I am an M1- what do i have to do?

[MSV MD 2B]

Okay, what advice would you have for an M1 who is thinking a bout going into radiation oncology? i already have contacted someone about research. what else? is this specialty totally impossible to get into?

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[Htowngsp]

Dude, you have such a head start. I wish I'd heard of Rad Onc that early in the game. Maybe this is a trend- there's a guy here in Texas who has 3 Red Journal pubs as an MS2...

Okay, now I'm getting depressed...

 

[stephew]

you are in a good position for a head start. Get the research, get to know as many people as you can

 

[MSV MD 2B]

is summer research enough or should i take a year off? i'm a nontraditional student and really don't want to do this.
now what about grades in the basic science years? what if i don't get all or any honors grades and AOA?

 

[stephew]

There is no need to take a year off. You do it while in school and over summers. As for basic sci grades, they really dont matter in general but i will say in rad onc right now, they have some many competitive folks that they could use anything to weed it down.

 

[Thaiger75]

Like everyone else has said, you do have a good start, which will help in the long run. As far as grades, I know some programs will screen out applicants based on USMLE scores. I know a couple places that screen out people with scores below 230. But I am sure not every place does that.

 

[music710]

doh! so Thaiger, which places do you know that screen out scores below 230?

 

[Thaiger75]

MusicMan...

Baylor (when Dr. Woo was program director) screened out the majority of people with 2-digit scores below 90. And the majority of MD Anderson interviewees had 230 and above. Again, though, I'm sure there are people with scores below these numbers and still got interviewed...if something in your application stands out.

 

[stephew]

it depends upon the program. Some dothat to be lazy. Some don't beleive in that. Your basic sci grades dont matter too much usually but in this competitive field I think anything to help thin the field out is taken into consideration.