Residency training

[ultm8frisbee]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Is it better to train in a program with fellowships available, or to train in a program where there are no fellows? For example, if someone wanted to go into pain, would it be beneficial to go to a program with a pain fellowship program or would you get better training going somewhere without the fellowship so that fellows wouldn't take all of the good learning opportunities?

 

[UTSouthwestern]

Is it better to train in a program with fellowships available, or to train in a program where there are no fellows? For example, if someone wanted to go into pain, would it be beneficial to go to a program with a pain fellowship program or would you get better training going somewhere without the fellowship so that fellows wouldn't take all of the good learning opportunities?

It's not so easy to say. You really need to see what volume and types of cases the center gets regardless of whether or not it has a fellowship. For example, Baylor Medical Center in Dallas has no cardiac fellowship, but they do 1,400 hearts a year and our residents have access to them. However, Texas Hearts in Houston has a big fellowship but has 2700 hearts each year and plenty to go around to both the fellows and residents of several different programs.

I would still ask residents during interviews if they had to compete with the fellows for cases, but wouldn't base my decision solely on that factor. You may have to compete for cases, but there may many, many cases still available.