Applying for Cards during PGY3

[pillu]

I am a PGY2. For family reasons, I am thinking of applying for Cardiology fellowship in PGY3. Is it a disadvantage to have break between residency and fellowship?

P

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[P Diddy]

I am a PGY2. For family reasons, I am thinking of applying for Cardiology fellowship in PGY3. Is it a disadvantage to have break between residency and fellowship?

P

no. you may have to spin what you're doing with your year off (ie don't say you're taking the year off to get pregnant/procreate, even if you are).

p diddy

 

[Qtip96]

you may have to spin what you're doing with your year off (ie don't say you're taking the year off to get pregnant/procreate, even if you are).

p diddy

horse$hit.

a satisfactory life in medicine, whether it be in private practice or academics, depends on successful multi-tasking. even if you take some time to start a family, you should still try to remain productive in the clinical or research arena, so that you have something to show for your time off.

you will be asked during your interviews for your rationale over the timing of your application. it's fine to say that you wanted to start a family, and I know of some excellent and successful cards applicants who did. like i said, keep your eyes on the ball. be organized. let the program director know that you are the type of person who gets the job done (reflected in your attitude and your LORs), is dependable, prolific, and will have your house in order by the time the clinical burden begins.

 

[P Diddy]

horse$hit.

you will be asked during your interviews for your rationale over the timing of your application. it's fine to say that you wanted to start a family, and I know of some excellent and successful cards applicants who did. like i said, keep your eyes on the ball. be organized. let the program director know that you are the type of person who gets the job done (reflected in your attitude and your LORs), is dependable, prolific, and will have your house in order by the time the clinical burden begins.

you're full of it.

it's nice to have the namby-pamby, sugar and spice idea that wanting to start a family is a good sole reason to delay starting a fellowship, but it's simply not true. you had it right in the first paragraph of your post. you need to convey that you will be doing something productive in the year in between residency and fellowship, where 'productive' means something other than popping out kids. cardiology directors are interested in focused, driven individuals. they don't expect kids to get in the way of your fellowship, nor will they look kindly on maternity leave during fellowship. in that sense cards has the same sort of attitude as the surgical field.

I highly doubt these 'excellent' cardiology candidates told their interviewees they were going to sit back in their year off, prop their legs up and eat pickles and ice cream all day. i think the Qtip was pushed in too far on this one...

p diddy

 

[Qtip96]

don't say you're taking the year off to get pregnant/procreate

you're full of it... it's nice to have the namby-pamby, sugar and spice idea that wanting to start a family... 'productive' means something other than popping out kids"

whoooaaa... a little hostile aren't we?

you sound pretty frustrated and lonely. ring a bell?

and where do you get this garbage from?...

I highly doubt these 'excellent' cardiology candidates told their interviewees they were going to sit back in their year off, prop their legs up and eat pickles and ice cream all day.

when i said this...

even if you take some time to start a family, you should still try to remain productive in the clinical or research arena, so that you have something to show for your time off... keep your eyes on the ball. be organized. let the program director know that you are the type of person who gets the job done (reflected in your attitude and your LORs), is dependable, prolific, and will have your house in order by the time the clinical burden begins.

hmmm... this is an interesting comment.

i think the Qtip was pushed in too far on this one...

p diddy

better a qtip than your own head...

 

[P Diddy]

you sound pretty frustrated and lonely. ring a bell?

not so lonely that i have time to scrounge up a pic of a movie no one's ever seen, aside from you.

better a qtip than your own head...

perhaps you could explain your scintillating wit to the rest of the class.

i fear for your patients.

p diddy

 

[Mr. McDuck]

Um, excuse me, but Steve Martin kicks ass. Watch your mouth.

 

[Qtip96]

not so lonely that i have time to scrounge up a pic of a movie no one's ever seen, aside from you.

time it takes to Google Images "Steve Martin lonely guy"... 3 seconds
time it takes for P diddy to come up with a pathetic retort... 30 minutes

i think the Qtip was pushed in too far on this one...

