Timeline for fellowship application

[Fabio]

I know this question has probably been posted and answered a billion times, but . . .

Can anyone explain the timeline for applying for fellowships? When do you have to decide what, if any, fellowships you want to apply for? Can you apply for more than one fellowship specialty at a time, or is it a pain (like doing a separate application when applying to more than one kind of residency)? What, if anything, needs to be done during intern year to start applying for fellowships? As a 4th year getting ready to graduate from med school, am I expected to know what I want to specialize in?

Any pearls at all would be appreciated.

Thanks.

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[notstudying]

I'm also a fourth year, so there hopefully will be others posting who know more, but here's what I've seen...

You don't need to know going into internship what you want to do (thank goodness!), but it helps to think about it early on, because many programs interview while you are in your second year. This means that you ideally need to do electives in your favorite subspecialty(ies) early 2nd year. I don't think it means you can't interview during your third year, but spots may be gone for that year. I do know people who for a variety of reasons have done a one year fellowship to bridge between third year and a full 3 year fellowship. I don't know how hard it is to interview for more than one subspecialty.

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Greetings future academic pediatricians:

Today the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Research ended so I am back to the real world instead of hours of listening to talks, etc. By the way, for those of you who are first yr med students or will be next next year, the SPR has a wonderful summer research program which I strongly encourage you to look at. Lots of info about it at their site www.aps-spr.org - it is competitive and has a relatively early deadline (can't remember when exactly) for applications.

With regard to pedi fellowships, it's certainly true that most fellowship applications and interviews occur in the PL-2 year. From what I understand of the "adult" side though, the pedi side is a bit more relaxed regarding timing and the competitiveness of most fellowships. There are certainly some competitive fellowships though. It really isn't necessary to decide until the PL-2 year and of course, lots of folks do wait until the PL-3 year to decide and either slip into a spot or wait around for a year (e.g. by doing a chief year).

Personally, I think that this is early to be making decisions (that is by fall of the PL-2 year),especially since many residents won't have done much specialty work by then. But, this is the way it is so one does have to begin to make decisions in the intern year and finalize them no later than the middle of the PL-2 year for many, but not all, fellowships.

I've not really heard of people applying to two different fellowship specialties. I think that would be unusual and not be supported well by most fellowship directors. Better to wait around and decide for sure what you want.

Finally, I note that many fellows at even the most "competitive" pedi fellowships trained in relatively small or non-academic programs. I think pedi fellowships care much more about who you are and what your goals are than your pedigree.

Regards

oldbear professor

 

[Fabio]

Thank you, Oldbear professor!

As someone else already mentioned, it is really great to have you on this forum!

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Gosh thanks, I think I'll stick around.

By the way, here's a little story for you folks.....I went to a state medical school and a relatively non-academic pediatric residency program (my THIRD choice in the match!). When I applied for fellowship, I got a letter from one program telling me that my training in research was inadequate for their intense academic program (sure). What was even more annoying was that I hadn't even applied there - only sent a letter REQUESTING an application

I saved the letter of course and have made a "slide" of it that I show when I give talks on academic pediatrics. I have resisted the urge to send that institution my CV, however....

So, keep those letters of rejection from med schools, residencies and fellowships - you'll have the chance to "laugh" at them later.

oldbearprofessor

 

[notstudying]

When I applied for fellowship, I got a letter from one program telling me that my training in research was inadequate for their intense academic program (sure).

oldbearprofessor

That's really funny, because I interviewed at a peds program at an academic program, at an institution well known for research, and they told me I would not be able to do research as a resident! (I didn't rank them...)

Guess their residents won't go on to fellowship!

See ya at PAS next year

 

[BPKurtz]

Greetings future academic pediatricians:

Today the annual meeting of the Society for Pediatric Research ended so I am back to the real world instead of hours of listening to talks, etc. By the way, for those of you who are first yr med students or will be next next year, the SPR has a wonderful summer research program which I strongly encourage you to look at. Lots of info about it at their site www.aps-spr.org - it is competitive and has a relatively early deadline (can't remember when exactly) for applications.

I participated in this after my 1st year and it was really great. The stipulation is that you have to work with a pediatric researcher affiliated with an institution other than your home school. That worked out well for me because I could spend the summer with my parents, who live near Vermont. I enjoyed my research at UVM and didn't think much of it until I was interviewing and then basically every program director in the northeast I interviewed with remarked on it -- turns out everyone in pediatric academia apparently knows who this guy is. So that was nice. Anyway, this program is great -- you learn cool stuff that is relevant to peds, you get paid (the stipend definitely covers your living expenses), you get to see a different part of the country for a summer, and it looks good on a CV. I believe the purpose of the program is to encourage those who are interested in peds to consider making some kind of research a career priority for them. In my case, it strengthened a hunch that I was going to incorporate research into my career. I guess this is the wrong time to post about it though, because the message will apply to the incoming med 1's who need to apply before February of their 1st year, I believe.

bpkurtz

 

[oldbearprofessor]

By the way, my lab group is listed among those you can apply for and I have had several students before. They really encourage you to complete a project during your summer. However, since I am not listed as "oldbearprofessor" there (why not?? ), you might need to PM me if you're interested!

Regards

Oldbearprofessor

 

[sjkpark]

Does the spr programme accept applications from students outside US and Canada?

What's your area of research, oldbearprofessor? I'm quite fascinated by the fetal programming and fetal origins of adult diseases, since I was born a wee preemie (1.7kg).

There's going to be a lecture at my school by Professor Jane Harding, Professor of Neonatology at the University of Auckland about this topic soon. (She gave us a lecture about this before.)

Unfortunately I've chosen to do my general medicine run at a hospital 2 hours away!

 

[oldbearprofessor]

http://www.aps-spr.org/Student_Research/Info.htm

Hi - the SPR website doesn't seem to say anything about this topic, so I suggest writing them and asking. I'm sure they won't pay airfare, but they might well consider non-North American students.

The idea of fetal programming, while not my research area, is a very interesting one indeed with considerable new information coming out in recent years. Much of this data has been epidemiologic as it is challenging to do human experiments on this. Nonetheless, it is clear that fetal malnutrition (not necessarily prematurity itself though, especially for > about 30-32 weeks gestation) is not a good thing in the long-run for babies in terms of long-term risks for varying problems!

Regards

oldbear professor

Does the spr programme accept applications from students outside US and Canada?

What's your area of research, oldbearprofessor? I'm quite fascinated by the fetal programming and fetal origins of adult diseases, since I was born a wee preemie (1.7kg).

There's going to be a lecture at my school by Professor Jane Harding, Professor of Neonatology at the University of Auckland about this topic soon. (She gave us a lecture about this before.)

Unfortunately I've chosen to do my general medicine run at a hospital 2 hours away!