Are we screwed for future matches?

[Saleemrodman1]

I am an incoming first year (ATSU-SOMA). I am particularly interested in Hematology/Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Gastroenterology, and Dermatopathology. Are any of these now going to be impossible for me to match into?

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[Rekt]

I am an incoming first year (ATSU-SOMA). I am particularly interested in Hematology/Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Gastroenterology, and Dermatopathology. Are any of these now going to be impossible for me to match into?

No.

GI will be the hardest of those by far followed far behind by heme/onc. Pathology then dermatopathology is accessible for a DO, but whether you have a job after or not will be the question. Rad onc is oversaturated and somewhat of a dying field and had to soap a ton of spots last cycle.

 

[Saleemrodman1]

No.

GI will be the hardest of those by far followed far behind by heme/onc. Pathology then dermatopathology is accessible for a DO, but whether you have a job after or not will be the question. Rad onc is oversaturated and somewhat of a dying field and had to soap a ton of spots last cycle.

Whether I have a job or not? What do you mean by that? Is it that difficult getting a job in Dermatology or Dermatopathology?



What about Heme/Onc? That is my top specialty choice. How would it be for a DO in terms of matching and then finding a job afterwards?


This is all so STRESSFUL! Thanks for your response!

 

[OverlyRomantic]

Whether I have a job or not? What do you mean by that? Is it that difficult getting a job in Dermatology or Dermatopathology?



What about Heme/Onc? That is my top specialty choice. How would it be for a DO in terms of matching and then finding a job afterwards?


This is all so STRESSFUL! Thanks for your response!

Saleem, you haven't even started yet! Please don't stress out. Enjoy the challenge of medical school (as much as you can), and focus on doing well in your classes. Take it one step at a time.

 

[Norwood-Sano]

Whether I have a job or not? What do you mean by that? Is it that difficult getting a job in Dermatology or Dermatopathology?



What about Heme/Onc? That is my top specialty choice. How would it be for a DO in terms of matching and then finding a job afterwards?


This is all so STRESSFUL! Thanks for your response!

You sound like my long lost twin. I’m the same way, none of the fields I’ve been interested in are super DO friendly so I’m stressing too. The most I can say is what everyone tells me and is telling you, just sit back, take everything as it comes head on and persevere! If you made it into med school, you know what you’re doing!

 

[pseud0]

I am an incoming first year (ATSU-SOMA). I am particularly interested in Hematology/Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Gastroenterology, and Dermatopathology. Are any of these now going to be impossible for me to match into?

how do you even know you like these fields?

once you start spending 12 hours a day in the anatomy lab preparing for your first practical i guarantee you'll stop thinking about this stuff this early

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

I am an incoming first year (ATSU-SOMA). I am particularly interested in Hematology/Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Gastroenterology, and Dermatopathology. Are any of these now going to be impossible for me to match into?

GI is very competitive and is a fellowship. Heme/Onc is pretty doable as long as you land a decent IM program, even strong community programs match decently to Heme/Onc. Radiation Oncology has no jobs. Dermatopathology is a fellowship of pathology and path will take you as long as you have a pulse. On second thought they probably will even if you don't.

This is all so STRESSFUL! Thanks for your response!

Maybe focus on getting good grades before completely stressing out over what fields you'll be able to apply to.

 

[Saleemrodman1]

how do you even know you like these fields?

once you start spending 12 hours a day in the anatomy lab preparing for your first practical i guarantee you'll stop thinking about this stuff this early

Hmmm is there something wrong with having initial interest?

 

[Saleemrodman1]

GI is very competitive and is a fellowship. Heme/Onc is pretty doable as long as you land a decent IM program, even strong community programs match decently to Heme/Onc. Radiation Oncology has no jobs. Dermatopathology is a fellowship of pathology and path will take you as long as you have a pulse. On second thought they probably will even if you don't.


Maybe focus on getting good grades before completely stressing out over what fields you'll be able to apply to.

Maybe understand that some people like to have a rough idea of what they're going to do, before they jump right in. Not everyone works the same way.

