regional anesthesia fellowships

[junebugjohnson]

Hello all,

Just wondering if someone might have an educated opinion on the practical advantages of being an "expert" in regional anesthesia. I realize there is a niche in academics, but what about the private practice world? Would completing a regional fellowship do much for you in leveraging a position in a desirable group? Is it worth the time?

I enjoy regional, and think that I would enjoy a fellowship. But I'm not in love with it and wouldn't mind pursuing other areas or none at all as well. Just trying to gather info for big decisions on the horizon, and I was wondering how useful a regional fellowship is in the PP world...

thanks,
JBJ

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[USAnesthesiaDoc]

I also really liked regional anesthesia as a resident, but wanted to get out into private practice. I had quite a bit of exposure to it and felt comfortable with most peripheral nerve blocks and neuraxial anesthesia. Been out of residency now for about 2 years and have been only in private practice in NJ. My skills in regional have been extremely beneficial to both groups that I've worked with. The group that I am working with now (long story why I changed practices, but basically due to inequities in partners which were not apparent until I got there) mostly consists of older partners who don't or can't do regional anesthesia. I have really changed the way a lot of the ortho cases are being done now, just in a matter of months, and surgeons have requested me A LOT for their cases. The partners are happy because of the billing situation (extra reimbursement for ultrasound use, blocks for post-op pain, etc), and I am happy because I like doing regional. So in sum, didn't do a fellowship but it didn't matter because I had great training as a resident. Hope this helps.

 

[urgewrx]

For academics it's worthwhile. For private practice it will give you a bit of an edge but I don't think you recover your year of lost salary. Lot of new guys coming out of residency doing blocks. Plus, there is a bunch of "old guys", who never did a block in residency, doing blocks in private practice. Take a weekend course. Read a book. Do your first block for "pain management" in addition to GA. If the block does not work, who cares? Pt goes to sleep anyway. You do enough until you eventually get good at it and don't need GA anymore. And, now with the sonogram there is less voodoo.


6 months fellowship might be doable. Should really be like 3 months. After all, how many blocks really need to be supervised? Probably the deep ones:
Lumbar, sciatic (ant, post), supraclavicular, infraclavicular, and paraspinal. Put in a few catheters and that's about it.
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