I am a DO student from nycom with a 246/99 USMLE-I and 677/94 on COMLEX-I. I was recently inducted into the osteopathic national honor society for being in the top 15th percentile of the class. I dont have any research but will be doing several radiology electives as a 4th year. With these stats so far what else can in do in the meantime to improve my chances of matching into an allopathic radiology program?
FAQ: What are my chances?
- Thread starter hans19
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Hi everyone,
So I wanted to get opinions on what my chances are of matching at a top rads program. The reason I'm asking is that I'm in my 3rd year and starting to think about where or if I am going to do an away rotation in rads, and I want to make sure that I apply for an away rotation at a place that I could realistically match at. Here are my stats:
-step 1: 260
-1st/2nd year grades- all Bs
-3rd year so far- all As
-Probably going to be hard to get elected AOA at this point, maybe 4th year
-research: lots- 5 first authors, 3 second authors, 7 middle authors, 4 oral presentations at national meetings, like 7 or 8 published abstracts; 75% of these pubs are imaging related and in good journals, all published while in med school.
So as you can see, I'm strong on step 1 and very strong on research, but my 1/2nd year grades are kinda blah (too much time spent doing research) and I probably won't get AOA. I don't know how much having a ton or research helps beyond 1-2 pubs; might be kinda overkill.
I really have a lot of interest in doing research during residency (mostly in molecular imaging) and am interested in top research places like Stanford, UCSF, Penn, MGH, ect...
What does everyone think of my chances at matching at these top programs? Do you think not having AOA makes getting into these top programs unlikely?
So I wanted to get opinions on what my chances are of matching at a top rads program. The reason I'm asking is that I'm in my 3rd year and starting to think about where or if I am going to do an away rotation in rads, and I want to make sure that I apply for an away rotation at a place that I could realistically match at. Here are my stats:
-step 1: 260
-1st/2nd year grades- all Bs
-3rd year so far- all As
-Probably going to be hard to get elected AOA at this point, maybe 4th year
-research: lots- 5 first authors, 3 second authors, 7 middle authors, 4 oral presentations at national meetings, like 7 or 8 published abstracts; 75% of these pubs are imaging related and in good journals, all published while in med school.
So as you can see, I'm strong on step 1 and very strong on research, but my 1/2nd year grades are kinda blah (too much time spent doing research) and I probably won't get AOA. I don't know how much having a ton or research helps beyond 1-2 pubs; might be kinda overkill.
I really have a lot of interest in doing research during residency (mostly in molecular imaging) and am interested in top research places like Stanford, UCSF, Penn, MGH, ect...
What does everyone think of my chances at matching at these top programs? Do you think not having AOA makes getting into these top programs unlikely?
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Say you have a step 1 in the 240s and research but you only have passes for 3rd year grades. How are your chances to match in a ok or decent program?
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Very good to excellent unless you have crappy recommendation letters.
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I'm wondering about the same thing: good step 1 (240s) but no 3rd year clinical honors. But more specifically...what if you're aiming for good/decent academic SoCal programs (i.e. USC, Loma Linda, UCI)?
I know that California is more competitive in general, but how much do you think no clinical honors will hurt chances to get into these programs?
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Good evening everyone, it is nice to see that we have a very active bunch on this forum. Naturally, radiology is as competitive as any field can get and many students are intrigued by their chances to attain a residency spot. I have read thru the various posts by freddy and hans as well as others, and I understand the various criteria for interview selection.
Despite the available information, I find my situation a middle of the road to the low end scenario but am not exactly sure. NRMP stats show average US citizen matched = 235 and average "Other" matched = 230. Any suggestions on where I may be able to improve next. How else can I strengthen my resume? Should I just apply to community programs?? Should I not apply at all and come down to earth??
They say that they also look at certain sciences and how it correlates with the specialty. I heard physics & anatomy has a strong correlation with Radiology. How true is this??
Applying for Match 2010
MS 4
1) US-citizen IMG: Ross University SOM
2) USMLE1: 228:95
3) USMLE2: not taken
4) Medical Sciences(yr1+2): B average
5) Core Rotations: all A's (surgery, IM, ped, psych, family, ob).
6) Multiple Solid LORs
7) Sold Physics foundation (undergrad record of As and 13 on MCAT physical sci)
8) Anatomy A (NBME shelf 80)
9) Some extracirriculars (Ross scholars group 2 semesters & peer tutoring anatomy)
10) 1 year of undergraduate research (Multiple Sclerosis) w/ 2 publications at University of Florida
11) No Radiology elective yet but 2 away electives setup at 2 programs w/ acgme approved rad spots.
Once again, thanks for any advice in advance.
Despite the available information, I find my situation a middle of the road to the low end scenario but am not exactly sure. NRMP stats show average US citizen matched = 235 and average "Other" matched = 230. Any suggestions on where I may be able to improve next. How else can I strengthen my resume? Should I just apply to community programs?? Should I not apply at all and come down to earth??
