4-1-1 About Residency and Beyond

This is not a post that will give you insight into where we are headed as we don't know that yet.  We have some possibilities, but that isn't for the whole internet world and audience to know just yet.  We have told a few important to us people some specifics in our case, but I did want to fill you in on what is happening in general in regards to Joel's medical career to this point.  It has been a long time since I explained the stage of his career we are in.

Joel is in his fourth year of a four year residency.  Residency is additional and required training to get into the specific field of medicine a doctor wants to be in and to receive a permanent license.  Joel was officially a doctor (D.O.) when he graduated in May of 2011, but he needed to complete a residency to become a neurologist with a permanent license.  To get into residency, he participated in Match Day.  He began his residency at Henry Ford in Detroit July 2011.  His first year was called a transitional year.  During that year, he rotated through a lot of different medical specialties like he did as a student during his 3rd and 4th years.  In July 2012, he started focusing solely on neurology and neurological fields.  Here is what I gather from him that he rotates between:
1. Floor--this means he is on the neurology floor taking care of patients on that floor.
2. Consults--this means he is all over the hospital and on different floors when non-neurologist need a neurologist to see someone.
3. Clinic--one half day a week for the last 2 years and this year, Joel goes to a Neurology clinic located in the hospital and has a case load of patients for outpatient care.  (Although with the typical clientele at his hospital, he doesn't have as many repeats as he should.)
4. Other required rotations and electives: these are months where he is working with specialists within the field of neurology.  For instance, he has to do two months of pediatric neurology.  He has also gotten to choose some.  he has done hospice and pallative care, I think he is doing a Sleep clinic this yea.

That pretty much sums up residency.  Joel will graduate from residency next June!  I can't believe we are to this point.  We are at the point of discussing Fellowship.

Fellowship is optional, but many doctors do one, because it makes you more trained in a certain field, which can help in obtaining a job and gives you more of a focus within your chosen field.  Well, Joel is looking into a one year Fellowship.  He wants to do a Hospice and Pallative Care Fellowship, because he sees using this in a neurology practice to follow his patients with long term neurological diseases.  Not only could he help provide end of life care with hospice, but  pallative is more about pain management and that goes very well with neurology.

We hope to stay in Michigan.  There are several options for this type of fellowship in the state.  So, Joel is applying to programs in Michigan only.  He has started the process of applying and making inquires on how to for the ones he wants to apply for.  He actually has an interview already set-up for one program.  (Again, those that need to know, know where it is at.  Once, things are official, we will share more details.)

After fellowship is when Joel will get a full-fledged doctor's job.   Although it is another two years away, we are starting to think about where we want to end up.  We have some ideas, but are praying about it and realize that a lot can change.  Prayer warriors can join us in praying for discernment and wisdom and being intentional in listening and watching for where God wants us to be.