***Qtip's response: better a qtip than your own head...***

perhaps you could explain your scintillating wit to the rest of the class.

i will attempt to explain via step-by-step socratic approach...

considering your initial statement was an intended insult--"i think the Qtip was pushed in too far on this one..."--would you hazard a guess as to which orifice most viewers would infer this qtip was shoved in? survey says?

now, consider my reply. what do you think was the implication of suggesting a "qtip is better than your own head" shoved up your own said orifice?



man, you're a dimwit...

and as for your perceptions of family life and professionalism, you're also a neanderthal. having a child neither detracts from nor adds to an applicant's chances for cardiology fellowship. the OP just needs to be organized and to continue to be productive. program directors are not stupid, and it's better to simply state that cardiology fellowship was deferred for a year to have a child rather than to dodge the explanation or lie. it is more important to demonstrate continued productivity in that setting. in my mind, taking time off is more responsible than trying to deal with known/anticipated family issues that might affect performance during a strenuous fellowship.

 

[Qtip96]

i fear for your patients.

p diddy

hmmm...
next comes the "yo mamma" insults?

quite sad.

 

[P Diddy]

hmmm...
next comes the "yo mamma" insults?

quite sad.

it is quite sad that you're spending so much time and energy in refuting your idiocy, which paradoxically only serves to reinforce it. i feel bad for you that you were so stung by my comments you had to write a treatise and use smileys to respond to my post. then, your hemorrhoids flared up so badly you came back 25 minutes later to add another post since you knew your inital retort was inadequate.

i'll stop picking on you now.

p diddy

 

[Qtip96]

it is quite sad that you're spending so much time and energy in refuting your idiocy.

you suffer from a case of bad logic. you're the dimwit who couldn't comprehend a simple joke.

i feel bad for you that you were so stung by my comments you had to write a treatise and use smileys to respond to my post

nah, it's just plain fun... it's like shooting fish in a barrel.

i'll stop picking on you now.

p diddy

now, this is very interesting. why would you spell out the "p diddy" signature at the end of every post, when it is clearly identified in the format of this web forum? it's not even your own name, for crying out loud. is it to punctuate the weight of your cyberspace identity? i suspect you have delusions of grandeur.

then, your hemorrhoids flared up so badly...

you seem to have an orifice fixation. that combined with your obvious hostility, loneliness, and delusions of grandiosity, spells out a behavior profile for pathologic and aberrant behavior.

uh... you get the joke, right? i can try to clarify for you yet again...

did you look in the mirror lately?

 

[blutarski]

Qtip 5
Diddy 0

To address the original post, this namby pamby respondent sees no reason that an application would be compromised by a year off between residency and fellowship. Not uncommonly, fellowship applicants have a spouse/partner who, heaven forbid, might also have careers in medicine with training constraints that require extra time in a particular location. Or maybe the applicant wishes to explore other interests -- basic or clinical research, hospitalist, clinical educator, MPH, overseas medicine, etc. -- prior to starting an intense clinical fellowship. Oh yeah, a family might be as good a reason as any to take a little extra time. Diddy, family and productivity in any arena are not mutually exclusive. I wish you luck in your career --

 

[P Diddy]

Qtip 5
Diddy 0

To address the original post, this namby pamby respondent sees no reason that an application would be compromised by a year off between residency and fellowship. Not uncommonly, fellowship applicants have a spouse/partner who, heaven forbid, might also have careers in medicine with training constraints that require extra time in a particular location. Or maybe the applicant wishes to explore other interests -- basic or clinical research, hospitalist, clinical educator, MPH, overseas medicine, etc. -- prior to starting an intense clinical fellowship. Oh yeah, a family might be as good a reason as any to take a little extra time. Diddy, family and productivity in any arena are not mutually exclusive. I wish you luck in your career --

you misunderstand me. taking a year off is perfectly fine; i took a year off myself and mostly traveled. Family is just as good a reason as any to take a year off; i don't see any choices as inherently better than others.

my point was that if family's your reason, don't emphasize that or make it your only reason. Qtip's post could have been construed as saying 'sure, tell them up front you're having a baby. mazeltov!'. whether or not it makes sense, program directors do look askance at people they think won't put their careers first. you need to protect yourself against these biases. then you can pop out all the kids you want, once you're in.

say instead ' i plan on doing research'. getting into cardiology fellowship is largely a game. I'm letting you know how the game works.

i agree you're namby pamby though.

p diddy

 

[Qtip96]