They say that they also look at certain sciences and how it correlates with the specialty. I heard physics & anatomy has a strong correlation with Radiology. How true is this??
Applying for Match 2010
MS 4
1) US-citizen IMG: Ross University SOM
2) USMLE1: 228:95
3) USMLE2: not taken
4) Medical Sciences(yr1+2): B average
5) Core Rotations: all A's (surgery, IM, ped, psych, family, ob).
6) Multiple Solid LORs
7) Sold Physics foundation (undergrad record of As and 13 on MCAT physical sci)
8) Anatomy A (NBME shelf 80)
9) Some extracirriculars (Ross scholars group 2 semesters & peer tutoring anatomy)
10) 1 year of undergraduate research (Multiple Sclerosis) w/ 2 publications at University of Florida
11) No Radiology elective yet but 2 away electives setup at 2 programs w/ acgme approved rad spots.
Once again, thanks for any advice in advance.
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I hate what are my chances posts, but yet I'm going to post one anyway....
MS3
StepI - 244
Grades - Mostly high sats, one or two sats, one or two honors. I will be in the top 1/2 of my class, possibly the top 1/4, but probably not AOA.
Research - none, and I'm not real likely to find time to do research in the future since I have two kiddos (3 and 5 years old) and am struggling to find time for everything that I already have on my plate.
Recommendation letters - I think I should be able to get good ones, though probably none from any bigwigs.
Location of interest - I'm not particularly picky. I'm from the midwest (I attend KUMC in Kansas City, KS) and would be very happy to stay in the midwest, either at KU, University of Iowa, or other locations. I would apply outside of the midwest as well, but would prefer to stay here.
Ultimate goals - I'm very interested in Interventional radiology.
Any advice for me?
MS3
StepI - 244
Grades - Mostly high sats, one or two sats, one or two honors. I will be in the top 1/2 of my class, possibly the top 1/4, but probably not AOA.
Research - none, and I'm not real likely to find time to do research in the future since I have two kiddos (3 and 5 years old) and am struggling to find time for everything that I already have on my plate.
Recommendation letters - I think I should be able to get good ones, though probably none from any bigwigs.
Location of interest - I'm not particularly picky. I'm from the midwest (I attend KUMC in Kansas City, KS) and would be very happy to stay in the midwest, either at KU, University of Iowa, or other locations. I would apply outside of the midwest as well, but would prefer to stay here.
Ultimate goals - I'm very interested in Interventional radiology.
Any advice for me?
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Your step 1 score is definitely above average and the rest of your application is about par for the course. Meaning: you should have no problem matching into radiology, especially since you don't mind staying in your region.
My only recommendation would be in the "research" area. Lots of people get misconceptions about what qualifies as "research". Ask around the department if anyone has any projects they're working on for either journal publication or for presentation at a radiology conference. Now's the prime time to get involved, particularly in conference worthy stuff - posters in particular. That's what I did. I kind of stumbled on a poster project that a classmate was working on with one of the pediatric radiologists. We (the classmate and I) did most of the leg work on writing the abstract and looking up references and articles, and the end result was a poster we presented at our campus's research day as well as an electronic educational exhibit at RSNA last December in Chicago. Think back to any interesting cases you've seen that had a radiological tangent or just keep your eyes and ears peeled for anything you see between now and June. Another classmate presented a case at a regional conference of a 10-year-old with Down's Syndrome swallowed some magnets that led to perforated bowel.
Little "hits" on your CV, as one adviser liked to call them, will help your application rise to the top of the pile and also give you ammunition for interview topics, not to mention demonstrating your dedication to the field.
Start asking for and planting seeds about recommendation letters now, as well. Attendings and advisers will start getting deluged with requests later this summer, and if it's been 6-9 months since they interacted with you they might not recall the details that would make for a strong recommendation letter, which is want you need. Once again, you want something that will set you apart in a good way. Anybody can get a luke-warm letter. You want a glowing and honest one.
That's all I've got for now...
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Let's see...
Step 1: Good. You're going to exceed any cutoff a program may throw up. It's not a "battering ram" score, but still very good. No need to take Step 2 early.
Grades: How are your third year grades? If it's still possible, try to impress on Surgery and Medicine rotations.
Research: Don't write it off too quickly. Does you school allow you to do a research rotation fourth year? I'd look into it and try to start one before ERAS is due. That way you can put it down as a "research experience" and say it's ongoing. You don't have to publish for it to count. I don't think you "need it" but it can help you in some places.
Recommendations: As stated above, start dropping hints. After you're done working with someone who liked you and would write a strong recommendation, ask them if they'll write you one at a later date. This worked well for me.
Location: I think you'll be happy with the Midwest programs. There's the super academic places and those that are very community and everything in between. I'm certain you can find a place that suits your goals.
