Fellowship

[Auspicious]

Maybe this could also go in the FAQ section, but I'm a little foggy on what fellowship is, exactly.

Is it considered part of residency, as internship is, or is it a distinctly separate phase of training? Is it just for surgeons? Is it just for sub-specializing? Do some primary care fields include a fellowship? Are fellows paid more like residents or more like attendings, or somewhere in between? Not everyone does a fellowship, right? If someone is a PGY 8, does that mean they're a fellow, or are some residencies really 8 years long?

Can anyone spell this out for me?

Julie, fellowship as I understand it (and am living it), is distinct from residency. My Dh finished his pediatrics residency (normally 3 years) and is and is now pursuing a Heme/Onc fellowship which takes another 3 years. So basically, his specialty will be not just pediatrics but heme/onc pediatrics - children with cancer and other blood disorders. Others in his residency class who choose not to do a fellowship, can take their boards, are able to enter private practice when they have completed residency. Fellowship furthers training but the pay isn't much better but depending on your fellowship, the more specialized you are the more focused you are within a specific course within the field so maybe that would translate into more pay later on but that is not necessarily the case.

I don't know if that answers any of your questions or not. No one is obligated to do a fellowship but some do if they are more interested in a specific area of a specialty, if that makes any sense. Basically, my DH doesn't find being a general pediatrician very rewarding (well-baby checkups would bore him to death), and finds the challenges of hematology/oncology more rewarding.

[SueC]

Yep--what she said. My husband is a fellow, too. He wasn't happy as doing internal med and pediatrics (what his residency was in) and prefers the fast paced life of the ICU, so he is doing a fellowship in pulmonary/critical care. There was a slight increase in pay, but nothing to write home about. I don't know anything a out the PG8 thing you mentioned. I've never really understood those terms.

[DCJenn]

hmmm- why are so many of them opting out of generel peds??? My beloved opted to go for a fellowship in peds neuro because he also was more jazzed about a selective discipline in pediatrics than the well-baby, asthma, ADHD check-ups and loves the whole brain thing!!

Anyway, at least in the military, it's an additional training- three more years. Since he owes seven after training, that means we're looking at 10 more years with Uncle Sam.

Fellowship is essentially a chance to specialize in whatever area interests them. During residency, they have opportinities to experience the variious specialties and for some people they seem very interesting. (for others- they are a visit to hell- like my husband's experience in the NICU- but for one of the other Jennifers'- her husband is planning on specializing in NICU.) So- if they want to go on, it's an opportunity to be an "expert" in a small area of whatever area of medicine they like to start with!

Fellowship is a separate application process for further sub-specialization in a related field....there are different sub-specialities for medicine and surgery...I'm not sure about Peds. Some fellowships are part of the match and some are not. For example, ID is a sub-speciality of medicine and requires a two-year fellowship. (That's what my DH is doing). ID is part of the match but GI and Renal for example are not. After three years of medicine residency (PGY 1, PGY 2, PGY 3) my DH will be a PGY 4 and in his last year he will be PGY 5. Whoo hoo PGY 5!!! My friend's husband is doing a five year surgery resident with a two year fellowship so his last year he will be a PGY 7.

Hope this helps!

[Auspicious]

Thanks, guys!

[Michele]

What does the PGY mean? Post grad year?

I believe it means post graduate year.

[Phoebe]

My husband subspecialized in neonatology after his pediatrics residency because like many others spouses, he couldn't fathom the idea of well-child check ups all day long. He likes the hands-on aspect of being in the NICU and being able to perform procedures. His fellowship is 3 years combined of clinical work and research. Getting an article published on his research is apparently a part of becoming board certified in neonatology.

Jennifer

[SueC]

Yeah, same with my husband. He was bored stiff with seeing patients in the out-patient clinic. I was thinking about that the other day when I took my daughter in--the pediatrician practically had to do a tap dance for her to get her to let him look in her ears! I can't imagine doing that all day!

[PrincessFiona]

FAQ

Does anyone feel up to writing this up for the FAQ section?

kris