What is a fellowship-trained doctor?

As you progress through your medical career, you will be given a choice to become one of two types of doctor: a general physician or a specialist. Patients who have complicated or specific conditions will seek the help of a specialist who has years of training and education on that aspect of medicine — their specialty. Becoming a specialist is a greatly sought-after route in medicine. Many medical students want to become specialists, but not all  candidates get to be fellowship trained. Fellowship training is a vital part of the process of becoming a specialist doctor.

Understanding the process of becoming fellowship-trained is important if it’s a path that interests you. There are lots of aspects to consider, including the position requirements and the expected salary.

What is a medical fellowship? 

A medical fellowship is the training a doctor embarks upon to become a specialist in their chosen field. During training, the learning physician — also known as a fellow — works closely with a specialist to deepen their knowledge and experience of the subspeciality they’re interested in. The specialist will be an expert and leader in their field.

Fellowships are designed to provide significant work experience, and fellows are usually given a lot of responsibility very quickly. It depends on the fellowship program, but fellowship training is usually experiential, hands-on, and full of practical experience.

 The American Medical Association (AMA) has reported 5,110 specialty programs with 68 specialties and 11,767 fellowship positions for 2020-2021.

What are the requirements for a medical fellowship? 

Medical fellowships are extremely coveted. With limited places available, it is usually the best and brightest candidates that are chosen. Specific requirements vary per fellowship, but successful candidates should be able to demonstrate:

  • Motivation, self-direction, and personal integrity
  • Highly developed interpersonal and writing skills
  • Leadership and potential for continued leadership

Candidates should prepare themselves for extensive applications which can include a resume, transcript, letters of recommendation, and sample writing. Some fellowships may also request additional supporting materials. Alongside your application, the majority of programs will include at least one interview — this could be an individual interview, an interview with a panel, or a group interview where candidates work as a team to answer a question or solve a problem.

The majority of fellowship applications are submitted through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). According to ERAS, the average applicant spends roughly $691 on applying to their chosen programs. As is the case with the application process, the costs associated with the fellowship interview process vary based on volume. The majority of fellowship applicants (62 percent) spend more than $4,000 on interviews.

 

How long is a medical fellowship?  

The length of a medical fellowship depends on the chosen specialty. The Washington University School of Medicine reports the following:                                                                              

                                    

Specialty

Length of Training*

Anesthesiology

3 years plus PGY-1 Transitional/Preliminary

Dermatology

3 years plus PGY-1 Transitional/Preliminary

Emergency Medicine

3-4 years

Family Practice

3 years

General Surgery

5 years

Internal Medicine

3 years

Neurology

3 years plus PGY-1 Transitional/Preliminary

Neurosurgery

7 years

Obstetrics/Gynecology

4 years

Ophthalmology

3 years plus PGY-1 Transitional/Preliminary

Orthopedic Surgery

5 years (includes one year of general surgery)

Otolaryngology

5 years

Pathology

4 years

Pediatrics

3 years

Physical Medicine

3-4 years

Plastic Surgery

6 years

Psychiatry

4 years

Radiation Oncology

4 years plus PGY-1 Transitional/Preliminary

Radiology, Diagnostic

4 years plus PGY-1 Transitional/Preliminary

Transitional/Preliminary

1 year

Urology

5 years (includes one year of general surgery)

 

What is the average medical fellowship salary?

Medical fellowship salaries can vary between cities and countries. On average, physicians working in residency and fellowship programs earn between $51,000 to $66,000 per year for the 3 to 8 years they spend in the program. As time progresses, with more learnings and experiences taking place, fellowship-trained doctors can earn very impressive salaries. Not many doctors make it to become experts and leaders in their specialties, and those that do are highly sought after and respected in their fields. With this in mind, the below table shows the average fellowship-trained physician’s salary per specialty:

Average US Physician Salaries by Specialty

Allergy and Immunology

$296,705

 

Anesthesiology

$357,116

 

Cardiology

$436,849

 

Colon and Rectal Surgery

$343,277

 

Dermatology

$400,898

 

Emergency Medicine

$320,419

 

Endocrinology

$217,610

 

Family Medicine

$227,541

 

Gastroenterology

$379,460

 

General Surgery

$360,933

 

Hematology

$376,660

 

Infectious Disease

$205,570

 

Internal Medicine

$223,175

 

Medical Genetics

$158,597

 

Medicine/Pediatrics

$205,610

 

Neonatology/Perinatology

$290,853

 

Nephrology

$306,302

 

Neurology

$243,105

 

Neurosurgery

$609,639

 

Nuclear Medicine

$290,639

 

Obstetrics & Gynecology

$315,295

 

Occupational Medicine

$229,450

 

Oncology

$341,701

 

Ophthalmology

$343,144

 