My advice? Get some radiology rotations in third year or early fourth to make sure you want to do it and try to get a letter out of it. Interventional is a great rotation if you have one so you don't get the "look at a guy who's looking at a computer" vibe you get at some radiology rotations. Sniff out any research opportunities that fit into your schedule.
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my stats are similar but my grades are subpar so far (i have all passes, no hp/honors so far) and I have non-rads related research (no pubs, hopefully it gets published before interviews). I want to stay in the midwest as well but I dont really care as long as its chicago/milwaukee/michigan.
I'm going to really try honoring one class before 3rd year ends. Any thoughts on what i should do besides my grades? Should i do rads research as well?
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So far I'm pretty sure I've had all high sats.
I'm hoping
to honor internal medicine. I'm halfway through IM now and got a very good review from the attending I spent my first month with. I'm switching services starting tomorrow and hoping to be even better with my new group. Surgery is my next rotation.I honestly had been planning on doing family medicine until I spent a bit of time in IM and got to see all of the other options available to me. Now I'm thinking of pursuing a few and hopefully will find a great fit. I wish I could do a rads elective this year, but unfortunately we aren't given any electives during third year. I'm gonna try to get as much exposure to rads during the next few months in IM and Surgery and then do an elective early during MS4.
Would you recommend a diagnostic rads elective at my institution early in the year and then an interventional rads elective at an away site (i.e. University of Iowa) soon afterwards?
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when people say "do a third year elective" is it even possible/recommended? I mean I was told that finish your core 3rd year and then at the beginning of 4th do away elective. Couple of places I called for electives also told me if I had finished IM and Surg, and I haven't done Surgery so uhh...confused
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We don't get any electives during third year. We do get two two-week selectives with radiology being one of the options.
I think most places won't even let you do an away rotation at their institution until you've completed all the core third year clerkships.
In my opinion, it's best to do your 4th year aways before November. ERAS applications can go out September 1st, and I started getting offers in late September and didn't get any more after mid-November. My earliest interviews were in late October. If you're doing an away, you want to maximize your time with the attendings and residents, so you don't want to be asking for time off to be anywhere else.
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Definitely recommend doing your own institutions rads elective early fourth year. As for the Interventional away, it's up to you. Away rotations are absolutely not required in radiology, but it can be nice to see another site. However, if it'd be too expensive/difficult, you don't have to do it. University of Iowa is a nice place though.
I've heard of some places that give exposure in third year, but it's the exception not the rule. Mine definitely doesn't, but I've heard of schools which allow more flexibility when cores vs. electives are done. If your school doesn't have it as an option, don't sweat.
just wondering if anyone could give me any insight on my chances. thanks in advance.
step 1: 232
extensive radiology research (national talks, one first author paper submitted, 3 others)
half way through M3 with all passes, top 25 school
i want to match at my school.
thanks for any responses.
step 1: 232
extensive radiology research (national talks, one first author paper submitted, 3 others)
half way through M3 with all passes, top 25 school
i want to match at my school.
thanks for any responses.
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Research is a big plus if it means you've made contacts that can write you stellar LORs. If you want to stay in house and have impressed the big wigs at your school, this should help considerably. Showing dedication to the field will also set you apart, seeing as most people become interested in radiology later on in the process.
Straight passes in third year is a moderate-strong negative. Many of the better programs want candidates who have multiple honors in third year. Do you have opportunities left to get honors in courses? If so, work as hard as you can.
Issues of third year grades are always tricky - some schools give only the top 10-15% honors (as in my school) and the rest passes, with no in between (luckily, my school has an H/HP/P/F system for third year, and that intermediate HP does help out a lot). I would like to say that committee members take this into account, but I have the suspicion that many don't as much as they should. Try to do your best in your remaining clerkships.
Your Step I score passes the threshold, but isn't going to turn any heads. Consider taking Step II early and demonstrating a significant improvement, especially considering your third year grades.
All in all, you should have no problem matching somewhere, but depending on the quality of your program, being where you want to be may be considerably more difficult.
G'luck
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Here are my stats:
Step I: 238
Top 40 medical school
P's and H's during preclinical years
All HP's during clinical years
One year of post-junior pathology fellowship
Research in radiology and non-radiology
What do you guys think?
Step I: 238
Top 40 medical school
P's and H's during preclinical years
All HP's during clinical years
One year of post-junior pathology fellowship
Research in radiology and non-radiology
What do you guys think?
Research is a big plus if it means you've made contacts that can write you stellar LORs. If you want to stay in house and have impressed the big wigs at your school, this should help considerably. Showing dedication to the field will also set you apart, seeing as most people become interested in radiology later on in the process.
Straight passes in third year is a moderate-strong negative. Many of the better programs want candidates who have multiple honors in third year. Do you have opportunities left to get honors in courses? If so, work as hard as you can.
Issues of third year grades are always tricky - some schools give only the top 10-15% honors (as in my school) and the rest passes, with no in between (luckily, my school has an H/HP/P/F system for third year, and that intermediate HP does help out a lot). I would like to say that committee members take this into account, but I have the suspicion that many don't as much as they should. Try to do your best in your remaining clerkships.
