Big Surge In Radiation Oncology Residency Applications in March and April Leads To Record High Applicants

[2021Doctor]

Pre-SOAP February 25:

Post-SOAP April 15:

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[radiation]

at least less spots filled in SOAP this year, 19 still too much though

 

[2021Doctor]

at least less spots filled in SOAP this year, 19 still too much though

View attachment 339220

Actually 22 positions filled in the SOAP - PGY1: 2, PGY2: 19, Physician (R): 1
Apparently there is no shortage of med students willing to SOAP/scramble into spots leading to record high applications in 2021.

 

[fiji128]

It’s not even just that. Programs are filling outside of the match with those in prelims who didn’t match into advanced training in other specialties. This will not be captured in the above data. This is not hypothetical and is for sure happening.

 

[seper]

have to see the total number of residents, especially PGY2 totals, to make any inferences

 

[ramsesthenice]

It’s not even just that. Programs are filling outside of the match with those in prelims who didn’t match into advanced training in other specialties. This will not be captured in the above data. This is not hypothetical and is for sure happening.

They will all be filled. Programs that “stood strong” and didn’t SOAP this year are extremely likely to try to fill those spots next year or outside the match.

 

[fiji128]

Nothing against this guy and certainly don’t blame him for trying (which is why I blacked out his name). But when places say we matched and didn’t SOAP keep in mind the caliber of candidates that they are matching. Especially at bottom tier/problem programs. If this guy doesn’t secure a pgy-1 spot somewhere, UK will fill with someone who has completed prelim year and hasn’t secured advanced placement. Specifically, UK has done this several times in the past few years. These programs will do just about anything to fill their residency positions, except decrease training spots.

 

[DebtRising]

Man he/she’s sure gonna love the “fellowship” and job on the backend

 

[deleted941485]

Nothing against this guy and certainly don’t blame him for trying (which is why I blacked out his name). But when places say we matched and didn’t SOAP keep in mind the caliber of candidates that they are matching. Especially at bottom tier/problem programs. If this guy doesn’t secure a pgy-1 spot somewhere, UK will fill with someone who has completed prelim year and hasn’t secured advanced placement. Specifically, UK has done this several times in the past few years. These programs will do just about anything to fill their residency positions, except decrease training spots.

View attachment 339240

But but the free market will take care of everything! Oh it will...exploitative labor pools abound!! Thanks UK!!

 

[communitydoc13]

Some of these international folks are actually trained radoncs in their own countries. They can have experience (like LDR brachy freehand experience on tons of cases) that no top tier US medical student can hope to match (much less nearly all board certified US radoncs like me). A place like KY just taking advantage of global disparities here. Helping themselves and probably some very rural community down the road. Much better for their program than taking a red flag US grad.

Very hard to fight this.

 

[communitydoc13]

Reminds me of applying to hard science PhD program years ago. These are not competitive for US undergrads (well most US undergrads aren't candidates at all, but if you are a physics major with a 3.3 you have good options). Programs would get a modest number of US applicants and then a huge number of much better international applicants. They got a sense of what institutions they could trust and basically filled their programs with these applicants after offering spots to the handful of decent US applicants that showed interest.

 

[fiji128]

No doubt the above is true. The tweet just illustrates how there is no such thing as a "market correction" when it comes to US residency programs. There are literally people that would be willing to work for free to get into the US and become a BC doc. Because of this, the only real way forward is closing programs and officially decreasing the residency positions at those that remain open. This whole we will not participate in the SOAP thing will not make any difference in the long run.

 

[TheWallnerus]

No doubt the above is true. The tweet just illustrates how there is no such thing as a "market correction" when it comes to US residency programs. There are literally people that would be willing to work for free to get into the US and become a BC doc. Because of this, the only real way forward is closing programs and officially decreasing the residency positions at those that remain open. This whole we will not participate in the SOAP thing will not make any difference in the long run.

The number of residents will continue to go up. The number of ROs will continue to go up. Only hope, as it were, is the system will function like a hard drive. It works just fine and the same way up to and until 99.999..% capacity is reached. Then all of a sudden DISK FULL, unemployment, finger-pointing, disaster, recriminations, and then change. This is what I have foreseen.

 

[RadOncDoc21]

The number of residents will continue to go up. The number of ROs will continue to go up. Only hope, as it were, is the system will function like a hard drive. It works just fine and the same way up to and until 99.999..% capacity is reached. Then all of a sudden DISK FULL, unemployment, finger-pointing, disaster, recriminations, and then change. This is what I have foreseen.

In the meantime, save up and prepare for salaries to drop. Ride the wave until I fall.