Advice for a 4th year DO

[phonydoctor]

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-currently a DO student 4th year
-interested in IR not necessarily DR
-also interested in pain, EM, surgery

Grades-average

Usmle:210-215
COMLEX: 520-530

Was originally going to apply osteopathic rads. With the merger, there are concerns if some programs are not going to make it. The ones that did get accredited, are only participating in ACGME match.

I am willing to work hard and study hard during residency but don't know how enjoyable it would be for 7 years. I am fascinated by the technology and the future of IR specifically. I enjoy the procedures in IR more than the diagnostics of DR and probably wouldn't be happy in a dark room all day. Is this still something I should pursue?

As far as the learning curve in DR, is it doable? Or is it really something to consider before residency. Does the cushy lifestyle in DR mean u got to go home and study 3-5 hrs a day at home reading

Here's my problem, first is it even likely for me to match anywhere?
Second, is it worth going to DR for it to take potentially 7 years to become IR?

Any words of encouragement for someone who wants to do IR or advice against it would be appreciated

Still have to take step 2 and am studying hard

 

[Mad Jack]

With that Step 1, your odds are pretty long. Also keep in mind that the DR to IR pathway is closing soon and your chances of matching integrated IR are basically zero. I'll wait for the experts to chime in, but at a glance, your app doesn't seem to be where it needs to be for even community DR at the vast majority of programs (and community DR generally won't get in you into an IR fellowship, even if they were still all over the place in six years).

 

[iololiol]

In a similar situation, would like to hear more what current residents think. Especially DO grads


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[Pisiform]

I just did IR rotation ... Attending told me the job market sucks for radiology. Not sure how true it is.


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[needachange2017]

DO here who recently tramsitioned from catogrical acgme surgery to acgme radiology. May be an outlier here but my scores two years ago:

245/252
650/720

Speaking to others in my program both MD and DO (very little), i think majority of DOs have scores similar to mine if not higher. MDs have the same or slightly lower.

And to be completely honest, im not so sure if your grades are super competitive for any of the fields you listed especially acgme programs i.e. Surgery, em, pain assuming coming from anesthesia, rads

 

[Cheyf]

With that Step 1, your odds are pretty long. Also keep in mind that the DR to IR pathway is closing soon and your chances of matching integrated IR are basically zero. I'll wait for the experts to chime in, but at a glance, your app doesn't seem to be where it needs to be for even community DR at the vast majority of programs (and community DR generally won't get in you into an IR fellowship, even if they were still all over the place in six years).

Is DR to IR closing? I thought it was just a 2 year fellowship after instead of 1 after 2020.

 

[Mad Jack]

Is DR to IR closing? I thought it was just a 2 year fellowship after instead of 1 after 2020.

The specialties are splitting, there will no longer be IR fellowships eventually.
http://rfs.sirweb.org/wordpressnstall/4787-2/

 

[Rads312]

DO Radiology PGY-2 / R-1 here.

You will still fall into the 'transition' timeline where there will be a possibility for only 1 year of additional training after completing pgy-5 year of DR. This will depend on if your program complies with the ESIR guidelines , and you complete them in DR residency. Still a bit of a gray zone here, my residency program is still figuring it out.


As far as your competitiveness goes - I'd say its definitely 0 for integrated IR, and pretty darn near 0 for DR. American grad MD's tend to have the safety of knowing they'll match 'somewhere' with a 220ish or higher step 1 score, but your'e quite a bit below that, and far beyond the national average of 230's. The step 1 for rads is still 240's, with the fancy academic programs on the upper end of the spectrum and the crappy community programs on the low end. And you're a DO.

I can't imagine even an average community program giving you an interview with average med school grades and a pretty sub par step 1 score. I scored a solid standard deviation above average on step 1 and got interviews from *some* community programs and *Very few* good academic programs. And I had above average med school grades and published research/experience in radiology. I would say your chances are slim to none.

 

[Rads312]

"-also interested in pain, EM, surgery"

You might luck out at a community anesthesia program, it's still a lot less competitive than radiology and is DO friendly. I have a few friends who matched anesthesia at community programs with those stats - and you can use that as a bridge to pain fellowship. Keep in mind pain fellowship is ridiculously competitive and is no guarantee. I would recommend you apply to PM&R as a back up plan. You'll match somewhere decent and Pain fellowship or a non-accredited 'spinal pain' type fellowship (which are common in PMR) would be a way to practice pain in the future.

 

[shark2000]

I just did IR rotation ... Attending told me the job market sucks for radiology. Not sure how true it is.


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Even if it is true (which is not), what does it have to do with the OPs question?

 

[Pisiform]

Even if it is true (which is not), what does it have to do with the OPs question?

True! This is one of the things that stuck out during my IR rotation so just wanted to share and see if anyone if it's true or not. No need to get your panties in a bunch


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[shark2000]

True! This is one of the things that stuck out during my IR rotation so just wanted to share and see if anyone if it's true or not. No need to get your panties in a bunch


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If it is not related to the post no need to cause distraction. You can ask your question in a different post. As a 5+ year member these are some basics that you are expected to know unless you mean to troll or to steal the post.

 

[Pisiform]

If it is not related to the post no need to cause distraction. You can ask your question in a different post. As a 5+ year member these are some basics that you are expected to know unless you mean to troll or to steal the post.

You are the troll and the one causing distraction. You haven't even answered OPs question yourself and came here just to reply to my so called "troll" comment


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[preDoGuy24]

True! This is one of the things that stuck out during my IR rotation so just wanted to share and see if anyone if it's true or not. No need to get your panties in a bunch


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Then start your own thread.

You are the one who is trolling with irrelevant information to the OP. Shark provides more to this forum then most any other attending member and he answered your dumb question (IR market is not terrible).

To OP unfortunately your step scores are tough to overcome. If you are dying for Rads I would say rotate at a community program, get a good letter and apply smartly, with a good back up plan. Being a DO is a disadvantage but having the combination of below average scores makes it much tougher.

Good luck.



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