Please advise

[Hope always]

I wanna share my experience as a first year cardiology fellow hoping that I would find a genuine advice as I am thinking to seriously quitting. I matched to a newly established program. Unfortunately the program run by a few number of private attendings, mostly interventionalists. Very Poor in structure, and very very poor in training. I would say they take care of their business and we take care of their patients. The only opportunity we have is doing procedures. I don’t feel this type of training, if you call it training, will be enough to prepare me to practice independently. Some suggested that I could finish it and then do super-fellowship ! I am really confused but my gut tells me to not wasting my time. I have done my previous trainings in university settings but this set up is just a mess. Do you guys think working on myself and teaching myself would be enough for general cardio ? Please advise ! Thanks

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[heartfella]

I wanna share my experience as a first year cardiology fellow hoping that I would find a genuine advice as I am thinking to seriously quitting. I matched to a newly established program. Unfortunately the program run by a few number of private attendings, mostly interventionalists. Very Poor in structure, and very very poor in training. I would say they take care of their business and we take care of their patients. The only opportunity we have is doing procedures. I don’t feel this type of training, if you call it training, will be enough to prepare me to practice independently. Some suggested that I could finish it and then do super-fellowship ! I am really confused but my gut tells me to not wasting my time. I have done my previous trainings in university settings but this set up is just a mess. Do you guys think working on myself and teaching myself would be enough for general cardio ? Please advise ! Thanks

Hi there, I am a second-year critical care fellow and cardio applicant this year so I am gonna give you my 2 cent opinion: It is the fellowship training, not residency, doesn't expect attendings will hold hand and walk with you. Fellowship requires lots of independent study and autonomy in decision-making, learn from books, guidelines. My CCM training is similar.

It is getting harder to get in cardiology each year so don't ever think to drop out and re-apply, I don't even know if it is even possible. I would complete the training and get in either IC or EP if I were you. Hope it helps.

 

[thecalccobra]

I wanna share my experience as a first year cardiology fellow hoping that I would find a genuine advice as I am thinking to seriously quitting. I matched to a newly established program. Unfortunately the program run by a few number of private attendings, mostly interventionalists. Very Poor in structure, and very very poor in training. I would say they take care of their business and we take care of their patients. The only opportunity we have is doing procedures. I don’t feel this type of training, if you call it training, will be enough to prepare me to practice independently. Some suggested that I could finish it and then do super-fellowship ! I am really confused but my gut tells me to not wasting my time. I have done my previous trainings in university settings but this set up is just a mess. Do you guys think working on myself and teaching myself would be enough for general cardio ? Please advise ! Thanks

Fellowship is mostly about self studying and looking up stuff yourself. Don’t expect to be spoon fed. Feel free to ask an attending when you get stuck or want to clarify something.

I wouldn’t drop out. There are thousands of people who would do anything to be in your shoes.

 

[docimg]

I wanna share my experience as a first year cardiology fellow hoping that I would find a genuine advice as I am thinking to seriously quitting. I matched to a newly established program. Unfortunately the program run by a few number of private attendings, mostly interventionalists. Very Poor in structure, and very very poor in training. I would say they take care of their business and we take care of their patients. The only opportunity we have is doing procedures. I don’t feel this type of training, if you call it training, will be enough to prepare me to practice independently. Some suggested that I could finish it and then do super-fellowship ! I am really confused but my gut tells me to not wasting my time. I have done my previous trainings in university settings but this set up is just a mess. Do you guys think working on myself and teaching myself would be enough for general cardio ? Please advise ! Thanks

Just look at it this way - Self learning is paramount. With the rapid advances in the field, the training does not end with completion of fellowship. Embark on life long self learning now. You could become a decent cardiologist even if you have zero teaching which I doubt. There will always be couple of attendings who understand fellows' learning struggles and can provide valuable insights from time to time. Align with them. Do not drop out. You will regret.

