Landing the Best Cardiology Fellowship

Written By: Sharon Cretsinger

Congratulations on the incredible achievement of nearing the completion of your studies at an accredited school of medicine.  Becoming a physician is both a noble pursuit and a difficult career path that requires many steps. While understanding the steps may become confusing at times, most medical students, like you, are pretty certain about the specialty they would like to pursue post-graduation.  If your choice is cardiology, now is the time to apply for a cardiology fellowship.  You will have many choices, including a Georgetown cardiology fellowship and other fellowships on the Atlantic seaboard.  You can actually find a cardiovascular disease fellowship in any part of America you might enjoy, as long as you are sticking with a major metropolitan area.

Applying for a Cardiovascular Fellowship: Your Personal Statement

While the application process for these fellowships can be very competitive, you can give yourself an edge by making your personal statement the very best it can be.  Here are some tips that come straight from some of the physicians who actually review fellowship applications:

• Clearly explain the things that make you interested in that particular program.  It is not necessary to give details about your personal life, but do be specific about your professional goals and how they match the fellowship for which you are applying.
• Find out what qualities and skill sets the reviewers are seeking.  Demonstrate that you have these.
• Use specific examples to show how you would be a good fit for the program. Think of actual experiences you have had that led you to apply for that particular program.
• Your personal statement is not a place to restate your CV or things already stated in other parts of the application.  It is a venue to tell a story about your own goals and experiences, thus giving a context to the other application materials.
• Come across as confident, but not arrogant.  It is always good to keep in mind that those reviewing your application may be future colleagues.  Leave an impression of someone with whom they would like to work.

Choose the Right Family Medicine Residency

Written By: Sharon Cretsinger

Congratulations on nearing the completion of your medical degree!  This is an accomplishment that has taken time, energy and extraordinary dedication to achieve.  You deserve to take some time to be proud of yourself.  Perhaps you have already selected a specialty.  If you have chosen family medicine, you will soon need to start applying for a family medicine residency program.  Even after you have chosen this specialty, there are more specific choices you need to consider.

Family Medicine Residency: Practice Settings

• Do you want your family medicine residency to take place in a private practice setting?  You will still have to choose between a solo or group practice.
• If you plan to eventually be employed in a hospital or community health center, it would be smart to choose a residency program in this setting as well.  In terms of more urban settings, you might consider the Franklin family medicine residency program.
• A multi specialty group practice offers the opportunity for better communication between different team members, providing convenience for the patients it serves.  If your goal is to work in this setting, it is important to look for a residency program in a multi specialty group practice.
• Some family physicians feel strongly about practicing in a rural setting such as Idaho or Iowa.  There is actually a great need for family doctors in those areas, so you will not be likely to have as much difficulty securing a residency in a rural area.

Family Medicine Residency:  Practice Emphases

• Public Health is an area of emphasis in which the family physician provides services to under-served populations or participates in working groups to track disease epidemiology.
• Many family doctors choose to be hospitalists because they can then have admitting privileges for their patients and provide continued care for them while they are admitted to a hospital.
• Some doctors who are hospitalists choose to further specialize in only emergency room or urgent care settings.
• International or wilderness medicine may be right for the family doctor with a sense of adventure.  These doctors provide care in extreme conditions where resources may be scarce.

 

Deciding If Emergency Medicine Residency Is for You

Choosing a position within the emergency medical field to study can be a difficult task, as there are many options to choose from. One frequently sought after position to pursue is that of an emergency physician. Emergency physicians are responsible for studying patient history, performing physical exams, and determining which tests, if any, are necessary. Emergency physicians are trained to care for patients through a variety of methods, such as performing surgery or prescribing medication or therapy. These are not the only responsibilities of emergency physicians, but they are responsible for so many aspects that is nearly impossible list them all. They may also be given slightly different duties, depending on which office or hospital they are practicing in.

The Pros and Cons of Becoming an Emergency Physician

Pros

• Because emergency physicians are trained in so many aspects of medicine, they can often diagnose and provide treatment themselves, rather than referring patients to other doctors of specialists.
• Emergency physicians often have better schedules than many other medical professionals, usually working 8-12 hours at a time with less chance of being “on call” in the case of emergency.
• Because they often work side by side with other nurses and doctors, emergency physicians are able to build relationships and utilize teamwork to finish their duties more quickly and efficiently.

Cons

• Stress can be a major factor in this type of position due to the busy and often chaotic environment.
• Emergency physicians have to deal with patients and other nurses or physicians being difficult or refusing to follow instructions from time to time.
• While emergency physicians do tend to work a decent amount of hours, they are often forced to work nights, weekends and holidays, making for a somewhat chaotic schedule at times.
• Emergency physicians must deal with an increase in the number of patients they treat, due to current rises in the population.
• This position requires years of education and basic training, followed by an emergency medicine residency.

Deciding early enough what position you hope to pursue can make a positive impact on your future. Knowing what position you hope to focus on will allow you to gain more knowledge and understanding during your education and your EM residency.

Surviving Nursing School and Family Medicine Residency

Written By: Casey Smith

Attending college and making the most of your education can be stressful and time consuming. Choosing medical school is likely to make the experience even more overwhelming. However, there are ways to eliminate some of the frustration that often accompanies excelling in this field.

Tips for Getting Through Medical School

• Expect to spend much more time than most college students on studying and completing homework.
• Be confident, but not overly confident. Thinking you know it all is not going to help you, especially when it comes to things that require a lot of memorization and practice.
• Study with your classmates, as this will allow you to share thoughts and ideas, quiz one another, and learn to work efficiently as part of a team.
• Do not focus solely on studying your notes. Instead, create flash cards, answer practice questions, etc. Learn which study methods work best for you, and use that to your advantage.
• Try to create a balanced schedule. This does not necessarily have to be a strict schedule, but make sure you allot enough time to get everything done.
• Keep an open mind as to what kind of medical career you wish to pursue. Through classes and experience, you just may fall in love with a field other than what you had originally planned.
• Make friends within your field, as they will likely have a similar schedule and understand what you are going through.
• Make time to relax or utilize stress relieving activities so that you do not become overwhelmed.
• Do not neglect to take care of yourself. Make sure you are still getting enough rest and nourishment, as becoming run down will only make things more difficult.

After surviving years of intense learning and studying, it is time to gain real world experience in the field you have chosen. While it is extremely important to know and understand the terms and processes associated with your field, you will not fully understand the implications of such a career until you actually experience it hands-on. This can be accomplished through a family medicine residency, in which you will have the opportunity to put your new found skills to use. A family medicine residency program will help to take you one step closer to the career of your dreams.