Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics.

[MegaBear]

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I’ve been following along quietly for a while.

I now have an opportunity to be in Russia for reasons unrelated to podiatry, and I’m considering spending up to a year at the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics.

My residency offers solid training with excellent level one trauma exposure. I had previously thought about pursuing a U.S. fellowship but decided against that path. I’m passionate about trauma and reconstruction, and I’m looking to gain as much experience as possible.

Do you know anyone who has gone through this institute, or do you have thoughts on whether it would be worthwhile? Is this a unique opportunity or more of a waste of time and resources? It’s been tough to find attendings who’ve taken this route, so any perspective would be greatly appreciated.

 

[air bud]

I’ve been following along quietly for a while.

I now have an opportunity to be in Russia for reasons unrelated to podiatry, and I’m considering spending up to a year at the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics.

My residency offers solid training with excellent level one trauma exposure. I had previously thought about pursuing a U.S. fellowship but decided against that path. I’m passionate about trauma and reconstruction, and I’m looking to gain as much experience as possible.

Do you know anyone who has gone through this institute, or do you have thoughts on whether it would be worthwhile? Is this a unique opportunity or more of a waste of time and resources? It’s been tough to find attendings who’ve taken this route, so any perspective would be greatly appreciated.

I think you learn a ton more there than you do in any fellowship here in the United States. A year is probably more than you need. Every fellow I ever meet is checked out after 6 months. So knock out 6 months in Russia and then get back here and start working and make your future happen.

 

[Stormblest]

I’m kinda ignorant to international affairs but is it generally safe to go there with the war going on?

 

[GreenHousePub]

I’ve been following along quietly for a while.

I now have an opportunity to be in Russia for reasons unrelated to podiatry, and I’m considering spending up to a year at the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics.

My residency offers solid training with excellent level one trauma exposure. I had previously thought about pursuing a U.S. fellowship but decided against that path. I’m passionate about trauma and reconstruction, and I’m looking to gain as much experience as possible.

Do you know anyone who has gone through this institute, or do you have thoughts on whether it would be worthwhile? Is this a unique opportunity or more of a waste of time and resources? It’s been tough to find attendings who’ve taken this route, so any perspective would be greatly appreciated.

If you can get a job overseas with your degree and the fellowship, why don't you pursue that as well? Might be something to look into if you are truly passionate about that life.

 

[diabeticfootdr]

I’ve been following along quietly for a while.

I now have an opportunity to be in Russia for reasons unrelated to podiatry, and I’m considering spending up to a year at the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics.

My residency offers solid training with excellent level one trauma exposure. I had previously thought about pursuing a U.S. fellowship but decided against that path. I’m passionate about trauma and reconstruction, and I’m looking to gain as much experience as possible.

Do you know anyone who has gone through this institute, or do you have thoughts on whether it would be worthwhile? Is this a unique opportunity or more of a waste of time and resources? It’s been tough to find attendings who’ve taken this route, so any perspective would be greatly appreciated.

A year might be too long, but 3-6 months would be a tremendous opportunity learning the foundation of external fixation and bone transport, but also they are conducting cutting-edge human research (that would probably not be approved in the US) which can give you ideas on how to improve the practice. But perhaps the most beneficial experience would be meeting leading surgeons from all over the world. You'll make great, life-long connections.

 

[de Ribas]

I’ve been following along quietly for a while.

I now have an opportunity to be in Russia for reasons unrelated to podiatry, and I’m considering spending up to a year at the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Center for Restorative Traumatology and Orthopaedics.

My residency offers solid training with excellent level one trauma exposure. I had previously thought about pursuing a U.S. fellowship but decided against that path. I’m passionate about trauma and reconstruction, and I’m looking to gain as much experience as possible.

Do you know anyone who has gone through this institute, or do you have thoughts on whether it would be worthwhile? Is this a unique opportunity or more of a waste of time and resources? It’s been tough to find attendings who’ve taken this route, so any perspective would be greatly appreciated.

How much will it cost you? Like another 50k or more? Podiatry fellowships rarely add any financial benefit down the road. Going out of the country, paying thousands of dollars while you could get a job here, earn income, and learn on the job doesnt make financial sense.

99% of the skills you will gain, you won't be able to apply here in US in 99% of practice types. Also, gaining ex-fix, limb salvage skills, means you will be doing these type of cases for the rest of your career dealing with this type of population. Nothing wrong with that. But do it if you absolutely love it. Otherwise, it is not a very wise financial decision going overseas while your student loan keeps accumulating more interest. If you really want to do limb salvage, there are plenty of US fellowships. Doing US limb salvage fellowship, you will not only learn limb salvage surgery, but also how to deal with that particular population, their socioeconomic challenges, insurance, practice management, etc. Surgery is just a small part of what you will do in limb salvage practice.
Go for a month, maximum 3 months. 1 year might not be good ROI.

 

[Feli]

Echo as above.

...fellowships are great in theory, but don't get in the perma-student mode.
Unless you're from a wealthy family, it'll bite you to compound interest on your big debt... badly.

A fellowship year where you get paid $50k instead of $150k+ leaves a lot on the table. Interest keeps compounding.
A fellowship year that costs you (doesn't pay and/or can't pay your loan interest) gets you even further behind.
It's all monopoly money... until you actually start paying it down. Then it is very real.

Many of us spend a decade or more paying off the borrowing years from pod school and its interest accumulated in residency.
Don't turn a decade into 1.5 or even 2 decades or more with a perma-student mentality.

As bad as it sounds, nearly every DPM has a fellowship of some sort today... pus bus year, PP fellowship, Ilizarov, mini-derm, AO, research, actual good fellowship recon year, whatever. We have so many fellowships that it's laughable. You simply won't be slapping ring frames on in many actual setups (too costly, time consuming, very hard without residency support).

If you're afraid of the job market, that's logical. But it will be there looming regardless. It's no longer any edge to do podiatry fellowship that leads to no additional cert (you said your residency training is pretty good), so just do it for self-enrichment if you choose... but don't get too much further into debt doing so. Basically, you'll face the same rugged job market regardless of fellowship podiatry training vs none. Extending training will lower your ROI, which is already not great. You want to get out there, get working, get ABFAS cert, pay off the debt asap.