Your Step I score passes the threshold, but isn't going to turn any heads. Consider taking Step II early and demonstrating a significant improvement, especially considering your third year grades.
All in all, you should have no problem matching somewhere, but depending on the quality of your program, being where you want to be may be considerably more difficult.
G'luck
Thanks a ton for the response. It was very informative and helpful. I will definitely kick it up a notch for the rest of the school year
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You will match, to a decent University program. Unlikely to a top 10 program because of your lack of honors in clinical years and your step 1 score is average. Big name university programs emphasize honors in clinical years a lot more than I would have guessed.
That being said, a glowing recommendation from a big name/famous radiologist can go A LONG way in getting you really great interviews.
Do your research before you apply to programs, and apply broadly. I must emphasize that regional bias is HUGE in Radiology.
Don't think about cost when applying- it's a one time investment and if you don't get enough interviews at the start, it's hard to add programs to apply to late in the game.
I just finished interviewing and learned a lot about the process and programs. If anyone wants further advice PM me.
Good luck!
http://radiology.matchapplicants.com
www.auntminnie.com
This site is also decent, written by the PD at UT-Houston. Don't pay attention to the program "tiers", a little outdated
http://www.uth.tmc.edu/radiology/guide_to_radiology_match_2007_2008.htm
BTW - Research is not required. I did NO research and got plenty of interviews (several in top 20 programs and one in a top 5 program that heavily emphasizes research). I was only asked about this one time during the interview trail, and it was at Vandy - which isn't known for emphasizing research.
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I just finished the interview cycle and am currently awaiting the match. I will reiterate what was mentioned above, and even go so far to say that third year grades are THE MOST important thing for getting top tier interviews. Sure, you may get a few sporadically with a 240+ Step I score, but if your third year grades are average, kiss that MGH residency goodbye. Third year grades will get you senior AOA, and that will definitely set you apart from the average applicant when you apply.
Research is also paramount for the top programs. Remember, it's not just getting the interview, you have to delineate yourself from other applicants and make that program see you differently. If all you bring to the table is a Step I score/grades, why would MGH rank you over someone equivalent that also has a PhD or stellar EC's? My guess is you'd have to really blow them out of the water with your interview skills, which in my experience is pretty hard to do given that most people interview approximately the same, with a few bad apples and sparkling personalities thrown into the mix. A fruitful research project will go a long way. It also helps the conversation during the interview.
Now, good grades/AOA and research aren't necessary to match into radiology. There are plenty of programs out there. However, to interview (and probably match, but can't comment about that just yet) at places like MGH, BWH, Hopkins, Penn, MIR, NYU, etc., you will need to have something to push you over. Trust me, you can't "ram" your way into these programs with a high step I score, even if it's a 280. My step I score was in the 240's, but I scored interviews at all of the above programs having the grades, research and EC's to back it up. Meanwhile, applicants from my school with scores in the 260's but average class rank were getting middle tier interviews. Heck, even if you screw up step I, doing well third year and a solid research project may propel your application.
Good luck to everyone, especially those waiting for the match and stalking AuntMinnie. Radiology is hands down the best field in medicine, and it's only going to get better.
Research is also paramount for the top programs. Remember, it's not just getting the interview, you have to delineate yourself from other applicants and make that program see you differently. If all you bring to the table is a Step I score/grades, why would MGH rank you over someone equivalent that also has a PhD or stellar EC's? My guess is you'd have to really blow them out of the water with your interview skills, which in my experience is pretty hard to do given that most people interview approximately the same, with a few bad apples and sparkling personalities thrown into the mix. A fruitful research project will go a long way. It also helps the conversation during the interview.
Now, good grades/AOA and research aren't necessary to match into radiology. There are plenty of programs out there. However, to interview (and probably match, but can't comment about that just yet) at places like MGH, BWH, Hopkins, Penn, MIR, NYU, etc., you will need to have something to push you over. Trust me, you can't "ram" your way into these programs with a high step I score, even if it's a 280. My step I score was in the 240's, but I scored interviews at all of the above programs having the grades, research and EC's to back it up. Meanwhile, applicants from my school with scores in the 260's but average class rank were getting middle tier interviews. Heck, even if you screw up step I, doing well third year and a solid research project may propel your application.
Good luck to everyone, especially those waiting for the match and stalking AuntMinnie. Radiology is hands down the best field in medicine, and it's only going to get better.
What about someone who has 9 years of radiology experience? I was a tech when I decided to go to med school, but I didn't do great on Step 1 (less than national average) and my grades are mediocre (mostly passes, mid third year). How much will extraordinary tech skills plus a love for radiology help me get a interview/spot...anywhere, not picky?!?! Thanks!
