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Residency/Fellowship programs


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Can anyone who has completed a PA residency or fellowship program provide some insight into their value? I've read a lot of threads here recommending people try a residency for various reasons, but haven't read much first-hand experience. I am about to graduate, and finding a job in my specialty of choice has been nearly impossible. I found a fellowship program, and am wondering if the career benefits would be worth it. How likely is it to improve my chances at getting a job in the right specialty in a place I'd like to live? Any other thoughts?

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I have not completed a fellowship or residency.

Our group recently hired a EM residency grad.

He has had an easier start than most of our prior hires, none which did a residency.

I also find him more polished and professional.

I think completing a residency gives you 2 important things. First experience, second a group of individuals whom can verify your qualifications and serve as references for you.

If you can live on the salary for a year and get accepted, I would highly recommend doing one. I see very little downside.

G Brothers PA-C

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I also am considering a residency. I graduate in about two months and am really considering surgery or critical care, although I feel pretty unprepared for either one as a newbie. Ideally, I'd like a position that will offer me great training and a mentor who will show me the ropes over a period of months, but I understand that is rarely the case. Then I'm left to think that maybe a residency is the best idea if I want to work in these areas. I'm also reading horror stories about people who get jobs as hospitalist PAs and are subsequently fired because they aren't "up to speed" but get very little training.

 

So my question is this: if I want to end up in surgery or as a hospitalist PA, is it wise to

(a). Just apply for jobs and try to pick the right one, crossing my fingers that it works out

(b). Apply for residency

©. Work in an area more suited for a new grad that will prepare me to work in these areas. And if so, what positions might prepare me?

 

Thanks very much for any words of wisdom or suggestions.

 

Also sorry for hijacking this thread--hopefully any replies to my question help the OP too!

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I think every new grad today should be asking themselves why not do a residency . the advantages of doing one are clear: better training, better scope of practice and autonomy down the road, likely better salaries and better choice of locations. this will be the model for pa education in the future. If a I graduated today I would apply to 3-5 residencies in my specialty of choice. this was not an option 20 years ago in many fields. today it is the best option.

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It is not an option for many of us because we cannot afford to pay bills and pay back minimum loan requirements on a residency salary, especially considering some take more than 40 hours a week.  Sounds nice for those who are in a financial position to do it.  But I don't even think then it's always a better deal than a job that is willing to invest in training.  In a residency you are still (I presume, have not attended one myself) having your hand held to some varying degree, compared to being forced to make decisions on your own (but with guidance) which is a good environment for learning IMHO.  There is a good hem/onc residency that some time I would like to consider after getting a few years as a generalist but for now doing any type of residency is just not an option and I don't consider that a hinderance either.

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It is not an option for many of us because we cannot afford to pay bills and pay back minimum loan requirements on a residency salary, especially considering some take more than 40 hours a week.  Sounds nice for those who are in a financial position to do it.  But I don't even think then it's always a better deal than a job that is willing to invest in training.  In a residency you are still (I presume, have not attended one myself) having your hand held to some varying degree, compared to being forced to make decisions on your own (but with guidance) which is a good environment for learning IMHO.  There is a good hem/onc residency that some time I would like to consider after getting a few years as a generalist but for now doing any type of residency is just not an option and I don't consider that a hinderance either.

 

Loans can be deferred during residency and there are repayment plans such as the IBR/ICR if you do choose to enter repayment that will make it so you can still live reasonably well.  Graduated responsibility(or hand-holding as you call it, which is inaccurate) helps to build successful, confident providers.  If it wasn't a good environment for learning then you wouldn't see physicians do it.  It minimizes risk while maximizing learning and instant feedback.  One of the biggest draws for me is the didactic component with protected time and an environment where your job is not solely to produce.  It will be a lot different if you're expected to attend daily lectures, M&M, team rounds, participate in research, take exams, etc. versus the expectation that for 10 hrs per day you need to produce money for a practice and any learning beyond that needs to be done on your own time.  

 

I was told at the interview for the program I'll be attending something along the lines of "your primary job here is to learn."  I found that very attractive.

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But I don't even think then it's always a better deal than a job that is willing to invest in training. 

"think" and "invest" are the operative words in your sentence IMHO. I have read too many times where someone 'thought' they were going to get on the job training and it turned out just the opposite. Don't assume you will get trained these days from what I have been told. It is a doggy dog world out there. WOOF!

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"think" and "invest" are the operative words in your sentence IMHO. I have read too many times where someone 'thought' they were going to get on the job training and it turned out just the opposite. Don't assume you will get trained these days from what I have been told. It is a doggy dog world out there. WOOF!

YUP, or you will be trained only what they want you to know, not the full scope of your specialty. in em, they might just stick you in fast track seeing low acuity pts only for example.

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I updated the EM residency list today(thanks Blue goose for a new one). there are now 22 that I know of. any others? Let me know by PM. There are a few sketchy ones I refuse to add which are basically slave labor with no off service rotations. Don't send me those. 

current list of quality sites:

http://www.physicianassistantforum.com/index.php?/topic/7-emergency-medicine-linksresidencies/

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Has anyone every totaled the number of residency slots available and then compared that with the number of Physician Assistant graduates each year? It seems implausible that "every graduate should consider a residency." If every graduate was persuaded that residency was essential for their career success, there would still be overwhelming odds against getting a slot if everyone had to get a residency done. 

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I did my resdiency in Surgery.

 

It's by far the most intense experience you can have for clinical exposure, unless you happen to get a job as a new grad in a very busy practice.

There is a a high degree of autonomy expected form day one in residency, coupled with a strong support system. These are teaching institutions for the most part so you have a GME hierarchy of residents-fellows-attendings to work with.

Another advantage over going straight into a traditional job is that you will be exposed to many different docs in residency, far more than in a OJT setting. This will broaden your exposure and make it easier to field a variety of problems with a deep differential off the bat. 

 

Generalist PA education does not have the time to prepare a new grad for specialty practice, and residency is a great resource for that.

 

As was said above, you can defer loans. I was NOT in any financial position to do it- nor were most of my fellow resident PAs- but it's manageable. We got subsidized housing and food which was a good offset.

 

The main limitations are if you have a family/kids, or if you are geographically bound and there isn't a residency near you.

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According to some seasoned PA comments the fellowship can hurt you if you want to change fields later in your career. You will have way more q's to answer as why you trading EM to cardiology for example

Why is that? If you do an EM residency and practice EM for three years, why would that raise more questions than practicing EM for five years with no residency if you then want to shift into cardiology? Couldn't you just say that EM (and the associated residency) had been a great experience and that you developed an interest in cardiology while practicing EM? Or maybe that you no longer want to deal with the EM schedule?

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire HDX using Tapatalk 2

 

 

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