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Which cardiothoracic surgery training pathway is right for you?
AlleaBelle Bradshaw1, Ahmet Kilic1, Thomas E MacGillivray2
1Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
Objective:
The training pathways in cardiothoracic surgery have evolved so that there are currently several viable options to this career. The purpose of this review is to give insight to medical students and mentors regarding the 4 different pathways.
Methods:
The evolution of cardiothoracic surgery training and 4 current pathways are briefly reviewed. The main differences between these 4 pathways are then discussed in detail.
Results:
Key differences between training pathways include time to completion, opportunities for dedicated academic development or research time, family planning considerations, board certification options, opportunities to change programs, competitiveness, and unique considerations for military personnel.
Conclusions:
This detailed comparison of the training pathways can serve as a resource to help students make informed decisions about the pathway that is best suited to each individual.
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