Qtip's post could have been construed as saying 'sure, tell them up front you're having a baby. mazeltov!'...
program directors do look askance at people they think won't put their careers first. you need to protect yourself against these biases. then you can pop out all the kids you want, once you're in.

say instead ' i plan on doing research'. getting into cardiology fellowship is largely a game. I'm letting you know how the game works.

getting into a competitive fellowship is not a game. it does require strategy but should be generally rooted on principle and integrity. program directors appreciate goal-directed, driven, and decisive applicants. how we spend our spare time should be with this "world-view" in mind. like i said before, if the OP chooses to take time off for family purposes, that is perfectly fine, so long as he/she is organized and remains productive from the professional standpoint. and when it comes to interview time, the OP needs to keep his/her eye on the ball, which is to convey his/her fitness for cardiology. the issue is NOT whether time was taken off to have a child, but HOW the applicant managed this and continued to be responsible, goal-directed, and productive. the fact that an applicant decided to have a child should NOT be hidden as a blemish, but should be conveyed within the overall framework of a goal-directed soon-to-be cardiologist. like i said, most PD's are not stupid. most people can sniff out whether someone is being evasive or whether they are the genuine article.

you misunderstand me. taking a year off is perfectly fine; i took a year off myself and mostly traveled. Family is just as good a reason as any to take a year off; i don't see any choices as inherently better than others...

we understand you just fine. that's the difference between you and me. i believe our choices are eminently important and defines us to some degree. i applaud the OP for trying to be responsible. he/she would sacrifice professional trajectory to address family issues in a way that does not impact seriously on patient care or clinical performance.

you, on the other hand, decided to spend your time prancing around the world cultivating your "ass fixation". which is why you had to develop an overall strategy of gamesmanship and deception.

i agree you're namby pamby though.

p diddy

oh brother. THAT again.

 

[tibor75]

Fellowships don't look kindly at maternity leave?

How ignorant and foolish. Cardiology faculty are begging for women in their fellowships and as faculty members. When I went for interviews, there would be some days where I would see ZERO women interviewing.

You could probably tell a fellowship you'll have 3 kids during the next 3 years and they will still take you.

 

[tivark]

wow high school revisited. whats with the fragile egos and the need to be sarcastic and hostile to protect it. both of u gave great advice. can we agree theres no one single correct way to do it?

 

[Qtip96]

...both of u gave great advice. can we agree theres no one single correct way to do it?

no. there is only one corect way to say it here... Steve Martin rules.

 

[daelroy]

no. there is only one corect way to say it here... Steve Martin rules.

There is only one correct way to say it: "You have way too much time on your hands" It's funny that you are so defensive that you spend paragraphs and time looking up photos to refute Pdiddy. Ever heard of the term less is more? Consider that next time before you decided to quote individual sentences and respond with a paragraphs to each one. Now since you have so much time, why don't you post a picture of a Chevy Chase or Bill Murray film to show how clever you are. Nonetheless, please continue to embarrass yourself and have the last word since it seems so important to you. No, have the last paragraph since that's likely what you will offer.

And I agree with Pdiddy completely. A program director will not care about your family obligations. Like surgery PD's, cardiology PD's feel that practicing cardiology is a priviledge and not a right. Those who get involved with cardiology make sacrafices and that is well understood. If you take a year off, you must do something productive aside from taking Johnny to Six Flags if you want to secure a fellowship. Simply telling them that you took time off to spend it with your family will not bode well for an applicant unless he or she did other substantial work in the interim. I think even you know this but rather than admit Pdiddy had a point, you got defensive.

 

[Qtip96]

There is only one correct way to say it: "You have way too much time on your hands" It's funny that you are so defensive that you spend paragraphs and time looking up photos to refute Pdiddy. Ever heard of the term less is more? Consider that next time before you decided to quote individual sentences and respond with a paragraphs to each one. Now since you have so much time, why don't you post a picture of a Chevy Chase or Bill Murray film to show how clever you are. Nonetheless, please continue to embarrass yourself and have the last word since it seems so important to you. No, have the last paragraph since that's likely what you will offer.

1. you and P diddley are pathetically slow. you vastly overestimate the time it takes to write a few paragraphs. your comments to such effect only add weight to my assertion that you are profoundly dim-witted. btw, you can learn from your own sanctimonius advice.

