Applying for a sub-specialty fellowship: some tips and advice from a former program director

Abstract

Successfully completing an internal medicine residency is a great accomplishment. With the great need for primary care physicians, many residents are considering entering the field of general medicine where one can care for the whole patient. However, for those who have a drive to become an expert in one particular organ system, the path to the completion of training is only half over. Though you may think you have figured out the ‘application process’ after successfully gaining admission to college, medical school, and residency, there is one more hurdle that stands between you and your ultimate goal of sub-specialization – the fellowship application process. Unfortunately, this last application may be the most difficult of all. As a former cardiology program director, I have trained over 100 fellows and reviewed over 3,000 applications. Here is some practical advice from the ‘inside’ on how to be successful at this process.