Hi all....4th year just now considering radiology....No aways scheduled yet...I have mainly honors and high pass in my classes, 250+ on boards, and possibly AOA (not out yet)....If I want to stay in my home city, should I do an away anywhere? I have heard that for radiology specifically you shouldn't do aways, but then other people have told me otherwise. A little help from those who have matched or who have any information for me...thank you
Are away rotations for radiology required to match?
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cowme
Dont do one
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Could you elaborate, please?
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cowme
On medicine/surgery rotations, you actually have a chance to help with your work ethic, good H/P's, presentations, write notes, or in other little ways. On a radiology rotation, you are just taking up space and not contributing squat. You will have no idea what you are looking at, outside of routine CXRs. So you don't really have much of a chance to impress. Sure, maybe you will be the rare student with the very keen eye that is very impressive, but more likely you will not have a clue what you are looking at, and come off like an idiot with no clue every time you are asked a question. You have much more chance to hurt yourself than to help yourself, IMO.
You will probably rotate through the department the entire month, so you will probably not work with the same attending for more than 2 days consecutively, meaning a letter is probably worthless and you will not be remembered come interview season.
The ONLY reason that an away would be worthwhile is if you are trying to overcome a geographic barrier (ie. lived in Cali your entire life, trying to move to Boston). If you grew up or went to med school in the same region as your dream residency, I wouldn't even bother. If your numbers are as strong as the OP's, you will get interviews in every region.
---This only applies to a general radiology rotation. I think IR would be helpful, as would a research away rotation.
You will probably rotate through the department the entire month, so you will probably not work with the same attending for more than 2 days consecutively, meaning a letter is probably worthless and you will not be remembered come interview season.
The ONLY reason that an away would be worthwhile is if you are trying to overcome a geographic barrier (ie. lived in Cali your entire life, trying to move to Boston). If you grew up or went to med school in the same region as your dream residency, I wouldn't even bother. If your numbers are as strong as the OP's, you will get interviews in every region.
---This only applies to a general radiology rotation. I think IR would be helpful, as would a research away rotation.
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In general the more positive contacts you have at programs the better. If you come across well in person, I doubt that there is any specialty where this wouldn't be beneficial ( although in some specialties it might not be necessary). you might get the opportunity to sit down with the PD while rotating there. You also may have the opportunity to hit it off with residents, who in smaller programs may get to weigh in on future residents.
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cowme
Sure, but it hardly "required to match" as the OP was asking. Plus, I would say that it is harder to come across well in person in rads rotations than others, considering you are watching a guy use a computer in a dark room. I love rads as much as anyone, but it's pretty tough to stay interested in that setting when you have no idea what you are looking at 90% of the time.
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That it's "harder to come across well" in this setting doesn't mean that some folks don't managed it though. It may be harder, but it's certainly impossible to sell yourself effectively if they never see you. Waiting for an interview invite only works if you actually get one.
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One of my mentors said unless you absolutely want to go to 1 program and are a superstar should you do aways in rads for the reasons cowme mentioned. There isn't really that hustle factor that you can impress with in other fields.
I doubt many can impress during a month long pimp session on a topic we get little training in during UME.
I doubt many can impress during a month long pimp session on a topic we get little training in during UME.
Thanks for the replies everyone....Maybe Ill just stick to doing my home rotation and then do a research month in my October month. While I dont talk for all medical schools but at least my class this year went absolutely ape s on away rotations...so many classmates who are trying to match even into basic residencies like med or peds are doing multiple aways and it is scaring me
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Helpful thread. I was going to ask about this as well. I know some people from my school have matched into some great places in the past. I guess it would help to ask if they have done aways. I personally don't like the idea of doing an away in radiology specifically (for the reasons posted above) and probably won't if I can get away with it.
Anybody on here matched into your radiology program after having done an away?
Anybody on here matched into your radiology program after having done an away?
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I'm rotating at a program right now that accepts a decent amount of residents who do an away there. In the 2010 match a student at my school matched this program after doing an away.
The rotation is set-up where you have opportunities to rotate through almost all of the subspecialties including IR and Neuro-IR. We were also told who some of the admissions committee members are so we know which people to make sure to speak and interact with.
I don't have a home program so of course I'd have to do at least one away but even if I was at a school that had a home program I'd probably still one out of region away