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True, yet anxiety provoking even for the top applicants. The problem with third year grades is that they're so subjective - all of my evaluations have been more of a reflection of the residents and attendings that fill them out than they are of me. For those of us in medical schools where the shelf exams are weighted as only 20% of our grade and 80% are BS evals, this makes third year grades a total crap shoot from rotation to rotation. Even in my case coming from a top 10 med school and having a Step I score of 254 plus research with publications, third year grades worry me - only the top 15% get honors in each rotation.
Other schools that give out tons of honors (like WashU, which gives out 50% + honors in practically every rotation) really kill people like me in this process. And please don't tell me these things are appropriately taken into account; they're not.
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Nope, not MSTP. However, I did enroll as a research fellow for a year of research in a field unrelated to radiology. The research project was asked about at every interview. University-affiliated radiology programs are interested in producing academic radiologists. Research experience is important to these programs, at least to some degree. Given, it's probably more helpful to have radiology-specific research, they're not that picky as long as you produce peer-reviewed manuscripts/presentations and show ownership.
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Of course. I'm not saying it's all fair. Third year grades are to some extent determined by luck. Whether it's luck in getting along with your residents or attendings, luck in ability to take standardized shelf exams, or just luck in what mood somebody might be in when they fill in your evaluation on that particular day. Also some schools inflate honors, sure. The vast majority of schools don't.
That being said, you increase your chances for excelling third year by busting your hump. The kid who goes home early whatever chance he gets and/or is a foul person to be around is definitely less predisposed to getting honors on a rotation that the kid who's staying later, showing up earlier, being upbeat and more proactive. At least in my experience, those who did well third year generally did well on most of their rotations. It wasn't that much of a "crapshoot" in that sense. Though everyone gets screwed sometime or another, you minimize your chances by working hard and being positive. Remember, radiologists don't want to work with anyone who doesn't work well with others, and that's a quality that will definitely shine through in your third year grades/comments.
And like I said before, it's not all about third year grades or research. You can surely brute force your way into many programs based on just your Step I score. I just thought that was something that was important to top tier, research-oriented programs for delineating applicants, IMHO.
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Research and grades are important, but you're right that they're not the only way. I interviewed at many top programs with minimal research experience and coming from a school that is very stingy about third-year honors. Strong letters and a high Step 1/2 were enough to land interviews at top places.
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You are being very modest! Didn't you get something outrageous like a 270 on step 1 and 2?
Anyway, congrats on getting great interviews! Match day can't come any sooner. Good luck to us all.
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True. You were also AOA, no? It doesn't matter how stingy or not stingy a school is with honors when it comes to deciding AOA. They are required to hand it out to ~16% of the class. And that herculean step I score is possibly one of the top scores, if not the very top score, in the country. ;-)
One thing I forgot to mention was regionality. If you're from a certain area of the country (i.e., NE vs. west coast vs. mid-west vs. south), you're more likely to get interviews in that area. While it sucks for those of us that would've liked to see programs in other areas of the country, it makes intuitive sense. If I were a program director, I wouldn't want to use up my limited interview slots on applicants who were there just to "check out" the program from 3000 miles away when I could instead give the slot to someone local who was much more likely to come to my program.
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Another "what are my chances" post:
Student at a well-respected, but middle tier med school.
-Step I: 239. Do you think I need to take Step 2 early? Currently was shooting for November.
-MS3 grades: high passes (except Pass in OB-GYN)
-MS1 & 2 grades: MS1 were all passes, MS2 all high passes with 1 honors
-Research: non-radiology research from college & med school, but no publications. One project for National Geographic's Genographic project doing DNA multiplex design. A chart review & data collection project for dept. of surgery. Currently working on a neuroethics project for dept. of neurosurgery.
-Volunteer work: free clinic, mentoring underprivileged high school student
Do you think I would be competitive at academic centers? - especially thinking about my top choices of Colorado, Northwestern, Yale, Vanderbilt, Duke, Wake Forest.
Also, in addition to the above, I am having a baby in October. With interviews in November, December, & January, I am worried that I will still be somewhat showing from pregnancy. Also, my away rotation can only be done in July or August, when I am 6-7 months pregnant & will be clearly showing. How much do you think this will hurt my chances?
Thank you!
Student at a well-respected, but middle tier med school.
-Step I: 239. Do you think I need to take Step 2 early? Currently was shooting for November.
-MS3 grades: high passes (except Pass in OB-GYN)
-MS1 & 2 grades: MS1 were all passes, MS2 all high passes with 1 honors
-Research: non-radiology research from college & med school, but no publications. One project for National Geographic's Genographic project doing DNA multiplex design. A chart review & data collection project for dept. of surgery. Currently working on a neuroethics project for dept. of neurosurgery.
-Volunteer work: free clinic, mentoring underprivileged high school student
Do you think I would be competitive at academic centers? - especially thinking about my top choices of Colorado, Northwestern, Yale, Vanderbilt, Duke, Wake Forest.
