The future of post-residency fellowship education

Post-residency fellowship education has traditionally been a transitionary phase toward a possible career involving medical research and teaching. The increasing sophistication required for performing medical research, the emphasis on molecular medicine, significant overcrowding in specialty disciplines, high student indebtedness, declining availability of government research grant funding, and the rise or academic-corporate joint ventures facilitating technology transfer to the private sector are causing changes in the traditional approach to and content of fellowship programs. In light of the overall recent economic downturn with the consequent contraction in research budgeting, fewer fellows will probably be trained in the near future. Alternatives in fellowship programming and support are explored.