Chances MS3

[johnson87]

I'm a third year medical student...just realized that radiation oncology is a wonderful field after rotating through for 1 week. I am really glad that I found this out but havent done any radonc research. I am trying to get radiation oncology specific research done before applying. What are my chances assuming I start a new project in the next mth?

top 20 med school in west with radonc dept.
Step 1- 248
Preclinical-all honors
Clinical- hp in psych and ob. Everything else pending.
Research- basic science onc for 3 yrs undergrad with 3rd author pub. Basic science onc summer after first yr with abstract, poster, and oral presentation. 1st author case report in rads journal but regarding a rare tumor. 1st author lit review in surgery journal. Working in case series in surgery...not sure if itll be accepted.

Im scared about applying with all the other competitive applicants. Ive read the faq a few times and but is there anything else I should do before applying. I will sign up for home rotation in july and do 3 aways.

My questions:
1. What are my chances?
2. Where should I do aways? I would like to stay on the west coast...but not at all necessary. I was planning on doing the aways at low tier programs to increase my chances of getting accepted anywhere.
3. How can I find out which programs are accepting residents when I apply?
4. How may radonc specific lors do I need. Can the others be in any field?
5. Lastly, is there anything else I should do before applying?

Thank you so much for the help. Im so excited to have finally found the perfect field for me but am very nervous!

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[thesauce]

I'm a third year medical student...just realized that radiation oncology is a wonderful field after rotating through for 1 week. I am really glad that I found this out but havent done any radonc research. I am trying to get radiation oncology specific research done before applying. What are my chances assuming I start a new project in the next mth?

top 20 med school in west with radonc dept.
Step 1- 248
Preclinical-all honors
Clinical- hp in psych and ob. Everything else pending.
Research- basic science onc for 3 yrs undergrad with 3rd author pub. Basic science onc summer after first yr with abstract, pub, and oral presentation. 1st author case report in rads journal but regarding a rare tumor. 1st author lit review in surgery journal. Working in case series in surgery...not sure if itll be accepted.

Im scared about applying with all the other competitive applicants. Ive read the faq a few times and but is there anything else I should do before applying. Ill sign up for home rotation in july and do 3 aways.

My questions:
1. What are my chances?
2. Where should I do aways? I would like to stay on the west coast...but not at all necessary. I was planning on doing the aways at low tier programs to increase my chances of getting accepted anywhere.
3. How can I find out which programs are accepting residents when I apply?
4. How may radonc specific lors do I need. Can the others be in any field?
5. Lastly, is there anything else I should do before applying?

Thank you so much for the help. Im so excited to have finally found the perfect field for me but am very nervous!

1. Very good
2. One mid-upper tier program and one lower tier (see rankings thread).
3. Unless you have some insider-knowledge (home program, etc), you can't. You'll waste time and money applying to schools that arent accepting anyone and it can't be helped.
4. At least 2. Others can be from any specialty although Penn Radonc (and most of your prelims) require IM so it might save you some trouble.
5. Start some Radonc-specific research. ASTRO abstract deadline is in March.

 

[johnson87]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Im worried about doing aways at programs that are not accepting which is a huge waste of money and time. So no way to avoid that, huh? Well thank you. Im glad I have a decent chance. Ill get some research started before the astro deadline.

 

[FSU2013]

I'm a third year medical student...just realized that radiation oncology is a wonderful field after rotating through for 1 week. I am really glad that I found this out but havent done any radonc research. I am trying to get radiation oncology specific research done before applying. What are my chances assuming I start a new project in the next mth?

top 20 med school in west with radonc dept.
Step 1- 248
Preclinical-all honors
Clinical- hp in psych and ob. Everything else pending.
Research- basic science onc for 3 yrs undergrad with 3rd author pub. Basic science onc summer after first yr with abstract, pub, and oral presentation. 1st author case report in rads journal but regarding a rare tumor. 1st author lit review in surgery journal. Working in case series in surgery...not sure if itll be accepted.

Im scared about applying with all the other competitive applicants. Ive read the faq a few times and but is there anything else I should do before applying. Ill sign up for home rotation in july and do 3 aways.

My questions:
1. What are my chances?
2. Where should I do aways? I would like to stay on the west coast...but not at all necessary. I was planning on doing the aways at low tier programs to increase my chances of getting accepted anywhere.
3. How can I find out which programs are accepting residents when I apply?
4. How may radonc specific lors do I need. Can the others be in any field?
5. Lastly, is there anything else I should do before applying?

Thank you so much for the help. Im so excited to have finally found the perfect field for me but am very nervous!

Your app is better than mine, but I'm going for it! Look at the nrmp charting the outcomes pdf - you're in strong shape. Good luck!

 

[johnson87]

Your app is better than mine, but I'm going for it! Look at the nrmp charting the outcomes pdf - you're in strong shape. Good luck!

Awesome! Thanks. Ive had a lot of friends discourage me from applying to radonc because its so competitive so that scared me. But youre right...it doesnt look so bad when looking at nrmp outcomes. Good luck to you too! We will probably cross paths somewhere this year

 

[RadOncDoc21]

Awesome! Thanks. Ive had a lot of friends discourage me from applying to radonc because its so competitive so that scared me. But youre right...it doesnt look so bad when looking at nrmp outcomes. Good luck to you too! We will probably cross paths somewhere this year

Your only guarantee to not matching is to not apply at all.

In 2 years, most of those classmates you will never see again (unless you be-friended everybody on facebook or something).

-R

 

[johnson87]

Could anyone suggest mid or low tier programs that tend to grant interviews to rotating subIs? I know there are a lot of past posts asking about this but would like more input.

Thank you!

 

[oncojeans]

Most mid- and lower tier programs will offer interviews to rotators. It is probably more beneficial to talk about notable exceptions. Utah and Seattle have come up before, but I cannot personally confirm the validity of this..

 

[Neuronix]

If you want input on where to away rotate, just search the rad onc forum for the program name. The interview impressions and away rotation information were surprisingly pretty spot on for what I experienced, especially when the same info was posted more than once by different people.

 

[Thaiger75]

Honors in as many core clerkships as you can, particularly Surg and IM. AOA helps significantly.

 

[memberBlue]

You'll match for sure, just apply to a lot of programs and do aways at places you'd like to go to.