To OP, not too worried. I matched into community program about 15 years ago, during the most competitive time of radiology, with a Step Board score of 240.I blamed on poor planning, last minute change of career, last minute change of location of choice...I finished my training with fellowship at good academic place.
In the end, your extra effort in getting things accomplished is needed, but will more than make up for the presumed disadvantage in the community program. In the past 15 years, my observation is the following:
1. If all you want to do is academics, then you will need to match into a high power fellowship. This will open all doors for your academic career even if you are from a community program. I cannot speak for IR as I am DR but a good performance during my fellowship resulted in a job offer at the institution. I gratefully declined.
2. If you want to do PP, you have plenty of time and opportunities to train your skills to the need of PP. A well rounded radiologist with fellowship and good reference will carry you far. You will be surprised, in private practice when proficiency in many areas are very critical as an radiologist, whether fellowship trained or not, is expected to be well rounded in all areas, even in areas you did not go into fellowship for.
I have had one job in PP since finishing my fellowship. My partners and associates are from the most well known places in the countries. We have mutual respects for our skills and I can tell you that referring physicians only care who can help them taking care of their patients, not whose diploma are prettier.
Don't be discouraged. The next four/five years are most critical to the rest of your professional life. Like TCOM12 mentioned above, don't carry a chip on your shoulder. Also, you will be amazed how small the world of radiology is and how far the news travel, good or bad.
