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National organizations involved with US medical fellowships

If you’re looking for an open fellowship position in 2015, there are a few organizations you should be familiar with. They will help you in the fellowship process and in your future medical career.

They will not, however, help you to find unfilled fellowship positions – that’s where we come in:

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

This is the body responsible for accrediting most graduate-level medical fellowships and residencies in the United States. Its goal is to improve healthcare nationwide by promoting quality fellowship and residency programs. It is comprised of five member organizations including the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges.

ACGME maintains a number of databases that help you to research fellowship programs you are interested in, and provides further resources you can use during your fellowship.

The organization also carries out annual surveys for fellows and faculty members, in order to ensure they maintain high standards of education and care. You can expect to receive such a survey during your fellowship.

American Medical Association

The AMA publishes FREIDA, a database of residency and fellowship programs in the US. It lists information provided by participating programs in annual surveys. It does not list unfilled positions, however.

National Residency Matching Program

The NRMP is a private organization that matches applicants with suitable residency programs. It was created by five organizations including the AMA as a way to improve the residency filling process in the US. It also matches residents with suitable fellowship programs. It does not list unfilled positions.

Open Fellowship positions

Our organization fulfills a similar mission to NRMP, more commonly known as the Match. Unlike the Match or any other programs listed, we match fellowship applicants with unfilled fellowship positions. You can use the resources listed to find more information about our unfilled positions, but they will not help you to locate these open positions.

We maintain a comprehensive list of unfilled fellowship positions, and are constantly searching for new ones. We also liaise with other organizations and individual programs to maintain a fully updated list.

Questions to consider about plastic surgery residencies and fellowships

If you’re like most of the public, you probably associate plastic surgery with cosmetic modifications. In the US, breast enlargement is most popular, while in Asia, facial surgery to the forehead is considered the best way to boost one’s beauty. You can even find Youtube videos of people who customized their body to look like their favorite cartoon character.

The plastic surgeon is certainly the celebrity doctor in the public’s mind. Yet plastic surgeons operate nationwide, out of the Hollywood spotlight, mostly doing many types of lesser-known forms of treatment:

– Burn centers require plastic surgeons to help with acute and reconstructive burns.

– Emergency rooms and operating rooms require surgeons with expertise in emergency reconstructive surgery. This includes hand and upper extremity surgery, craniofacial reconstructive surgery – including the face, neck, and jaw – and general microsurgery, which covers any emergency reconstructive challenge a surgeon may encounter in practice.

– Pediatric centers require specialists in repair of congenital malformations, abnormal development, and trauma/surgery.

– Skin centers require plastic surgeons to repair patients with skin cancer, melanoma, wounds, and chronic illnesses.

Plastic surgery fellowships: An overview

Plastic surgery fellowships and residencies are highly competitive, as the field is lucrative and in demand. MedScape reports that in 2012, there were 300 applicants for 121 open residency positions. On the bright side, the option for doing cosmetic surgery means the plastic surgeon’s income is not as vulnerable to changes in insurance programs. A sudden downgrade in physician Medicare payments doesn’t affect cosmetic plastic surgeons as much as other fields.

What to look for

There are two basic post-MD programs for plastic surgeon specialists: longer-term, 6 or 7 year residencies in plastic surgery, and shorter term, 1 or 2 year fellowships for specialties. The longer-term residency is the base-level requirement for fellowships. Our general advice in our posts on choosing a residency program applies to plastic surgery residencies as well.

More specific to plastic surgery

Plastic surgery residencies are particularly long, so talk with current and past residents to inquire about the stability of the program. Enquire about the faculty and the hospitals or clinics the program works with. The last thing you want is for the hospital you were hoping to work with to be de-funded in the middle of your program.

A career as a plastic surgeon can be lucrative and rewarding, but the residencies are lengthy, involved, and highly competitive, so be sure to go the extra step when researching a program that is suitable for you!

Where to start when choosing a pediatric fellowship position

Before you even begin thinking about starting your application to new open pediatric fellowship positions, you’ve got to make sure you’re in the right frame of mind. After the many exhaustive years of training you’ve already undergone, it is easy to think you’re ready to commit to a particular subspecialty, but it is important to remember how crucial this choice is, and how this short-term decision can impact your long-term life goals.

There are a wide variety of pediatric subspecialties to choose from, and it all has to do with your skill set, your comfort with the particular demands of the subspecialty, as well as the short and long-term financial returns.

Pediatric neurology

Pediatric neurology is an excellent choice for the ambitious doctor, as it fills a growing need that exists within the US and the rest of the world. The hours can be particularly long within this subspecialty, but the compensation comes in the form of a rewarding lifestyle, through service to their patients, community service, advocacy and scholarly activities.

