Peds academic position vs. Private Practice--Feasibility?

[Thepassageofgas]

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Hi all,

I'm embarking on my PGY-1 year at a large-ish program. I'd like to do a peds fellowship, and I'm hoping for some advice as to how to make myself competitive for it. I'm a foreign grad with decent steps (240+ both parts) and research from both grad school and med school (published, two first author papers, several other 2nd author, posters, blah blah). I'm willing to bust my ass but I'd like to do so smartly.

My ideal gig would be an academic position after fellowship--at a particularly university, given the geographic preferences of my fiance (also a doc). It's not an Ivy, but it's not exactly carib-friendly either (heh, is there such a thing as a carib-friendly University?).

So my question is: how do you make a peds fellowship happen? is it worth a stab at making myself competitive for a dream position post-residency? Or, given your experiences, are carib-grads pretty much DQ'd from academic appointments? I'm happy to go with private practice if that's the path into which I'm "locked", but I'm just curious as to what my realistic post-residency career targets should be.

Thanks a million,
thepassageofgas

 

[IlDestriero]

Hi all,

I'm embarking on my PGY-1 year at a large-ish program. I'd like to a peds fellowship, and I'm hoping for some advice as to how to make myself competitive for it. I'm a foreign grad with decent steps (240+ both parts) and research from both grad school and med school (published, two first author papers, several other 2nd author, posters, blah blah). I'm willing to bust my ass but I'd like to do so smartly.

My ideal gig would be an academic position after fellowship--at a particularly university, given the geographic preferences of my fiance (also a doc). It's not an Ivy, but it's not exactly carib-friendly either (heh, is there such a thing as a carib-friendly University?).

So my question is: how do you make a peds fellowship happen? is it worth a stab at making myself competitive for a dream position post-residency? Or, given your experiences, are carib-grads pretty much DQ'd from academic appointments? I'm happy to go with private practice if that's the path into which I'm "locked", but I'm just curious as to what my realistic post-residency career targets should be.

Thanks a million,
thepassageofgas

You're only as good as the last thing that you did. Put medical school in your rear view mirror and never look back. That's ancient history already, even though you probably just graduated last week.😉 Kill residency. Destroy the competition. Work harder, work longer, work smarter, be a real team player.
STAND OUT as a superstar!
Do a couple audition peds months in the area you want to go and work your as off to make a great impression.
Seek out a mentor ASAP and start doing peds research now. Every faculty has more projects than time. I've got a couple things myself that I can't keep moving and I'm not even on the research track. Kill the inservice exams. Make chief resident.
DO THAT AND YOU DETERMINE YOUR FUTURE.