advice on good radiology rotation?

[viostorm]

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I'm not going into radiology most likely IM, but I want to do a rotation in radiology to learn some basics.

My school does not have a radiology department, it is private guys contracted with the hospital who say "sit in the corner and don't say anything or don't bother coming." I guess students interfere with the $$$.

I'm looking to do an away elective, anyone know a good 4th year away rotation where I can learn the basics of radiology?

 

[shocker]

Where are you? California, Midwest, Northeast, etc. I don't know West Coast but I can think of some programs which I visited that preach education is number one.

Indiana
Maryland
Univ. of Florida - Gainesville

Big name (MGH, Hopkins) is probably not what you should look for. You would be crowded out by overzealous Radiology applicants. Post your region and someone should chime in. Good Luck. It is great you are being proactive about learning the basics of Radiology, it should help you considerably.

 

[viostorm]

Where are you? California, Midwest, Northeast, etc. I don't know West Coast but I can think of some programs which I visited that preach education is number one.

I am in Texas, but I have family in Washington, DC that I could stay with for free. I'm really happy to go anywhere.

 

[zoondel]

I would look for a med school that has a month-long course in diagnostic radiology, where a radiologist will actually teach you how to read films. A radiology 'rotation' will get you tidbits, but you'll gain more from the didactic approach. I took the course at my med school, SUNY Downstate, and it was one of the best electives I ever took - you come out knowing how to read chest films like a pro, plus CTs and sonograms, a good amount of MRI, and a smattering of other stuff like HIDA scans, VCUGs, and nuclear medicine scans. You learn some Neuro rads and peds too. It's a lot of work, but I enjoyed every minute of it.

 

[bigfrank]

At the risk of sounding like an ***, I don't think you can even learn the basics of the basics of radiology in a month as a medical student. Unless it's extraordinarily convenient for you to do an away rotation, I wouldn't mess with it.

 

[OHMAN0125]

At the risk of sounding like an ***, I don't think you can even learn the basics of the basics of radiology in a month as a medical student. Unless it's extraordinarily convenient for you to do an away rotation, I wouldn't mess with it.

So are away electives even useful? Some radiologists say go ahead even if not helpful as "preinterview" it helps open ur eyes to different programs. If this is the case, I dont think it's worth all the trouble and money of setting up if it wont even give u any advantage in getting into the program. I know it's not something like ER or surgery where u can prove ur work ethic or whatever.

 

[bigfrank]

Away rotations ARE helpful, if you are using them as, as you state, preinterviews. They will preinterview you, and vice versa.

The OP is asking about doing an away rotation in radiology and will be applying into IM. I submit to you, and him/her, that this is completely useless.

 

[medicinehopeful]

hey all,
are radiology away electives required/recommended. also, is there any benefit to doing away rotations in radiology research?

 

[futrorthodr]

Sorry for the ignorance but are there away rotations available in IR or just diganostic?

 

[hans19]

hey all,
are radiology away electives required/recommended. also, is there any benefit to doing away rotations in radiology research?

Not to be rude, but...
Dude did your read the FAQ? There's a reason why its stickied. Did you read any of the other recent threads, whatsoever? For folks interested in radiology some of you guys aren't even putting in the minimal effort to find out the basics. There are no less than 3 recent threads devoted to this very subject.

No.
Not unless you think you'll get published.

 

[hans19]

Sorry for the ignorance but are there away rotations available in IR or just diganostic?

There are IR rotations. If you think you might be at all interested in IR, this is a much better option than doing a general rads away. You will observe, maybe even work, 1 on 1 with IR attendings on a regular basis. You CAN do things to help out, unlike when you are on a general rad rotation. As a result the attendings will get to know you better AND as a result you may be able to get a letter out of it. And since you know attendings better you might be ask to get in on a case report or even help write up a clinical paper as well. Just being at the institution you can still get a feel for the other areas of the radiology department and get a sense of whether or not the residents are happy.