Pediatric pulmonary medicine

If you have a special interest in respiratory disorders, looking for a program in pediatric pulmonary medicine might be the right choice for you. As a pulmonary specialist, you will have the option of opening a general clinical practice, or focusing on the care of a smaller subset of patients. What is perhaps most rewarding about this field is the ability to form long-term relationships with patients, due to the nature of many respiratory diseases.

Pediatric rheumatology

To get the most access to academically challenging cases as a pediatrician, rheumatology is the way to go. Most pediatric rheumatologists work in an academic setting, and spend their time transferring scientific advancements into practical applications, and are able to find constant stimulation in the intellectual nature of their work. This subspecialty requires a three year fellowship.

These are only a few of the wide variety of options out there, but hopefully this can serve as a useful starting point for beginning your journey in any of the many pediatric subspecialties. Open fellowship positions are abound, and it is up to you to find the perfect fit!

Living the medical fellowship lifestyle

You will likely work long hours during your medical fellowship, especially if you take advantage of all optional conferences, seminars or research projects. How you take care of yourself will have a big impact on your performance and ability to learn; neglecting your short-term health could damage your long-term chances of succeeding in the industry. So even if you are just starting to sort through open fellowship positions using the premier fellowship job posting website, start to practice these healthy habits to set yourself up for success.

Limit your caffeine

You don’t need to down numerous cups of coffee to get through your search for medical fellowship programs when you use our job-posting site. So make sure your caffeine intake is not a nasty habit that causes you to have huge unsustainable bursts in energy, and devastating comedowns, during your medical fellowship.

Pack in the nutrients

Your body will function at its best when it is well fueled. So make sure you eat nutritious foods and well-balanced meals. Breakfast is especially important because it sets you up for a successful day. Your mind relies on glycogen, so make sure it has plenty of carbs so it can analyze, question and interpret everything that comes its way. This is important from the time you are considering different medical fellowship programs to your last hour at the doctor’s office.

Prioritize sleep

You want to be at your best when choosing open fellowship positions and when working with doctors and other fellows. So even when you feel tons of pressure and overwhelmed with tasks, make time for sleep. You will find that the efficiency you gain is well worth the hours you sacrificed.

Stay hydrated

Always carry a bottle and keep it full so you never forget to drink water, one of the most important macronutrients for your body and mind. Soda or coffee may sound appealing, but try water before giving yourself an unneeded sugar rush.

There are still many unfilled fellowship positions, so become a member to make finding one a stress-free process. Then carry your positive attitude and healthy habits into the next very exciting step in your medical career.

How to be professional during your medical fellowship

If you’re soon going to fill one of the open medical fellowship programs, you’ll want to make the best impression from day one. Fellowships can be launch pads into the rest of your medical career, so presenting yourself in a professional manner is critical. Here are seven keys to being professional during your medical fellowship.

1. Confidence: know you used the best website to sort through open fellowship positions and made the best choice. Carry this confidence that you did your due diligence into the doctor’s office, because you know you’re where you belong.

2. Look sharp: always wear the appropriate clothes and make sure they are spotless. Check the mirror and check it again before heading to work and again when you arrive.

3. Be early: if you aim to be on time, then you risk being late, which is never acceptable. So set your alarm for a few minutes earlier to reduce your potential stress and be on time.

4. Never gossip: spreading rumors is one of the worst things you can do in a professional setting. Respect all your colleagues and supervisors. If you have an issue with someone, discuss it with that individual directly.

5. Do your own research: medical fellowship programs can be very taxing, but find a couple of extra hours during the week to review recent research in your field of practice. Sharing this with supervisors and colleagues shows you are excited about your medical practice and go above and beyond.

6. Block social media: when you are working, you are not scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media website. Doing so is a sign of disrespect for your patients, supervisor and fellowship position.

7. Positive attitude: from the minute you arrive, exude a vibe that says you love what you do. This is especially important when dealing with patients that may be hurting and frustrated.

There are still many unfilled 2015 fellowship positions. With these tips to being as professional as possible, you’ll be one of the best candidates to fill a premier open medical fellowship position.

5 ways to make the most from your medical fellowship position

When you finish your residency, you will be anxious to start practicing medicine on your own. The tendency can be to rush through your fellowship and discount the benefits of medical fellowship programs. But this can be one of the most meaningful times in your medical education. Slow down and gain perspective to set yourself up for a long and successful medical career.

To reap all the benefits of medical fellowship programs, follow these 5 tips:

1. Make an informed decision: when looking for open fellowship positions, use a fellowship job posting site that provides an expansive list of past, current and upcoming fellowship openings. It should be easy to navigate so you can sort through all your options efficiently. Then you will know you considered all your options before choosing among the many medical fellowship programs.

