Rad Oncs specialized in Peds

[Gfunk6]

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It's my understanding that it is quite difficult to arrange a PGY-1 year doing solely Peds prior to entering a Rad Onc residency. Although some people can integrate Peds with a Transitional year, I was wondering where Rad Oncs who specialize in Peds get their early training (if anywhere).

Thanks!

 

[user_name]

In the few places I have been, the peds people had no specialized peds training. In fact, they have been junior faculty. As you may know, it is difficult to keep a busy peds only practice even in academic centers. I think this pushes the young faculty looking for a niche into the field. Usually, CNS, breast, thoracic, etc is already gobbled up when these youngsters arrive, so they latch onto the field. This is my very limited experience and may be very different in other locales. The two places I spent time did have large children's hospitals though. Many of the places I interviewed with, even at large centers, sent their residents to St. Jude's in Memphis for a rotation just to meet the minimum requirements, so I think the places I rotated had relatively large peds practices. The peds people still saw other adult patients, though.

 

[stephew]

It's my understanding that it is quite difficult to arrange a PGY-1 year doing solely Peds prior to entering a Rad Onc residency. Although some people can integrate Peds with a Transitional year, I was wondering where Rad Oncs who specialize in Peds get their early training (if anywhere).

Thanks!

http://www.radonc.jhmi.edu/faculty/dr_wharam.html
http://www.dana-farber.org/abo/danafarber/detail.asp?personID=429

 

[stephew]

at hopkins and Harvard, peds people see peds only. (though when the SRS guy died at JHH, the peds guy who had trained him started doing srs again).

 

[Ursus Martimus]

http://www.radonc.jhmi.edu/faculty/dr_wharam.html
http://www.dana-farber.org/abo/danafarber/detail.asp?personID=429

I hate to harp on this Steph, but it seems odd that someone would write:

"I just think its not of great practical benefit. If you go into a field you learn all about the chemo and medical management relative to that area anyway. I dont see the great advantage to a full licensure and cert in peds or IM or whatever."

And then present what you feel is a good example of someone who is particularly well suited for peds rad onc (as undoubtedly if my kid had neuroblastoma Stage IV and needed XRT and a bone marrow transplant I would bring them to her because she was trained in both.)???

Is there or is there not and advantage to the patient to be trained in peds or peds/heme onc????

 

[IndyXRT]

I hate to harp on this Steph, but it seems odd that someone would write:

"I just think its not of great practical benefit. If you go into a field you learn all about the chemo and medical management relative to that area anyway. I dont see the great advantage to a full licensure and cert in peds or IM or whatever."

And then present what you feel is a good example of someone who is particularly well suited for peds rad onc (as undoubtedly if my kid had neuroblastoma Stage IV and needed XRT and a bone marrow transplant I would bring them to her because she was trained in both.)???

Is there or is there not and advantage to the patient to be trained in peds or peds/heme onc????

The question was "where Rad Oncs who specialize in Peds get their early training (if anywhere)." The answer gave two examples: one person that was double boarded, one who did a med/peds internship. I think you're stretching to make this into something that supports your earlier argument.

 

[Ursus Martimus]

I was given this article by one the authors, it is worth checking out:

Pediatric radiation oncology--subspecialty training?
Constine LS, Donaldson SS.
Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 1992;24(5):881-4.

 

[stephew]

UM, the reason I picked those two people as particularly well suited for peds radonc is because they SPECIALIZE in peds radonc; not for the example of the double boarding. And frankly I picked them because I know them both. they are both renouned pediatric rad onc docs and both people in fact ive worked wtih. I provided them as examples of foilks who've done peds training in responce to the specifics of the question. Do I think that Karen's being double boarded makes her better? Funny you should ask. I cover for her (since I was trained under Dr. Wharam and have lots of Peds experience, and she's respects him deeply) often. She told me that when general pediatric issues come up (non radonc related) she sends them to the pediatricians at Children's rather than get involved in that aspect. This is the double boarded person and she is a phenomonal doc. And your comment about bringing your kid to her to "perform the BMT" illustrats my point perfectly and I think suggests you dont understand how clinics funtion in actuality; because she doesnt do the BMT. That is confined to the ward services of pediatric onc (not heme onc btw)

I provided both Karen and Moody as specific examples to answer the question asked. Does Karen feel being dual certified is better? I never asked her. Do I think that is the quality that makes her excellent? No. Is Moody Wharam a lesser doc? Loooooord no.

 

[Ursus Martimus]

Again the idea is that these people have additional insight in to the problem at hand, not that they would actually be preforming the bmt themselves. (Reinterating this part of the argument gets exceptionally stale.) That has never been the argument, that a physician would serve more than one role. Perhaps you may get your answer if you ask your double boarded college if she finds benefit in having been trained in multiple fields and then report back to us. If you are not willing to "publicize" their option, please don't site them as adding credience to your argument. As I too have a "friend of a friend" who thinks that there is huge benefit to being multiply trained but "I'm not going to tell you who or what they actually said." Sounds a bit childlish doesn't it - but I have heard that before.

If Dr. Marcus tells you she sees no benefit to having the additional training then I am willing to surrender to your anecdotal experience.