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Snakeskin

Fellowship

General Timeline

See ERAS and Med/Peds website for year-specific dates

 

April - May (PGY2)

  • Work on personal statement

  • Update your CV

  • Solicit letters of recommendation April

    • Needed by early July

    • Takes time as ERAS confirms letters before allowing upload

  • Create list of programs to which you would like to apply

 

June - July (PGY2 - PGY3)

  • ERAS opens early June -- buy your token early

  • Submit ERAS before mid-July

  • Mid-July programs can view applications

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Aug - Oct​ 

  • Fellowship interviews

  • Oct register for NRMP (match)

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Nov - Dec 

  • Nov: Create and submit rank list

  • Dec: Fellowship match results released​​​​

Fellowship Interview Coverage Policy

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  • Inform the chiefs via schedule request form of when you have interviews scheduled

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Elective Months:

  • Please schedule interviews on non-clinic days

  • In the event you need to schedule an interview on a clinic day (continuity days and ambulatory days with patients scheduled), inform the chiefs so that coverage can be found. You will be added to the clinic backup pool.  

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Call months:

  • For your first 2 interviews per month, please arrange a swap with a co-resident (ideally a resident also applying for fellowship) who is on an elective and does not have direct patient care responsibilities (continuity clinic and/or ambulatory days with patients scheduled). 

    • This is the once instance during residency where it is appropriate to pull a colleague off of a scheduled elective to cover for you. ​

    • Inform the chiefs of this swap, so that they may approve and update Amion. 

  • After the first 2 interviews, please schedule interviews for your days off. 

  • If you are struggling to find coverage, please inform the chiefs. They are happy to help you in ensuring you are able to accept and attend interviews. 

Discernment
Choosing to pursue a fellowship is a major life decision. There are many factors to consider when selecting the right specialty for you. You will rely on many things to guide you, including your experience in the field, particularly on rotations and in various exposures, as well as discussions with specialists from both private practice and academics.

When considering your options, try to answer the following questions:
• Do you want to focus on
− specific organ system (cardiology or GI)
− multi-systemic (ID or oncology)?
 
• Do you derive more satisfaction from dealing with
− acutely ill patients
− long-term management of disease
 
• Do you enjoy
− focusing on a specific disease or set of problems (such as a cardiology consultant)
− the care of the entire patient (for example, serving as a comprehensive provider to renal dialysis patients who require long-term care from their specialist)?
 
• Do you prefer to have a
− prominent inpatient component
− an outpatient focus?
• What kind of patient mix do you prefer (age, gender, problems, setting)?

• What are the “hot areas” for scholarship in the discipline under consideration … if interested in academics, how do you see yourself focusing in the future?
 
• Are you interested in procedures?
 
• Where geographically do you hope to settle and what is the job market in that region?
 
Other issues to consider:
 
• Competitiveness of specialty
− Stats available on positions filled through match –
− Home institution faculty and fellowship director
− Program director – honest appraisal of candidacy
Common Interview Questions
• What distinguishes you from other candidates?
• Why are you interested in this field? This program?
• Tell me about your research project or interests
• What areas can you improve upon?
• What made you decide to pursue or select [insert item from your CV]?
• Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
• What do you like most about your residency program?
For what do PDs look?
• Strong PD letters and LORs
• Comments and phone calls from PDs
• Strong Interviews
• Good performance on audition rotations
• Genuine interest in research
• Many publications
• Strong USMLE scores
• Reputation of your residency program and medical school
• Good personal statement
• Chief residency
• Appropriate Visas
Personal Statement Tips
• One page or less
• Communicate enthusiasm for the field
• Tell your story of "becoming" that lead you to the field
• Highlight "CV gems" though story-telling  – why you enjoyed projects, how you got involved, etc.
• Include findings only if already published
• Excellent grammar,  good sentence structure
• If you make an assertion "I am enthusiastic about research," back it up with concrete examples
• Include career goals without being too narrow -- let them know you are excited by all of the offerings of their program
• Ask people to read and revise
Sample CV
Fellowship Q&A
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