2. Ask questions: you may feel like an expert, but you lack the experience of the doctors who have been practicing for years. The more questions you ask during your medical fellowship, the more you soak up their experience. Be considerate of when and how you ask questions, but let none go unanswered.

3. Make mistakes: you are going to make mistakes, which is why you are under the careful eye of independently practicing doctors. Don’t let your mistakes knock your confidence. Admit your faults and embrace them as a learning experience.

4. Network: building professional relationships is critical in almost any career, but this is especially important as a doctor. From your supervisors to fellows, everyone can become a part of your team. This can happen in and out of the office, so take advantage of shared time in any setting.

5. Community outreach: this is not a side task of your medical fellowship. With a positive attitude, you can leverage this to help others while building a bright future for yourself. Many fellows end up practicing where they held medical fellowship positions, so these may be your future advocates or patients.

There are still many unfilled 2015 fellowship positions waiting for you to claim. Sign up today to receive updates on open fellowship programs and build your bright future as a doctor.

What can I expect from a fellowship program?

In the US and Canada, most graduate students take part in a period of professional and medical training known as a fellowship. A fellowship typically follows an internship, and is appropriate after a student has successfully completed a specialty training program (most often called a residency for medical students).

Most fellowships last for about a year, although programs can be as short as three months and as long as three years. During the course of the fellowship, participants are known as fellows and will engage in career development, refining the knowledge that was gained during residency, and learning skills they might be lacking.

Fellows are trusted to conduct themselves as attending professionals. There are fellowships that deal with a variety of topics (such as media, arts, public policy and NPOs), but traditionally, fellowships are granted to graduates studying medicine. A participant in a medical fellowship program may serve as a consultant physician in the field they were trained in (such as pediatrics). Once a fellow has completed his or her fellowship in the appropriate sub-specialty, this physician is then allowed to practice medicine without direct supervision by other physicians.

The goal of a fellowship is to provide comprehensive training to professionals and post-residents, and to offer physicians exposure to the major field of their interest. Every fellowship is somewhat different, but what each has in common is the goal of advancing individuals towards their independence as professionals. Some of the activities that fellows can expect to participate in include clinical training, rotations and lab work, as well as research and community outreach.

Frequently, these fellowships are complemented by a schedule of conferences, lectures or other professional gatherings. Fellows may be supported by research mentors, and often forge relationships with other respected leaders and fellows; they can become established in a location or practice where they may continue on after their fellowship concludes.

You may not know what kind of fellowship you’re most interested in now, but we offer a comprehensive listing of all past, current and upcoming fellowship openings. Sign up today to receive updates on open fellowship programs.

Questions to consider when searching for an open fellowship position

So you’ve finished your MD, and are looking for open fellowship positions where you will get paid, on-the-job training. You are an expert at helping theoretical people with theoretical problems, but now you need to learn how to help real people with real problems.

A good fellowship program will have you working with practicing researchers and doctors who are invested in your success.

What you learn as a fellow will determine your career path, so be sure to carefully investigate a variety of fellowship programs to find the one that is best for you. The following are some things to consider when looking for a suitable fellowship program.

Research opportunities

Some fellowships focus purely on research, and you will learn how to publish research articles in peer-reviewed journals. If you are wanting to gain research experience during your fellowship, ask your program which journals past fellows have published in, and consider contacting those fellows.

Ask them open-ended questions, such as: can you describe the role you did in the research? Were other fellows part of the research team, or were you working with practicing research physicians? Also consider contacting the researchers you would be working with to evaluate what your role would be, and to see how committed they are to your success.

Mentors

If your goal is a fellowship designed for medical practitioners, you will likely be working in a more intensive position, such as in a critical care unit. The hours in these are notoriously demanding, and their quality will depend on the experienced doctors who will be mentoring you.

The two most common types of practitioner fellowships are in pulmonary/critical care and hematology/oncology. Ask current mentors and fellows about their work, and their typical day in the fellowship.

Benefits

Most fellowships offer sufficient pay to cover living and travel expenses, but the main form of benefit is the on-the-job training, so fully investigate the training you will be getting in the fellowship.

Also consider asking where past fellows have ended up working. This will give you an idea of where you’ll be able to work after completing your fellowship.

Conferences

Are there any conferences that fellows are encouraged to attend? These provide opportunities for networking with other professionals, and the connections you make at them will serve you throughout your professional life.

As you investigate each fellowship opening in our database, consider these topics and remember to ask lots of questions. Asking detailed questions will help you stand out in the selection process and show you are a committed candidate.

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