Air Force Radiology Residency / IFB

[kingcer0x]

Rads training in the AF has always been a hot topic on this board...

The IFB has allotted 4 preselect diagnostics rads spots for the upcoming board (2 at saushec and 2 and DGMC), which means that these go to med students only right? And it seems there are zero deferrals again this year.

For someone interested in rads who is HPSP, what does it take to get one of these preselect spots where operational tours / internships don't apply? Is being competitive in the civilian world and doing a mil rads rotation enough? And I am sure some of these spots will go to USUHS kids, who perhaps have more potential as "career" officers from the score sheet.

Thanks for your input, im sure others are in the same boat.

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[sethco]

Rads training in the AF has always been a hot topic on this board...

It Has?!?

The IFB has allotted 4 preselect diagnostics rads spots for the upcoming board (2 at saushec and 2 and DGMC), which means that these go to med students only right? And it seems there are zero deferrals again this year.

Absolutely not. You better believe GMOs/FS and other attendings are competing for the same slots. All it takes is a couple of flight surgeons and USUHS/Prior Service people to push individuals into an operational tour before being considered for residency. 4 spots is not that much and the chances of a med student, especially HPSP, getting one of these is very slim. This is what happens more so in Dermatology. I guess Radiology is the same way now.

For someone interested in rads who is HPSP, what does it take to get one of these preselect spots where operational tours / internships don't apply? Is being competitive in the civilian world and doing a mil rads rotation enough? And I am sure some of these spots will go to USUHS kids, who perhaps have more potential as "career" officers from the score sheet.

The only ways an HPSP can maximize their points are good class rank, good board scores, good rotations and LORs, multiple peer reviewed publications. Even with all of this, it is hard for most HPSP students to realize that they are inferior applicants according to the JSGME compared to individuals who are eligible for points that aren't available to med students (i.e No operational tour, no prior service, no deployments, etc.).

im sure others are in the same boat.

Exactly. Don't we go through the same thing every year? Every year when the IFB comes out, people ask what are my odds of getting X residency and is there anything I can do to improve my odds. Repeating again, you are competing against people that there is no way you can get more "points" than them because they have prior service. An operational tour will instantly make you are more competitive (and in a matter of speaking, superior) applicant.

Regardless of everything I just said, good luck in the upcoming match. In case it doesn't work out, an operational tour is what you make of it.

...Hope everything works out for you.

 

[kingcer0x]

well, when i say preselect, i mean that PGY 1 was included in those slots. There are 6 PGY 2 only slots which I would think would go to GMO/FS since they have already done internship...?

That was really my question. I understand the chance of doing an operational tour well.

 

[sethco]

well, when i say preselect, i mean that PGY 1 was included in those slots. There are 6 PGY 2 only slots which I would think would go to GMO/FS since they have already done internship...?

That was really my question. I understand the chance of doing an operational tour well.

Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but those spots are preselect meaning you don't necessarily need to do the internship at WHMC to get the residency. As an example, a GMO/FS applying for a position to start 2 years later. Am I wrong? If so, that definitely pushes the odds closer to your favor, but no civilian deferred this year? That suxs.

 

[kingcer0x]

Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but those spots are preselect meaning you don't necessarily need to do the internship at WHMC to get the residency. As an example, a GMO/FS applying for a position to start 2 years later. Am I wrong? If so, that definitely pushes the odds closer to your favor, but no civilian deferred this year? That suxs.

yup no civilian deferred this year, none last year either i think.

 

[BomberDoc]

Welcome to the Air Force, boys. They are so short-sighted that they can't see past their eyelashes. 5 years from now when they are critically short of radiologists, there will be 20 slots in the IFB and tons of deferrals. Everything is cyclical... except maybe derm, which is always tough to get.

 

[deuist]

After reviewing the scoring criteria, I see what a sham the process is. A student who graduates AOA and has a 240 on the boards will max out at 10 points. A mediocre GMO will accumulate enough operations points to far exceed 10 points and earn a spot in the match. This kind of treatment would never happen in the civilian world.

 

[USAFGMODOC]

This is exactly what I (and others) have been saying about the GME process.... If you get a competative residency out of med school in the USAF, consider yourself lucky... Otherwise you'll be a GMO for 2-3 years and if you then pursue a military residency you'll owe "extra" time--- unless you already owe so much that it doesn't really matter...

I did the FS thing and it really wasn't bad, but it delays your professional development several years which can be somewhat frustrating and in the long term costs you alot of money (and time which you can't recoup).