Hi, I'm strongly considering going into a pediatric specialty (heme-onc, immuno-allergy) but I really haven't been exposed too much to them outside of my general pediatric rotation. Does anyone know how different their lifestyle is compared to a general pediatrician (hours, salary, market demand/supply, and etc.) Also, does anyone know where are good places to train if one is interested in pursuing a peds fellowship.
It is too difficult to generalize and say by doing a fellowship your hours will be.... Your salary will be higher, highest in neonatology. The hours are probably the worst in neo/PICU. When you interview at programs ask them where their previous residents are doing fellowship and that will give you a good idea. I am at a program where we do not have fellows, but our residents go to top fellowship programs. It is nice to have direct contact with the attendings instead of a fellow, and no competition for procedures.
I worked for a Pediatric Hem-Onc for three years, so I guess I have an idea of what the lifestyle would be like. This doc had a solo practice in Las Vegas and oversaw the unit at a local hospital.Was in clinic everyday, booked solid with appointments. Did rounds at the hospital every morning before he went to clinic, then went back to the hospital in early evening after clinic. At hospital for 4-5 hours on Saturday and Sunday. On call everyday because he was in a solo practice. Needless to say, his practice was grossing close to $2 million/year because of all the work and the fact that there aren't that many Peds hem-onc physicians in Las Vegas. He had a partner for a couple of years, and they would rotate weeks between clinic and hospital, which seemed a little more sane to me than trying to do it all yourself. Hope I could be of some help. Good luck.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. Places to train. I would assume that some of the best peds oncology fellowships would be found at MD Anderson, Sloan-Kettering, Dana Farber, but I am not positive.
Wouldn't St. Jude's be the best place for Pediatric Heme/Onc? Isn't that all they do there? I know they have fellowships there. I would guess National Jewish in Denver is the best for Allergy/Immunology.
