Alex at the start of his fellowship
A fellowship is the period of medical training in the United States and Canada that a physician, surgeon, or dentist may undertake after completing a specialty training program (residency). During this time (usually more than one year), the doctor is known as a fellow. Fellows are capable of acting as attendings or consultants in the generalist field in which they were trained, such as internal medicine, pediatrics, or general surgery. After completing a fellowship in the relevant sub-specialty, the doctor is permitted to practice without direct supervision by other doctors in that sub-specialty, such as cardiothoracic surgery or pediatric surgery.
Fellowship Programs[]
Surgical Fellowships[]
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship is a 3-year program after completing an OB/GYN residency. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in perinatology.
- Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Fellowship is a 3-year program after completing an OB/GYN residency. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.
- Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship is a 2 to 3-year program after completing a surgical residency. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in cardiothoracic surgery.
- Pediatric Surgery Fellowship is a 2-year program after completing a surgical residency. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in pediatric surgery.
- Plastic Surgery Fellowship is a 2-year program after completing a surgical residency or an ENT residency. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in plastic surgery.
- Surgical Oncology Fellowship is a 2-year program after completing a surgical residency. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in surgical oncology.
- Vitreo-retinal Surgery Fellowship is a program after completing an ophthalmologic residency. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in vitreo-retinal surgery.
- Neurosurgery Fellowship is a program after completing a surgical residency. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in neurosurgery.
- Urology Fellowship is a program after completing a surgical residency. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in urology.
- General Surgery Fellowship is an optional program after completing a surgical residency. Once completed, a doctor has more specialized training in general surgery.
- Orthopedic Surgery Fellowship is a 1-year program after completing a surgical residency. Once completed, the doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in orthopedic surgery.
- Orthopedic Sports Medicine Fellowship is a 1-year program after completing an orthopedic surgery residency or an orthopedic surgery fellowship. Once completed, the doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in orthopedic sports medicine.
Medical Fellowships[]
- Infectious Disease Fellowship is a 3-year program after completing a medical residency. Once completed, a physician is fully trained and holds attending status in infectious disease.
- Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine Fellowship is a 3-year program after completing a pediatrics residency. Once completed, a physician is fully trained and holds attending status in neonatology.
- Critical Care Medicine is a 2-year program after completing a medical or emergency medicine residency. Once completed, a physician is fully trained and holds attending status in critical care medicine.
- Nephrology is a 2-year program after completing a medical residency. Once completed, a physician is fully trained and holds attending status in nephrology.
Other Fellowships[]
- Medical Genetics Fellowship is a 2-year program after completing a residency in OB/GYN, pediatrics, or internal medicine. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in medical genetics.
- Craniofacial Surgery Fellowship is a 1-year program after completing a fellowship in plastic surgery. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in craniofacial surgery.
- Fetal Surgery Fellowship is a 1-year program after completing a maternal-fetal or pediatric surgery fellowship. Once completed, a doctor is fully trained and holds attending status in fetal surgery.
- Surgical Innovation Fellowship is an unofficial 1-year program after completing a residency in general surgery. It's unique to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
Fellows on Grey's Anatomy[]
- Dr. Lucy Fields (former Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellow at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital)
- Dr. McQueen (Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellow at Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital)
- Dr. Mara Keaton (Urology Fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital)
- Dr. Jo Karev (former Surgical Innovation Fellow at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital)
- Dr. Nico Kim (former Orthopedic Surgery Fellow at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital)
- Dr. Alex Karev (former Pediatric Surgery Fellow at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital)
- Dr. Cristina Yang (former Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellow at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital)
- Dr. Jackson Avery (former Plastic Surgery Fellow at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital)
Notes and Trivia[]
- Although in the real world, a trauma surgery/surgical critical care fellowship of 2 years is required to be an attending trauma surgeon, Grey's Anatomy does not portray this as April Kepner holds attending-status in trauma surgery, as confirmed by the character's Twitter account.
- In the real world, a neurosurgery fellowship does not exist. It is its own residency program and its completion is required to be an attending neurosurgeon; however, Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice contradicts this, especially with Amelia Shepherd as she herself stated she completed a surgical residency and then a neuro fellowship to be a neurosurgeon.
- In the real world, a urology fellowship does not exist. It is its own residency program and its completion is required to be an attending urologist; however, Grey's Anatomy contradicts this, especially with Mara Keaton stated she completed a surgical residency and was introduced as Catherine Avery's urology fellow. Additionally, Avery asked Stephanie Edwards to consider a urology fellowship as the latter showed a great aptitude to the specialty.
- In the real world, a general surgery fellowship does not exist. It is a residency program where its matriculates hold attending status. There are aspects of general surgery that have fellowships (i.e. minimally invasive surgery, robotic surgery) for more specialized training, but this has not been mentioned in canon, especially in the case of Richard and Ellis who took fellowships after their residencies.
- Miranda and Meredith did not take a general surgery fellowship, unlike Richard and Ellis, after they completed their surgical residencies.
- There are only 38 pediatric surgery fellowship spots in the country, compared to the 120 spots for cardiothoracic surgery.
- Arizona Robbins was able to complete her year-long fetal surgery fellowship in less than six months, albeit under special circumstances.