And I agree with Pdiddy completely. A program director will not care about your family obligations. Like surgery PD's, cardiology PD's feel that practicing cardiology is a priviledge and not a right. Those who get involved with cardiology make sacrafices and that is well understood. If you take a year off, you must do something productive aside from taking Johnny to Six Flags if you want to secure a fellowship. Simply telling them that you took time off to spend it with your family will not bode well for an applicant unless he or she did other substantial work in the interim. I think even you know this but rather than admit Pdiddy had a point, you got defensive.

2. you don't know how to read, do you? it's P diddley who spent his year trotting around the world with his ass-worship.

i'm quite certain you're not even a cardiologist... just a wannabe. why give advice when you don't even have personal experience? are you getting lonely in cleveland?

 

[Qtip96]

Ever heard of the term less is more?

geez, is that what your wife/girlfriend tells you?

you're probably naive enough to believe it...

 

[daelroy]

geez, is that what your wife/girlfriend tells you?

you're probably naive enough to believe it...

You know this line might have been impressive had you included it in your first 2 paragraph response, but considering you added it more than 24 hours later doesn't reflect well upon you. Let me guess, you will quote each of these lines and respond with a paragraph? Yes, I'm certain you're a cardiologist because we all know they have so much time to waste on SDN.

p.s. In all seriousness, I can tell you are a pretty intelligent person. However, I can also tell you haven't gotten laid in a really long time. I have no proof of that but I know guys like you and your response above tells me all I need to know what you're really like. Look I don't care if you lie and tell me otherwise. You know it's been a while my friend so I suggest you spend less time on SDN and more time socializing. Who knows you might get lucky.

 

[Qtip96]

Yes, I'm sure you are a cardiologist.

in fact i am a cardiologist. i've paid my dues by completing one of the most selective training programs in the country, and i am more than comfortable blowing away a few of my minutes once in awhile on this web forum. you jokers can speculate about the rigor and selectivity of cardiology when you haven't yet touched the field or are only just getting started.

you are under the delusion of parity when there is none. just sit down.

 

[daelroy]

in fact i am a cardiologist. i've paid my dues by completing one of the most selective training programs in the country, and i am more than comfortable blowing away a few of my minutes once in awhile on this web forum. you jokers can speculate about the rigor and selectivity of cardiology when you haven't yet touched the field or are only just getting started.

you are under the delusion of parity when there is none. just sit down.

That would be nice if it was just a few minutes but you are always on here. Nonetheless, just get laid when you have a chance. It's been a while, I can tell.

 

[Jsad]

This is getting old..the issue has been addressed, quite adequately, by Diddy and Qtip. I'm sure Pillu and everyone else got the idea. Let's put the war of words to a rest. As for the Steve Martin pictures, you can keep those coming.

 

[daelroy]

This is getting old..the issue has been addressed, quite adequately, by Diddy and Qtip. I'm sure Pillu and everyone else got the idea. Let's put the war of words to a rest. As for the Steve Martin pictures, you can keep those coming.

I can assure you that Qtip will no longer respond to this thread. He has to convince everyone he is a "cardiologist" because people are starting to question how a cardiologist can spend half his day arguing with people on SDN. But I'm sure he just takes a lot of coffee breaks.

 

[pillu]

I forgot to say thank you to both Qtip and Pdiddy. I've decided to put my family issues aside and apply this year.

Qtip - are you an academic cardiologist?

 

[Qtip96]

I can assure you that Qtip will no longer respond to this thread. He has to convince everyone he is a "cardiologist" because people are starting to question how a cardiologist can spend half his day arguing with people on SDN. But I'm sure he just takes a lot of coffee breaks.

poor daelroy. you see, i have nothing to prove because i don't give a rats a$$ whether you believe me or not.

and yes, i have an enviable career, beautiful marriage, and i can afford to take a lot of breaks. which leads me to this... what are YOU doing wasting your time on this forum? shouldn't you be studying or doing housestaff errands?

yawn. i'm getting bored with this. i will leave you to your intellectual squalor.

 

[Qtip96]

I forgot to say thank you to both Qtip and Pdiddy. I've decided to put my family issues aside and apply this year.

Qtip - are you an academic cardiologist?

you're welcome. good luck with your family issues and you application process. you can PM me if you want further advice.

sorry, but i'd prefer to stay anonymous.