Also, in addition to the above, I am having a baby in October. With interviews in November, December, & January, I am worried that I will still be somewhat showing from pregnancy. Also, my away rotation can only be done in July or August, when I am 6-7 months pregnant & will be clearly showing. How much do you think this will hurt my chances?
Thank you!
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Another "what are my chances" post:
Student at a well-respected, but middle tier med school.
-Step I: 239. Do you think I need to take Step 2 early? Currently was shooting for November.
-MS3 grades: high passes (except Pass in OB-GYN)
-MS1 & 2 grades: MS1 were all passes, MS2 all high passes with 1 honors
-Research: non-radiology research from college & med school, but no publications. One project for National Geographic's Genographic project doing DNA multiplex design. A chart review & data collection project for dept. of surgery. Currently working on a neuroethics project for dept. of neurosurgery.
-Volunteer work: free clinic, mentoring underprivileged high school student
Do you think I would be competitive at academic centers? - especially thinking about my top choices of Colorado, Northwestern, Yale, Vanderbilt, Duke, Wake Forest.
Also, in addition to the above, I am having a baby in October. With interviews in November, December, & January, I am worried that I will still be somewhat showing from pregnancy. Also, my away rotation can only be done in July or August, when I am 6-7 months pregnant & will be clearly showing. How much do you think this will hurt my chances?
Thank you!
To be brutally honest, looking this over, you're a solid applicant, but nothing on your application jumps out at me. Your whole application is "good, not great". Some...well, all, of the programs you listed are quite competitive. That's not to say that you WON'T get an interview at those places, but there's nothing in your application (as you've presented it) that would make a Duke or a Northwestern say "Wow, we HAVE to invite this person", so you're not guaranteed an invite.
Normally, I'd say pick one or two that you're REALLY interested in interviewing/matching at and try to do an away rotation there, but it you have concerns about pregnancy.
I will say this, radiology, in general, is pretty family friendly. Now, you're going to want to avoid Fluoro and stuff, but I don't think a pregnancy is any reason to not do an away, especially if you're set on these competitive places. I don't think your pregnancy will be that big of a deal.
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I'm a 2nd year radiology resident (3rd year in residency), at a respectable university based program. I find it interesting that med students who haven't even matched into radiology yet are giving advice on whether or not these people have a "chance" to match.
For those people above who have listed scores of at least 230 and decent grades - you will get interviews at a lot of strong programs, provided that you apply early. Do not procrastinate. As for research - if you want to land at a research heavy elite program, then the number of publications you have will matter. If you're looking to land at a solid mid-tier program, not so much. The main thing is - apply early, apply to upper tier/mid tier/"reach" programs and a few "sure thing" programs - and you'll end up matching at a great residency. If you want anymore details feel free to PM me. I just think that advice is better given by someone who has already been through the process and was successful.
For those people above who have listed scores of at least 230 and decent grades - you will get interviews at a lot of strong programs, provided that you apply early. Do not procrastinate. As for research - if you want to land at a research heavy elite program, then the number of publications you have will matter. If you're looking to land at a solid mid-tier program, not so much. The main thing is - apply early, apply to upper tier/mid tier/"reach" programs and a few "sure thing" programs - and you'll end up matching at a great residency. If you want anymore details feel free to PM me. I just think that advice is better given by someone who has already been through the process and was successful.
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If you want to be the Radiology applications advisor, keep posting in response to user's queries and I'd be happy to nominate you for an official SDN advisor tag. This goes for any of the other Resident/Attending Radiology forum posters.
As it is, it is rare that current Radiology residents or attendings come to answer these questions, so the medical student crystal ball is better than nothing IMO.
As it is, it is rare that current Radiology residents or attendings come to answer these questions, so the medical student crystal ball is better than nothing IMO.
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I have gotten some PM requests for advice so far. When I was a student applying to radiology, I met some very helpful people along the way, and it made a huge difference for me. I just feel strongly about doing the same and giving back in some way. Good luck to those matching within the next two weeks!
I really appreciate that you are willing to give advice. I will be applying this fall and am not sure where to apply. I did ultrasound for 9 years and did radiology research (still doing it part-time) during my first 2 years. I, however, did not do very well on Step 1. I am planning to take Step 2 early and try to do well, but I am not expecting to interview at top tier programs. Frankly, I just want a residency; don't care where. I came to med school to be a radiologist, so no one wants it more than I do. Where do I apply? Who will take students with a Step 1 below national average? Thanks so much for your help!
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Um, I just matched into a "top" radiology program. Bring on the queries if you have them. Congrats to everyone that matched!
BTW, I think it is much more useful for people that just matched to give advice as opposed to people that matched many years ago. Radiology becomes increasingly more competitive every year, so I think future applicants would be very happy to hear our recent opinions as opposed to old ones.
I read that you just matched in a top program. First of all, congrats! I have a few questions regarding my "chances." I'd like to get into a "top" radiology program also and I am hoping you might give me a better idea if that is possible or not.
