Tips provided for residents applying to fellowship training

(HealthDay)—The process of selecting and preparing for a fellowship training program, specifically pulmonary and/or critical care medicine, should begin early in residency, according to an article published online March 5 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Gabriel T. Bosslet, M.D., from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, and colleagues outline specific tips for residents applying to pulmonary and/or critical care medicine fellowship training in the United States.

The authors note that preparation for fellowship begins before the application process, with assessment of long-term goals. The curriculum vitae, which should highlight relevant experiences and scholarly work, forms the cornerstone of the application. Applicants should obtain letters of recommendation from faculty members who know applicants well and can write letters regarding their strengths. The personal statement provides an opportunity to share experiences and explain breaks in training or lapses in performance. Preparation for interviews should include review of the program and development of relevant questions. The applicant will have the opportunity to see the program and meet those involved in the program on the interview day. As the matching process is binding, applicants should only rank those programs they are willing to attend, in order of preference.

"While each fellowship applicant's process and decisional factors will be unique, all applicants should focus the process on their long-term goals in order to optimize opportunity for a successful match in pulmonary disease and critical care medicine," the authors write.