Am I competitive for fellowship in Rheumatology or Geriatrics

[cutefamilydog]

I am a US-IMG. I matched to a community program with university affiliation.
Step 1 score 236
Step2 CK score 229
Step2 CS passes first attempt.
No publication.
There is no in house rheumatology in our program. I looked at past fellowship matching data in our program. There are 2-3 people who matched to Rheumatology fellowship in the past 5 years.

My question would be:
1) With my board scores and coming from a community program, what is my chances for Rheumatology or Geriatrics?

2) How should I strengthen my application during residency ? I didn’t get intern year elective in Rheumatology.

3) My goal is to go back to SoCal to practice either outpatient Rheumatology or being a PCP (if I can’t match to Rheumatology fellowship) . If I finished my residency and fellowship on the East coast, can I find a job in SoCal ?

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[PlutoBoy]

I am a US-IMG. I matched to a community program with university affiliation.
Step 1 score 236
Step2 CK score 229
Step2 CS passes first attempt.
No publication.
There is no in house rheumatology in our program. I looked at past fellowship matching data in our program. There are 2-3 people who matched to Rheumatology fellowship in the past 5 years.

My question would be:
1) With my board scores and coming from a community program, what is my chances for Rheumatology or Geriatrics?

2) How should I strengthen my application during residency ? I didn’t get intern year elective in Rheumatology.

3) My goal is to go back to SoCal to practice either outpatient Rheumatology or being a PCP (if I can’t match to Rheumatology fellowship) . If I finished my residency and fellowship on the East coast, can I find a job in SoCal ?

1) Rheumatology: Moderate chances. Bolster you application with research and electives at the university program that your residency is affiliated with. Get to know the faculty. This is going to be key come application season.

Anyone with a pulse can match in geriatrics.

3) Yes.

 

[jdh71]

I am a US-IMG. I matched to a community program with university affiliation.
Step 1 score 236
Step2 CK score 229
Step2 CS passes first attempt.
No publication.
There is no in house rheumatology in our program. I looked at past fellowship matching data in our program. There are 2-3 people who matched to Rheumatology fellowship in the past 5 years.

My question would be:
1) With my board scores and coming from a community program, what is my chances for Rheumatology or Geriatrics?

2) How should I strengthen my application during residency ? I didn’t get intern year elective in Rheumatology.

3) My goal is to go back to SoCal to practice either outpatient Rheumatology or being a PCP (if I can’t match to Rheumatology fellowship) . If I finished my residency and fellowship on the East coast, can I find a job in SoCal ?

The biggest way to know for sure is to take your pulse.

If you have one: yes, VERY competitive

If you don't: no

 

[cutefamilydog]

1) Rheumatology: Moderate chances. Bolster you application with research and electives at the university program that your residency is affiliated with. Get to know the faculty. This is going to be key come application season.

Anyone with a pulse can match in geriatrics.

3) Yes.

Thanks for your advice ! Would you suggest taking elective at the university program that my residency is affiliated with (east coast) or elective at university program in the geographic area I am intending to apply to (west coast preferably SoCal)?

 

[PlutoBoy]

Thanks for your advice ! Would you suggest taking elective at the university program that my residency is affiliated with (east coast) or elective at university program in the geographic area I am intending to apply to (west coast preferably SoCal)?

Tough question. I think that the important thing is to show commitment to the field.

I guess that going to a hospital where you intend to apply can only be helpful.

Good luck!

 

[IMreshopeful]

Rheum has gotten more competitive in the last 5 years - match rates comparable to heme or pulm/cc as I recall. I think if you’re interested, get letters, do research, you’ll be fine

Geriatrics is a joke to get into. You can easily do so

 

[cutefamilydog]

A follow-up question would be: how about endocrinology ? Is it competitive to match ?

I like outpatient medicine because i don’t like the high acuity associated with inpatient medicine. I also like general internal medicine.

What would be other fellowships that are primarily outpatient based ?

 

[NewYorkDoctors]

You could also consider nephrology... lol.

No seriously, PMD/Nephrology - just don't do any chronic HD and you'll be fine.

 

[PlutoBoy]

A follow-up question would be: how about endocrinology ? Is it competitive to match ?

I like outpatient medicine because i don’t like the high acuity associated with inpatient medicine. I also like general internal medicine.

What would be other fellowships that are primarily outpatient based ?

Allergy and Immunology but there are very few spots in the country.

 

[IMreshopeful]

A follow-up question would be: how about endocrinology ? Is it competitive to match ?

I like outpatient medicine because i don’t like the high acuity associated with inpatient medicine. I also like general internal medicine.

What would be other fellowships that are primarily outpatient based ?

Primarily outpatient - endo, rheum, A&I, heme onc. Of these, A&I and heme onc are pretty competitive. The others are not.

Mixed outpatient/inpatient - GI, cards, nephrology, ID?, pulm/cc. This is obviously to varying degrees - there are some cards positions out there which are entirely outpatient and stress testing/imaging, and there are some GI which are pure clinic/scopes. However most groups usually have some mix of inpatient call.

All inpatient - CCM

Least competitive are definitely endo, geri, nephro, and ID. For the latter two many programs don’t even fill all their spots. Next tier is heme onc, PCCM, Allergy, and Rheum. Most competitive are GI and Cards.

Hope that helps

 

[868853]

A follow-up question would be: how about endocrinology ? Is it competitive to match ?

I like outpatient medicine because i don’t like the high acuity associated with inpatient medicine. I also like general internal medicine.

What would be other fellowships that are primarily outpatient based ?

Endo is among the easier fellowships to match into. I think Endo and Rheum are probably the most outpatient. You could do ID and HIV medicine outpatient. Pulm on its own. Allergy. Benign Heme. Some Oncology although your patients end up hospitalized a lot so it's not strictly outpatient.

 

[cutefamilydog]

Primarily outpatient - endo, rheum, A&I, heme onc. Of these, A&I and heme onc are pretty competitive. The others are not.

Mixed outpatient/inpatient - GI, cards, nephrology, ID?, pulm/cc. This is obviously to varying degrees - there are some cards positions out there which are entirely outpatient and stress testing/imaging, and there are some GI which are pure clinic/scopes. However most groups usually have some mix of inpatient call.

All inpatient - CCM

Least competitive are definitely endo, geri, nephro, and ID. For the latter two many programs don’t even fill all their spots. Next tier is heme onc, PCCM, Allergy, and Rheum. Most competitive are GI and Cards.

Hope that helps

Thank you ! This is a very comprehensive list !

 

[GastriqueGraffin]

Respectfully, geriatrics is not a real specialty. It’s just outpatient IM with people interested in old people. If you are interested, then just study and focus a little more on outpatient medicine during residency.

Doing a “geriatrics fellowship” is a great way to become more competitive in Rheum if you fail to match.

 

[CatFactorial]

Respectfully, geriatrics is not a real specialty. It’s just outpatient IM with people interested in old people. If you are interested, then just study and focus a little more on outpatient medicine during residency.

Doing a “geriatrics fellowship” is a great way to become more competitive in Rheum if you fail to match.

Why would it be?

 

[Instatewaiter]

The biggest way to know for sure is to take your pulse.

If you have one: yes, VERY competitive

If you don't: no

I was literally going to say the same thing but it seems you beat me to it.

 

[GastriqueGraffin]

Why would it be?

Because many of the patients in the community are from geriatric populations or have similar issues. The extra year of PCP training can help someone stand out.

 

[Gastrapathy]

Geriatrics fellowships exist to fill the ACGME requirements for IM residencies.