I've had the privilege to work at a large pediatric hospital, and a small one. One year of fellowship may be adequate if you have great senior mentorship for those first 3-5 years out of fellowship when the real learning & growth happens. At a smaller program/hospital that has similar acuity and production pressure, albeit on a smaller scale, coming right out of fellowship would be a major challenge. Fellowship programs should be smaller, consolidated to large centers, and made to be two years. If fewer people apply, then so be it. Fellowship programs would attract the candidates that are willing to put in the necessary time, and we end up with better trained pediatric anesthesiologists on the other end. That's what I am looking for in a future colleague.
Excellent article and discussion. I graduated my Pediatric Anesthesiology fellowship yesterday!
I feel that extending Pediatric Anesthesiology fellowship from 1 to 1.5 or two years would cause a total collapse of the field. Literally 20 people a year would apply.
I feel that in many ways training is not about producing someone who is fully an expert or master, its about producing someone with the clinical competency that is necessary to take the next step in their growth. Junior attendings still have a steep learning curve which they by and large tackle through self study and supportive senior colleagues. It worked for the giants of the field, why can't it still work?
I look forward to the immense self study and continued discussions and mentoring that I will need to proclaim that I am a master of this field. I feel this is many many years away for me. But I do feel after this 1 year of training I am ready to be a Junior attending in Pediatric Anesthesiology. And is this not the goal of these programs?
I've had the privilege to work at a large pediatric hospital, and a small one. One year of fellowship may be adequate if you have great senior mentorship for those first 3-5 years out of fellowship when the real learning & growth happens. At a smaller program/hospital that has similar acuity and production pressure, albeit on a smaller scale, coming right out of fellowship would be a major challenge. Fellowship programs should be smaller, consolidated to large centers, and made to be two years. If fewer people apply, then so be it. Fellowship programs would attract the candidates that are willing to put in the necessary time, and we end up with better trained pediatric anesthesiologists on the other end. That's what I am looking for in a future colleague.
Excellent article and discussion. I graduated my Pediatric Anesthesiology fellowship yesterday!
I feel that extending Pediatric Anesthesiology fellowship from 1 to 1.5 or two years would cause a total collapse of the field. Literally 20 people a year would apply.
I feel that in many ways training is not about producing someone who is fully an expert or master, its about producing someone with the clinical competency that is necessary to take the next step in their growth. Junior attendings still have a steep learning curve which they by and large tackle through self study and supportive senior colleagues. It worked for the giants of the field, why can't it still work?
I look forward to the immense self study and continued discussions and mentoring that I will need to proclaim that I am a master of this field. I feel this is many many years away for me. But I do feel after this 1 year of training I am ready to be a Junior attending in Pediatric Anesthesiology. And is this not the goal of these programs?