Bold move

[duramaterdoc]

Hi y'all,

Currently I'm an intern in a surg. subspecialty looking to leave. I tried rad onc at the end of my 4th year and loved it. I know many med studs read this, but is there anyone who's been around the block who can fill me in on my chances of getting a spot. (I know this depends on grades, personality, etc.)...but what about just the stigma of quitting one program for another (especially for rad onc?)...Surgical internship doesn't really allow for time to do applications early either!


Anyone applied to the southeast schools?

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[stephew]

To be blunt, not really, particularly from surgery. And particularly for folks interested in radonc. Many don't learn about rad onc until after med school. In my program we have a guy who transfered after his internship year. You might however have to wait another full year before a spot is available, unless you get lucky. You will however be asked why you initially chose surgery after taking a rad onc rotation as a student.

 

[Bonds756]

I actually tend to disagree. There are many attendings in the field of rad onc that believe that the best rad onc docs will have been trained in another specialty before doing rad onc. Surgery in particular comes up in many conversations because you need as a doc to be able to explain to your pt about the sx they will be getting. you also need to know how the sx is done to know where the boundaries of your field should be placed in some types of cancer. In fact, some attendings will tell their residents to go and observe surgeries of oncology cases in down time. (I am not yet a resident but have done away electives at 3 institutions...so my n=only 4)

Maybe consider doing an extra yr of sx while applying if you have not yet applied this year.
Good Luck!

 

[stephew]

Im not quite sure where we disagree; actually if you consider that most rad oncs did a transitional year or prelim medicine, I think you've too much of an empasis on the surgical experience. Also, remember, you can describe the chemo if you've done IM. An also, as an intern in either, you're really not skilled enough to descibe either in terrible detail. You learn this more in your residency. To be honest, I don't think it matters one whit how much expereince you have in surgery for rad onc. You are encouraged (and indeed must) to learn about the multi-disciplinary aspect of the field in residency. But if you really want to make yourself hot as an appicant, get an MS in physics or even radiobiology. That turns program directors on more than anything. In any event, I think you'll do fine as a transfer.

 

[stephew]

Im not quite sure where we disagree; actually if you consider that most rad oncs did a transitional year or prelim medicine, I think you've too much of an empasis on the surgical experience. Also, remember, you can describe the chemo if you've done IM. An also, as an intern in either, you're really not skilled enough to descibe either in terrible detail. You learn this more in your residency. To be honest, I don't think it matters one whit how much expereince you have in surgery for rad onc. You are encouraged (and indeed must) to learn about the multi-disciplinary aspect of the field in residency. But if you really want to make yourself hot as an appicant, get an MS in physics or even radiobiology. That turns program directors on more than anything. In any event, I think you'll do fine as a transfer.