What are the advantages of doing PM as a direct residency vs. a fellowship?
Although there is an increasing trend of going directly into PM as a residency after a preliminary year, this is a very individualized choice with differing opinions among those in the field itself! On one hand, if you know you want to practice Clinical PM, then a clinical residency is recommended. If you are unsure if you want to continue see patients, then it becomes a gray area and a clinical residency will allow you the option to still see patients. For those pursuing non “clinical” fields (i.e. health policy, public health practice), some still allot one afternoon or day a week to see patients at a clinic to keep them “grounded.” This can give people more credibility in certain situations but also requires keeping up with clinical medicine. With only a preliminary/transitional year, it IS possible to get licensed after taking USMLE Step 3 to see patients individually. This just depends on your comfort level as you will be most accepted in an outpatient, underserved, specialized (i