Orthopedic Surgery

$535,668

 

Otolaryngology (ENT)

$369,790

 

Pathology

$302,610

 

Pediatric Cardiology

$303,917

 

Pediatric Emergency Medicine

$273,683

 

Pediatric Endocrinology

$157,394

 

Pediatric Gastroenterology

$196,708

 

Pediatric Hematology & Oncology

$192,855

 

Pediatric Infectious Disease

$163,658

 

Pediatric Nephrology

$183,730

 

Pediatric Pulmonology

$218,106

 

Pediatric Rheumatology

$200,027

 

Pediatrics

$206,961

 

Physical Medicine/Rehab

$278,283

 

Plastic Surgery

$407,709

 

Preventive Medicine

$270,888

 

Psychiatry

$227,478

 

Pulmonology

$317,323

 

Radiation Oncology

$418,228

 

Radiology

$404,302

 

Rheumatology

$244,765

 

Thoracic Surgery

$471,137

 

Urology

$381,029

 

Vascular Surgery

$428,944

 

 

It’s not just a fantastic salary that fellowship-trained physicians can enjoy. Other benefits include:

  • License reimbursement
  • Health insurance
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Commuter assistance
  • Paid time off

 

There is a pay disparity between specialist salaries in the US and Canada — especially in surgical specialties. An orthopedic surgeon working in the US earning upwards of $400,000 would earn just over half of that in Canada. The more specialized your practice is, the more you stand to gain from practicing in the US.

 

Should you consider a medical fellowship? 

Fellowship training is a huge commitment. The competition from other candidates is significant, so you should be confident in your ability to stand out from your peers in terms of skills, experience, and talent. The financial burden of applying to various programs and then funding the subsequent interviews is high, and the time committed to ongoing fellowship training and development is even higher. You must stay dedicated to your specialty and the niche you wish to focus on, as the commitment you make will need to last for many years. Once you end your fellowship and become an attending physician, the pressure to perform and succeed — from yourself and from others — will be immense.

However, in exchange for all of these commitments, you will receive training like no other. You will work closely with experts in their fields — the kind of physicians who shape the face of medicine around the world. You will learn quickly, experience plenty, and have the opportunity to shine in a specialty that you are passionate about. If you chose medicine for the chance to change lives, then becoming a fellowship-trained doctor is a fantastic way to achieve that goal. This is also true for physicians who have had a burning interest in a specific specialty all along. As well as a great salary and well-earned respect from the medical community, you will also get the chance to train new fellows later on down the line, thus helping to shape the future of medicine.


Get in touch for more information

Related Blog

Top 10 free resources for medical students

Careers and residencies

We’ve set out our top 10 free resources for medical students in this handy guide.

Read more
top free resources for medical students

How to hone your clinical medicine knowledge

Careers and residencies

Learning how to hone your clinical medicine knowledge can be an ongoing challenge.

Read more
How to hone clinical medicine knowledge

Why you should study medicine abroad

Careers and residencies

There are many reasons to study medicine in another country, and we'll outline just a few of them here.

Read more
Apply to study medicine abroad

How to ace your virtual medical school interview

Careers and residencies

Focusing on these valuable tips for virtual interviews can help you prepare and boost your confidence.

Read more
Virtual med school interview tips

How To Improve Your Med School Application

Careers and residencies

If your dream is to become a doctor, you'll soon discover that medical schools are highly competitive, and getting accepted can be complicated.

Read more
How To Improve Your Med School Application

How to Succeed in Medical School

Careers and residencies

One of the most important things you can do in medical school is to learn how to study efficiently. You will have a lot of coursework and material.

Read more
Tips for succeeding in medical school

A guide to writing a medical school personal statement

Careers and residencies

If you are like most prospective medical students, you would have spent a significant part of your life preparing to submit a personal statement.

Read more
How to write a personal statement for medical school?

How to get a successful residency match

Student life Careers and residencies

Residency placements are decided during the match process on what is referred to as ‘Match Day’ and mark an important point for every medical student

Read more
Residency Match

What is hematology and what does a hematologist do?

Careers and residencies

Hematologists are internal medicine doctors who specialize in disorders related to blood and the lymphatic system.

Read more
What does a hematologist do?

How to become an Endocrinologist?

Careers and residencies

Endocrinology is the study of hormonal glands and the diseases and disorders that affect them.

Read more
How to become an endocrinologist?

How to become a pediatrician?

Careers and residencies

Discover pediatric medicine and how to become a pediatrician, with average salary information and how you can start your pediatric medicine journey

Read more
What is a pediatrician?

How to become a psychiatrist?

Careers and residencies

Learn about the critical role of psychiatrists, as well as how long it takes to become one and average salary data for psychiatrists in the US.

Read more
What is a psychiatrist and how do they differ from psychologists?
Back to top