-Currently a 3rd year at top 30 school.
-Definite top 1/4 of class. Slim chance of 4th year AOA, but probably not.
-264/99 on Step 1.
-Undergrad and Med school research experience. One publication (second author). Hopefully at least one radiology case report before I apply.
I just want your honest opinion whether I should shoot for a "top" program... Thx
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Apply wherever you want. Your resume/score will open doors for you. Purely in relative terms, not making AOA will "hurt", but we're talking about maybe having to settle for something outside of the "top five". For now, work on securing some strong recommendation letters now that 3rd year is winding down. If you have your eyes on a particular program, get your stuff together, so you can do an away there.
Unless you've got poor interview skills you should match very well this time next year. Good luck!
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Thanks for the well wishes.
Congrats on having done so well in med school. I think you've got a great shot at all the top programs. Even if you don't get AOA, it sounds like you've done well grades wise and your Step I is stratospheric.
The only things you can control at this point is research and LOR's. Remember, the top radiology programs are heavily research-oriented and that's something they value for good reason. It's their goal to produce academic radiologists. LOR's also make a big difference, but I'm sure you'll have no prob getting great letters as well from whomever you've done research with or rotated with. Of course it helps to have a "big wig" write it, but I honestly think a well written letter from a nobody means more than a one liner from the nationally-known radiologist.
Good luck!
Going along with some of the previous posts
Top 50 Med School(barely)
Step I - 251 /Step 2 in Jan
Preclinicals - all P (we are P/F)
Clinicals - Medicine, Surg, OB, Rads Elective all H, HP in Fam Med
No research (and no desire to do it)
Just wondering if my stats are enough to make up for not doing any research at the top programs(not top 5) or should I bite the bullet and pull together a project? thanks in advance for any advice
Top 50 Med School(barely)
Step I - 251 /Step 2 in Jan
Preclinicals - all P (we are P/F)
Clinicals - Medicine, Surg, OB, Rads Elective all H, HP in Fam Med
No research (and no desire to do it)
Just wondering if my stats are enough to make up for not doing any research at the top programs(not top 5) or should I bite the bullet and pull together a project? thanks in advance for any advice
With the match having just finished hopefully some of you can help me out. I feel confident that I will be able to match somewhere. What I'm hoping you all can help me with is what caliber or "tier" of programs I should be aiming for. I am fairly confident that I am not extremely competitive for those "top tier" "top five" schools. However, I was hoping that some of you could list university programs in the Southeast, Texas, and Midwest that you all think that I would be competitive. I just want to know what is realistic for me. I know there is more involved than I am posting below such as interview skills but assume all other things being equal. I know one should apply to 1/3 reaches, 1/3 competitive, and 1/3 they would be crazy to not take me; its that competitive range that I'm unsure where I stand.
Top 40 NIH school
Step 1: 246/99 Step II in Dec.
Pre-clinical grades: 5 B's the rest A's
Clinical grades: Peds, Fam Med, Neuro, Surgery all A's (we have grades and do not use F/P/HP/H system)
Top 25% of class: I have a chance at senior AOA but would not be surprised if I didn't get it.
Research: One second author on publication from undergrad, one abstract poster in non-Rads field, and currently working on some projects that will probably lead to at least one Rads publication.
Top 40 NIH school
Step 1: 246/99 Step II in Dec.
Pre-clinical grades: 5 B's the rest A's
Clinical grades: Peds, Fam Med, Neuro, Surgery all A's (we have grades and do not use F/P/HP/H system)
Top 25% of class: I have a chance at senior AOA but would not be surprised if I didn't get it.
Research: One second author on publication from undergrad, one abstract poster in non-Rads field, and currently working on some projects that will probably lead to at least one Rads publication.
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Lower tier med school
Step 1: 229/95, Step 2 in August
Preclinical: All HP, 2 H
Clinical: All HP (perhaps I will H my last rotation
)
Volunteer work: completed a big project
Research: 1 presentation, 2 abstracts, more pending, 1 radiology case report.
I'm not shooting for the Top 50, just some local programs in Houston/Dallas, Chicago, Seattle, or Atlanta. I would prefer university but community is ok too. Thanks!
Step 1: 229/95, Step 2 in August
Preclinical: All HP, 2 H
Clinical: All HP (perhaps I will H my last rotation
)Volunteer work: completed a big project
Research: 1 presentation, 2 abstracts, more pending, 1 radiology case report.
I'm not shooting for the Top 50, just some local programs in Houston/Dallas, Chicago, Seattle, or Atlanta. I would prefer university but community is ok too. Thanks!
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Lower tier med school
Step 1: 229/95, Step 2 in August
Preclinical: All HP, 2 H
Clinical: All HP (perhaps I will H my last rotation
Volunteer work: completed a big project
Research: 1 presentation, 2 abstracts, more pending, 1 radiology case report.