 

[Chromatic543]

Saleem, you haven't even started yet! Please don't stress out. Enjoy the challenge of medical school (as much as you can), and focus on doing well in your classes. Take it one step at a time.

Hmmm is there something wrong with having initial interest?

I hope you know that SDN is full of these kinds of replies. Gotta get used to it.

 

[Chromatic543]

Maybe understand that some people like to have a rough idea of what they're going to do, before they jump right in. Not everyone works the same way.

You're not going to get anywhere with starting a fight on a forum. However, I do agree with you that you should have a rough idea of what you want to do. I'm a planner, and you sound very similar to how I am/was.

 

[Saleemrodman1]

I hope you know that SDN is full of these kinds of replies. Gotta get used to it.

Yeah, but I don't see the point of those replies. I understand that my mind might change, and I might hate something...but there is absolutely nothing wrong with having initial interest in specific fields. I am reading a book which is helping me choose my specialty, and I want to combine that with learning more about the specialties, doing rotations, etc. I'm NOT just using one tool to help me decide.

 

[Saleemrodman1]

You sound like my long lost twin. I’m the same way, none of the fields I’ve been interested in are super DO friendly so I’m stressing too. The most I can say is what everyone tells me and is telling you, just sit back, take everything as it comes head on and persevere! If you made it into med school, you know what you’re doing!

Thanks for your reply. What fields are you interested in?

 

[Neopolymath]

Work hard and get grades/research like you are going for derm. Then figure out your specialty as you move through your education unless you have prior reasoning to pick something. Picking something doesn't mean **** if you don't actually know anything about it or have the grades to do it. So many more important things to worry about and they all will benefit from killing school and research.

 

[pseud0]

Didn't mean to come off bitchy sorry dude. but seriously your mind could RAPIDLY change as you start learning a billion things a minute and/or start getting grades that do or do not align with a particular specialty

 

[Saleemrodman1]

Didn't mean to come off bitchy sorry dude. but seriously your mind could RAPIDLY change as you start learning a billion things a minute and/or start getting grades that do or do not align with a particular specialty

I believe it

I just have to stop thinking about it, and focus on school. It's really hard though with all the loans/debt...that particularly makes me want to pick a specialty faster, but I should probably slow down.

 

[pseud0]

I'd say at this point focus on enjoying your summer and do nothing because you wont have nearly as much time to hang out after school starts

gotta stay human

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Maybe understand that some people like to have a rough idea of what they're going to do, before they jump right in. Not everyone works the same way.

.but there is absolutely nothing wrong with having initial interest in specific fields.

I mean I came in with an interest too and that hasn't changed at all, but what I'm saying is there is no use being so stressed about it before you have even started. The way to get the specialty you want is to do what @Neopolymath says above: get the grades/scores/research like you want to do Derm and then from there you can do what you want.

It's interesting how many ortho diehards there are during orientation and then the ortho club meeting attendance drops to the single digits after only a few anatomy tests. All I'm saying is to not stress about it and just focus on killing it one step at a time.

 

[Select All That Apply]

@AnatomyGrey12 Club attendance drops to single digits because bench press numbers must be in triple digits.

 

[Select All That Apply]

Triple digits?!? Jesus! Competing for the next Arnold Classic I see... Seriously though, I know a guy that will sell ya some HGH if you need to get over that single plate plateau.

Thank you my friend. I was genuinely worried that I wouldn't be able to lift my Step 1 score in time for my interviews.

 

[Norwood-Sano]

@AnatomyGrey12 Club attendance drops to single digits because bench press numbers must be in triple digits.

Triple digits? Or >300lbs

Thanks for your reply. What fields are you interested in?

Cards, Interventional Cards, CT, Peds Cards, Peds CT, Gen surg, vascular and IR caught my attention a few times. Nothing that is a walk in the park for a DO but I like the approach everyone is using: go into it like you're shooting for Derm!

And these are merely my interests going in as of now, I am open to anything grabbing my attention and enjoying the ride along the way!

 

[Select All That Apply]

@Norwood-Sano Step 1 + bench press must be > 500 to be considered a competitive ortho applicant.