, etc etc" I wasn't thinking about money when I went into pediatric anesthesia, but now multiple locums gigs are paying north of $350/hour for fellowship trained pediatric anesthesiologists, go figure 🤷‍♂️

 

[caligas]

take some extra rotations in cardiac in residency, taught myself TEE and skipped both fellowships, and stayed in the OR.

Literally did this 20 years ago. Got TEE cert in the old practice pathway. Good times.

 

[GlowInTheDark]

Neither. Go practice. Pocket fat stacks of $$ for 5-10 years and then throw your finger in the air and quit medicine.

😎