Med Peds and ID

[kristing]

I posted this over in the IM section, so I figure I'll post it here to get the Peds folks ideas, too...

I am interested in doing ID for adults and Peds. I know I can do a Med-Peds residency, but what about combined Med Peds ID fellowships? It seems as if they are all separate when I search Freida.

Any info would be helpful...

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[augmel]

hi kristing,
i'm thinking of ID too so i've talked to some folks. the private practice ID guy i know is one of only two (soon to be three) people that do id for a catchment area of over 500,000. he knew that he would be doing peds too so he just did extra rotations during his fellowship. i think he said about 15-20% of his practice is peds. he said he is completely comfortable doing everything down to neonates. for those kids he just works very closely with the neonatologists to get things right. so basically, he thought that doing med-peds is not a bad idea, but definitely not necessary. now if you are living in a large city that has peds ID folks, then it would probably be necessary to do med-peds to do both. just some thoughts.

 

[kristing]

wow
that is really helpful
thanks a lot

Somebody over on the IM board said that med peds was also not necessary, just make sure to get rotations in peds when doing the ID fellowship.

 

[SDMD2B]

Kristing,
I, too, am going to do a Med-Peds residency and am seriously considering ID. I don't know about you, but when I was interviewing (up and down the East Coast, from North Carolina to Boston) it seemed like a disproportionately large number of Med-Peds residents and applicants also really liked ID and international medicine. For me it was good confirmation that I was doing the right residency.
Regarding your question about ID: I've seen it done several different ways. I know someone applying for combined Med-Peds ID right now. I think you basically have to arrange it on an individual basis with the program (eg they won't be listed on FREIDA). I believe you can make your research time count towards both, so you're looking at 2 yrs research, 1 yr clinical adult, 1 yr clinical peds. I also seem to remember that on www.medpeds.org there is a guy that can help you find all the combined fellowships in the country. The whole thing about only needing adult ID and doing some clinical rotations in peds is also an option. This is because in the 'old days' about a decade ago, there was not any such thing as 'peds ID'. Those who were ID-boarded were supposed to be able to take care of adults and kids, regardless of their original residency. The Peds ID Board is a relatively new thing. Lastly, if you're interests are in HIV, I think the IDSA (infectious diseases society of america) is offering or will offer a one-year HIV 'specialization', not a full fellowship, but some extra training to distinguish yourself. I also know a Med-peds graduate that does only HIV primary care and never did a fellowship.

So your options are:
1. GO FOR IT!! Med-Peds ID fellowship = 4-5 years
2. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!! One or the other...if you do adult, more likely to be able to practice in both = 3 years
3. GET ON WITH IT!! Start practicing and/or do an HIV specialization = 0-1 year.

Best of luck...
by the way, which Med Peds programs are you looking at?
cramers

 

[kristing]

holy smokes. That is a lot of info. I really had no idea I could do a med-peds ID thing all at the same time. Heck, I didn't even know I could do IM-Id all at the same time (If I am understanding you right). I thought I could only do an ID fellowhip AFTER an IM residency. (I am only an MS2 though, so thins may explain my ignorance.)

I would realy really really like to stay in AZ. There is MEd-Peds only at Good Sam in Phoenix and at Maricopa (the county hospital), but the only ID program is in Tucson (2 hours south of Phoenix).

So a move might be in store. I don't really know.

I am going to go to that website. Thanks a bunch for your information. If you have anything to add that would be fabulous. I am glad to know there's another one out there like me (or more, it seems!)

Thanks a lot

kristin

 

[SDMD2B]

Kristin,
Glad I could help...I hope you understood me correctly. I have just been so absorbed in interviewing, I keep thinking everyone knows what Med-Peds is all about. Actually Med-Peds is in itself a four year residency--balancing out to two full years of Medicine and two full years of pediatrics, with most programs switching you every 3 months between the two.
All of the ID fellowships I mentioned are things that start AFTER one has completed a full residency. So to add to the list I gave you:
1. Peds Residency - 3 yrs
2. Medicine Residency - 3 yrs
3. Med-Peds Residency - 4 yrs (with the option of pursuing all of the different ID training options I spoke of before.

Hope this helps...yes it is a long road!!
CR

 

[kristing]

got it. I'm a little slow on the uptake.

Thanks for the info.

I'm still seriously considering it...