I'm not shooting for the Top 50, just some local programs in Houston/Dallas, Chicago, Seattle, or Atlanta. I would prefer university but community is ok too. Thanks!
Seattle would be EXTREMELY difficult. There's only 2 programs, and they have no shortage of 250+ AOA kids who would sell their soul to live there.
Chicago is going to be hard to get, even with a community program. Not impossible, just very difficult. Even the community programs are on the more competitive side, just because of the city. If you go to school in Illinois, that helps.
Texas and Atlanta are more doable. You have a good shot of getting something in one of the cities, assuming you interview well.
Keep in mind though, I'm just comparing based on my experience on the interview trail. If you're trying to match in a city that people want to live in, its going to be a lot harder to stand out in a positive way without something exceptional on your application. Research is great, but the big programs really don't look at it unless you've got the other stuff (Step I/II, AOA, Clinical honors). Radiology is brutally competitive nowadays. A guy at my school who was 240/260, AOA, almost all clinical honors, only got 3 chicago interviews (and did not get NW or UChicago), and didn't hear a peep from Seattle. Its getting really is ridiculous for Radiology, so try to be realistic.
MS3 attending lower tier medical school
step 1 235/98 , taking step 2 in july/august
Clinical grades 3Honors 2 High Pass
Preclinical Majority Honors couple high pass
Research: 2 presentations, NIH sponsored research, and 1 surgery case report
top 25% of class, chance at senior AOA
I am couples matching with my wife who is going into OG/GYN. I wanted to know if we would be successful in the couples match. I was also interesteding in finding a residency in the south to southeast, and wanted to know which programs my credentials would most likey mirror.
Any advice, comments, or opinions would be greatly appriciated.
step 1 235/98 , taking step 2 in july/august
Clinical grades 3Honors 2 High Pass
Preclinical Majority Honors couple high pass
Research: 2 presentations, NIH sponsored research, and 1 surgery case report
top 25% of class, chance at senior AOA
I am couples matching with my wife who is going into OG/GYN. I wanted to know if we would be successful in the couples match. I was also interesteding in finding a residency in the south to southeast, and wanted to know which programs my credentials would most likey mirror.
Any advice, comments, or opinions would be greatly appriciated.
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US senior applicants 838
All Others 366
Nº of positions 1018
Applicants per position in radiology 0.82
Note: All Others include Canadian Students and Graduates, Osteopathic Seniors and Graduates, Fifth Pathway, U.S. Citizen Students and Graduates of Foreign Schools and Non-U.S. Citizen Students and Graduates of Foreign Schools.
Surgery
US senior applicants 1522
All Others 932
Nº of positions 1051
Applicants per position in surgery 1.45
Other competitive fields...
Dermatology 1.16
Orthopedics 1.15
Plastics 1.8
Less competitive
Family Med 0.4
Internal Med 0.65
Pediatrics 0.74
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What you mean is that these differences are due to radiology departments not ranking most of their applicants -so they dont appear in the nrmp stats?-
!sorry, my keyboard is not working very well
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Here's a different kind of scenario:
I'm a current PGY-2 in a categorical IM program at a community hospital. I'm a D.O. with average COMLEX scores and average GPA from Med School. I'm doing well in my residency and I'm currently heading up my own research. I'm starting to rethink my decision to go with IM/Hospitalist line of work and I am looking at other options. I've always liked radiology and wished I would have worked harder in school to apply to it.
What kind of chances would someone who's almost finished with an IM residency (by time the next match comes around) have at getting accepted into any diagnostic radiology programs? Would I be more competitive now with all of my clinical experience then I would have been after med school?
I'm a current PGY-2 in a categorical IM program at a community hospital. I'm a D.O. with average COMLEX scores and average GPA from Med School. I'm doing well in my residency and I'm currently heading up my own research. I'm starting to rethink my decision to go with IM/Hospitalist line of work and I am looking at other options. I've always liked radiology and wished I would have worked harder in school to apply to it.
What kind of chances would someone who's almost finished with an IM residency (by time the next match comes around) have at getting accepted into any diagnostic radiology programs? Would I be more competitive now with all of my clinical experience then I would have been after med school?
Thanks for the great discussion on this post. I'm wondering about the regional bias talked about in previous posts. How bad is it?
I'm from Southern California. Although I would be just fine staying here, I am much more concerned about going to a good academic program than any regional preferences. Any tips on conveying this to program directors (besides a mention in the personal statement)? Is it just a barrier to getting an interview or does it also affect their ranking?
Thanks!
I'm from Southern California. Although I would be just fine staying here, I am much more concerned about going to a good academic program than any regional preferences. Any tips on conveying this to program directors (besides a mention in the personal statement)? Is it just a barrier to getting an interview or does it also affect their ranking?
Thanks!
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My advice to anyone trying to break through the regional barriers is...
- Get good grades and board scores. PDs in general are looking for any excuse to not offer an interview
- Do an away rotation.
- Do an away rotation
- Do an away rotation
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