 

[Hope always]

Thank you guys for your advice. I did come from a University program where they have in house cardiology fellowship ( unfortunately not matched there) program and I had some rotations with them. Based on that I feel my current training is not as it should be. There is always good training vs poor training, otherwise no need to have ranking list and any program should be Ok. I understand how competitive it is but thinking to join a cardiovascular research fellowship to improve my research and publications before applying again. I know someone who had similar experience and ended up matched again in a good program. I hope I make the right move and don’t regret later. Thanks

 

[heartfella]

Thank you guys for your advice. I did come from a University program where they have in house cardiology fellowship ( unfortunately not matched there) program and I had some rotations with them. Based on that I feel my current training is not as it should be. There is always good training vs poor training, otherwise no need to have ranking list and any program should be Ok. I understand how competitive it is but thinking to join a cardiovascular research fellowship to improve my research and publications before applying again. I know someone who had similar experience and ended up matched again in a good program. I hope I make the right move and don’t regret later. Thanks

Sounds like you've already made your mind. Good luck with your future endeavors. If you don't mind I ask where's the program at?

 

[chessknt]

Thank you guys for your advice. I did come from a University program where they have in house cardiology fellowship ( unfortunately not matched there) program and I had some rotations with them. Based on that I feel my current training is not as it should be. There is always good training vs poor training, otherwise no need to have ranking list and any program should be Ok. I understand how competitive it is but thinking to join a cardiovascular research fellowship to improve my research and publications before applying again. I know someone who had similar experience and ended up matched again in a good program. I hope I make the right move and don’t regret later. Thanks

I don't think you understand--the fact that you quit the same fellowship is going to be a death mark in your application. It doesn't matter what you do, no PD is going to take the chance that they don't meet your standards and you dip out on them. It isn't like you started with heme/onc and want to change to cardiology.

 

[deleted980918]

Don’t do it. You will regret it.

 

[thecalccobra]

Your chances of leaving and matching into a decent university program in the future are slim to none.

 

[paki20]

You can try transferring into a T32 research fellowship programs who allow research fellows to transition into clinical fellows. Know a couple of people who did that to switch programs but in return you have to give them 2 years of research time. If you're really desperate you can consider doing that outside the match before dropping the spot you have currently. Just make sure it's not a match violation to contact other programs.

 

[timpview]

It’s not ideal, but you’re going to make your life a lot more complicated than it has to..

See patients. Learn as you go.

 

[JK31]

I wanna share my experience as a first year cardiology fellow hoping that I would find a genuine advice as I am thinking to seriously quitting. I matched to a newly established program. Unfortunately the program run by a few number of private attendings, mostly interventionalists. Very Poor in structure, and very very poor in training. I would say they take care of their business and we take care of their patients. The only opportunity we have is doing procedures. I don’t feel this type of training, if you call it training, will be enough to prepare me to practice independently. Some suggested that I could finish it and then do super-fellowship ! I am really confused but my gut tells me to not wasting my time. I have done my previous trainings in university settings but this set up is just a mess. Do you guys think working on myself and teaching myself would be enough for general cardio ? Please advise ! Thanks

I’ll take your spot. What a waste. People would love to be in your position, stop complaining.

 

[heartfella]

I’ll take your spot. What a waste. People would love to be in your position, stop complaining.

Agree. I hope the OP wasn't a troll, hope he/she stays otherwise, please let us know, someone will fill in the spot in a heartbeat.

 

[aafisahar]

most of fellowship is self-learning. learn the guidelines, learn the nuances. no one is going to spoonfeed you **** anymore. time to crack open a book, sit down, read some echos/nukes/angios etc, and see what happens.

 

[alphakingdom]

Agree. I hope the OP wasn't a troll, hope he/she stays otherwise, please let us know, someone will fill in the spot in a heartbeat.

He wasnt trolling, bro

 

[heartfella]

He wasnt trolling, bro

Yes, I see that. If OP or anyone would share the program info, so the spot will not be wasted.

 

[cardsperson]

Wow. OP delivered.

 

[Ivabradine]

What's the hesitancy with naming the program? Would give others the heads up to avoid it.

 

[Imdream]

Because that gives you an idea who the OP is. Also, cardiology is a small world, everyone knows each other.

 

[IndieDessert]

Very interesting indeed. Life is short.