Advice please

[hshah25]

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Hello,

I am a current third year medical student who just recently became interested in the field. I was hoping you guys could give me some advice. My main concern is that I do not have any research during medical school. A fellow student suggested that I need to take a year off for research, something I would like to avoid. My grades are pretty good, 244 on step 1, and plenty of ECs. Should I try to do aways at mid level places in order to audition, or get some heavy hitting LORs from more prestigious places?

Any help will be much appreciated !

 

[baculum1]

You are in serious trouble without any research in medical school. Your Step 1 is average. You are applying to a field where research is golden and you have no desire to pursue it. Get some research or you will be limited to low tier or maybe won't even match.

 

[mpdoc2]

Hello,

I am a current third year medical student who just recently became interested in the field. I was hoping you guys could give me some advice. My main concern is that I do not have any research during medical school. A fellow student suggested that I need to take a year off for research, something I would like to avoid. My grades are pretty good, 244 on step 1, and plenty of ECs. Should I try to do aways at mid level places in order to audition, or get some heavy hitting LORs from more prestigious places?

Any help will be much appreciated !

I think you're fine. You still have a couple of months before applying. Try to get a retrospective study done in the interim. Be positive and you'll match.

 

[itom37]

You can get some clinical research done or at least far along enough to discuss it intelligently between now and application time. Parter with a resident or attending to write a review article (great way to get a first authorship and learn a lot about something). I think you'll have a good shot at matching, though you're gonna be looking at clinically focused programs and lower-tier most likely. I'd do 2-3 aways. Try for big name letter writers, not just big name institutions (you most likely won't match at a top tier place with that application, but there are lots of well known people outside of top 10 programs). You can do a "research" away rotation, and kill multiple birds with one stone. Also at each away you'll likely be asked to do a presentation... that'll go in the "publications, abstracts, presentations" part of your application.

I don't like or agree with the attitude that you can't match without a ton of research in this field. The data don't support that. Yes research is big in rad onc and it helps a lot, but a person with good grades, par board score, good app otherwise most certainly has a good chance to match without a year off for research. You'd be in a better position with 5 pubs, but you still have a great shot. Look at charting outcomes of the match... people with zero research match more often than not.

My personal advice is leave no stone unturned. You've identified the weaknesses in your application. Do something to fix them. And good luck!