what is a fellowship?

[blueberry]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hi,

I've searched through the forum and I'm still a little confused about the difference between residency and fellowship. From what I gathered, fellowship is something you do after the residency for certain specialties? So if you're not doing those specialties, then basically you're done after the residency? Are there any other enrichment programs after residency available?

Also, this is a basic question, but I'm wondering if you did residency for a specialty, can you still do GP?

thanks.

 

[ericdamiansean]

after many years of work and experience, and the people from the board like you..that's when you get made into a fellow..or else..you may be young..but you contributed alot via research etc...and they like you, so, they make you a fellow 😀

 

[Blake]

after many years of work and experience, and the people from the board like you..that's when you get made into a fellow..or else..you may be young..but you contributed alot via research etc...and they like you, so, they make you a fellow 😀

If it only required so little efforts, I'd be happy😀

To the OP, you mostly got it right. I can't say more than that, I'm just a future MS1 who still has a lot to learn.

 

[Seaglass]

You are confusing two meanings of fellow.

A Fellow in the educational sphere is a person pursuing some level of added qualifications after residency training has been completed. Most fellowships are only available to persons from particular residency training areas: eg. pain fellowship for anesthesiologists, cards for IM.

A "Fellow" of Such-And-Such organization is someone elected to that position by the members of that organization and credentials them as a member in good standing. It is not something that is given immediately upon membership but is earned after several years of membership and contribution to the field.

C

 

[Blake]

Seaglass, what does PGY1 stand for ?

 

[edmadison]

Hi,

I've searched through the forum and I'm still a little confused about the difference between residency and fellowship. From what I gathered, fellowship is something you do after the residency for certain specialties? So if you're not doing those specialties, then basically you're done after the residency? Are there any other enrichment programs after residency available?

Also, this is a basic question, but I'm wondering if you did residency for a specialty, can you still do GP?

thanks.

You are correct. Fellowship allows you to sub specialize. Cardiology requires a fellowship after medicine (or peds), foot and ankle surgery requires a fellowship after orthopaedic surgery. Whether you do a fellowship is largely up to you, although you will need to have done a good job in residency. Many fellowships permit you to sit for sub-specialty boards, thus you can become a board certified internist and a board certified cardiologist. Other fellowships do not.

How you practice is up to you. If you are a family practice doctor you can do "sports medicine" without taking the fellowship. Similarly, you can practice geriatric medicine as an internist without having done the fellowship. You simply cannot hold yourself out to be a "board certified geriatrician". Depending on the state, you could say you focussed on the elderly or the geriatric population.

All this has limits of course, which comes back to your other question: Can you still be a GP? The answer is yes. Remember, however that there really isn't such a thing as general practitioners anymore. Once you have passed the USMLE X 3 and completed a year of residency (or two in some states) you will have an unrestricted medical license. This lets you do everything from psychiatry to urology. There are three primary limits on this, however. First, you will not be able to get malpractice insurance for neurosurgery if you aren't trained in it. This is a clear example, it get fuzzier in situations like FPs delivering babies and such. Second, your hospital will likely not give you priviledges to admit patients and perform procedures outside your area expertise. Finally, the medical insurance company will not credential you outside your area of expertise and thus not pay you. This last catagory is rather new in the large scheme of things. If you simply want to see some outpatients you'll probably be OK given the three items above, but if it becomes a problem you could always work in a free clinic. The bigger question is will you still feel secure in your general medical abilities after you have specialized.

Hope that helps,

Ed

 

[ericdamiansean]

You are confusing two meanings of fellow.


A "Fellow" of Such-And-Such organization is someone elected to that position by the members of that organization and credentials them as a member in good standing. It is not something that is given immediately upon membership but is earned after several years of membership and contribution to the field.

C

That means that I have to be nice to them and they have to like me right? in the UK, I think that's how they elect a fellow? I'm not too sure

 

[EctopicFetus]

Seaglass, what does PGY1 stand for ?

Post-Graduate Yr 1, basically the 1st yr after you graduate. There are at least 3 of these and up to 10 or so for CT Surgery

 

[Blake]

Post-Graduate Yr 1, basically the 1st yr after you graduate. There are at least 3 of these and up to 10 or so for CT Surgery

Thanks. So, they mean the same thing as the number of years spent in residency, right ?

 

[IceKid]

Thanks. So, they mean the same thing as the number of years spent in residency, right ?

yeah.. so a PGY-1 is an intern.

 

[blueberry]

thanks for all the replies. it clears up a lot of my questions. I'm just starting MS1 so I still have a LONG way before I'll even start residency...or fellowship, if I do end up doing one.