4th yr planning

[Gravi69]

---

Members don't see this ad.

How should one set up a 4th year schedule if interested in rads?

Home rotation in rads, away rotation in rads, multiple aways?

How about ideas on where to get letters? How many letters?

Just a basic recap on how the whole application process/scheduling process goes would be great Thanks

 

[Gravi69]

UPDATE

Too late. I had to submit a schedule and already got the crummy results.

Start off with derm elective (ugh...wanted to save the easy stuff until the end)

Medicine Sub-I

Peds Outpatient clinic work

AND THEN Rads

My rads rotation comes in October making it probably too late to garner a LOR to submit to ERAS.

1) Can I match in Rads with just one Rads rotation? No aways?
2) I was planning on using a 3rd year medicine LOR, the derm LOR (I'm quite close with the faculty members as I'm a frequent patient), and the Sub-I LOR. Is that sufficient? Or did I need a Rads LOR?

Just lookin to match here. Not match into a top flight place or anything.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

UPDATE

Too late. I had to submit a schedule and already got the crummy results.

Start off with derm elective (ugh...wanted to save the easy stuff until the end)

Medicine Sub-I

Peds Outpatient clinic work

AND THEN Rads

My rads rotation comes in October making it probably too late to garner a LOR to submit to ERAS.

1) Can I match in Rads with just one Rads rotation? No aways?
2) I was planning on using a 3rd year medicine LOR, the derm LOR (I'm quite close with the faculty members as I'm a frequent patient), and the Sub-I LOR. Is that sufficient? Or did I need a Rads LOR?

Just lookin to match here. Not match into a top flight place or anything.

The program director here says he's very skeptical about LoRs from radiologist. When anxious 3rd and 4th years come ask him for advice, he likes to tell the story of how LoRs from radiologists tend to be form letters that, while they don't hurt you, don't help pull you out of the larger field of applicants. He says he recommends using a radiology LoR as a fourth letter and not one of the required three. He'd much rather see a strong, unique letters from medicine, surgery, or ob/gyn attendings. The problem with getting letters from radiology attendings is that medical school and particularly 3rd year rotations just aren't set up to get you the kind of exposure you need to earn a good LoR. There are certainly exceptions to the rule - students who have collaborated on research projects, know the radiologist personally, or just hung out in the reading room during every spare minute.

Just some general advice that I'm sure you've already heard... When asking for letters, speak to the person directly, look them in the eye, and ask them if they'd be willing to write you a strong letter. If they flinch or hesitate I'd consider going elsewhere.


Your plan sounds good to me as a fellow third year. It's definitely possible to get into radiology without a radiology LoR.

 

[jhadow]

During my interview process and inquisition time before the interviews, I got the impression (and was later reinforced) that a LOR from a radiologist is a really good idea. You've got to show that you put in a little rads time and that someone in the field thinks you understand what radiologists do and can handle the work.

You don't have to rotate with a radiologist to get a LOR. Generally you can start with the med school advisor or the rads PD or clerkship director and they'll guide you to the right place/attending to help you out. They might even tell you that you need to sign up for a rotation, but this isn't a hard and fast requirement.