T32 vs surgical fellowship and hope for K or R

[tpcheung]

Hello,

Current podiatric surgery resident with a PhD in basic sciences looking for thoughts on a T32 after residency vs reconstructive surgical fellowship.

The goal is to work at an academic medical center with an appointment with the university, do surgery, train residents, run a lab (with a strong research associate and trainees), and give a few lectures throughout the year.

The caveat is that after our residency, we have 7 years (includes fellowship/T32 time, during which cases will not count) to do at least an X# of cases (in different categories) and submit for board review for certification. If unable by that time/fail, will not be able to get board certified to do surgery. Generally, takes about 3-5 years post residency to get board certified, cutting it very close, taking into account fellowship/T32 time.

Can anyone share their thoughts/ experiences with T32 (pro/con), or whether just got a job and applied for K (or R) as an attending?
Special bonus if you have any insight on how being DPM/PhD might affect considerations compared to MD/PhD (&others/PhD) and any recs on how to adjust to those considerations. Appreciate the wisdom from the community!

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[SurfingDoctor]

Hello,

Current podiatric surgery resident with a PhD in basic sciences looking for thoughts on a T32 after residency vs reconstructive surgical fellowship.

The goal is to work at an academic medical center with an appointment with the university, do surgery, train residents, run a lab (with a strong research associate and trainees), and give a few lectures throughout the year.

The caveat is that after our residency, we have 7 years (includes fellowship/T32 time, during which cases will not count) to do at least an X# of cases (in different categories) and submit for board review for certification. If unable by that time/fail, will not be able to get board certified to do surgery. Generally, takes about 3-5 years post residency to get board certified, cutting it very close, taking into account fellowship/T32 time.

Can anyone share their thoughts/ experiences with T32 (pro/con), or whether just got a job and applied for K (or R) as an attending?
Special bonus if you have any insight on how being DPM/PhD might affect considerations compared to MD/PhD (&others/PhD) and any recs on how to adjust to those considerations. Appreciate the wisdom from the community!

As a PhD, the T32 offers mostly time spent where you are not on the promotion clock, so to speak. This is as opposed to a person who isn't a PhD where that time and more importantly training, are essential to be able to hopefully compete for future grants. But generally speaking, in my opinion, you need as much protected time pre-K/R to generate the preliminary data necessary to compete for those grants. So in that regard, the T32 is a necessity (or you need another mechanism to provide money and protected time).

I'm not sure I completely understand the time limit, but there is a financial cost to extending training on a T32. So if you complete training in 5 years and don't do a T32 versus complete training in 7 years and do a T32, there is significant financial difference.

I have sat on a number of study sections and never seen a grant submitted by a DPM/PhD, but that's probably because that path is very rare. If the preliminary data and science is good, it doesn't matter what doctor degree you have in my opinion.