Considering switching specialties after ERAS submission

[Waynard]

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Hi all,

I tried looking for a similar thread, but couldn't find anything to answer my questions - apologies in advance for a repeat if I couldn't find one. I submitted my residency application for radiology, but have been having some serious doubts about my career choice since submitting. I was torn between IM and rads for a while, having liked aspects of both, and am now considering withdrawing my rads application and submitting IM. I am a pretty competitive applicant from a mid-tier US MD school and was wondering if anyone else has done this or has any advice on the subject. The last thing I'd want to do is commit ERAS suicide by applying late to programs that have good fellowship matches.

 

[Crayola227]

Add, never subtract. Apply broadly, don't apply anywhere that you would rather be dead or $300 k in the hole and entirely unemployable, go on every interview you can afford, and then sort it out in your rank list.

Not matching is the kiss of death.

Go ahead if you have letters and can afford it to apply IM, it's less competitive, and if you complete PGY1 I'm pretty sure you can get total credit if you switch to rads.

Downside is clinic.

Downside of doing prelim or TY for a rads program if you switch to IM is it doesn't really count to save you time because you won't have continuity clinic.

In an ideal universe you get it figured out before that, but for now, keep your options open.

 

[repititionition]

Add, never subtract. Apply broadly, don't apply anywhere that you would rather be dead or $300 k in the hole and entirely unemployable, go on every interview you can afford, and then sort it out in your rank list.

Not matching is the kiss of death.

Go ahead if you have letters and can afford it to apply IM, it's less competitive, and if you complete PGY1 I'm pretty sure you can get total credit if you switch to rads.

Downside is clinic.

Downside of doing prelim or TY for a rads program if you switch to IM is it doesn't really count to save you time because you won't have continuity clinic.

In an ideal universe you get it figured out before that, but for now, keep your options open.

Have you seen the latest charting outcomes?

 

[Crayola227]

Hmm, no, I heard rads was less competitive than before and IM more than before, but I didn't think it totally switched!! Really? IM is now more competitive than rads?

But then, wouldnt the issue still be the prelim or TY (never remember which you need) for rads still be more competitive? I don't see how those have become less in demand but maybe. Surg prelim isn't so much I guess, doesn't that count for rads? I forget that not everyone would rather die than do surg prelim.

 

[Slack3r]

Have you seen the latest charting outcomes?

IM is very competitive at top academic programs, and pretty much always has been. However, if your goal is to *just* match in IM, it's pretty non-competitive on the order of needing a pulse as an AMG who hasn't intentionally killed someone.

 

[cbrons]

IM is very competitive at top academic programs, and pretty much always has been. However, if your goal is to *just* match in IM, it's pretty non-competitive on the order of needing a pulse as an AMG who hasn't intentionally killed someone.

What if u have killed someone? How high does ur YouSmile need to be above the avg to match?

 

[gamrag]

I've known people who did this and matched just fine. Don't withdraw apps, just add more. Average IM programs are not that competitive. But you do need to get the apps out soon. I know someone last year who did exactly the same thing. Ended up matching into a mid tier IM. I think he had 240+ step 1. Realized he didn't want to do rads like 2 week after he submitted. But he already had all the IM letters he needed. So it was just a few touch ups on the personal statement and it was good to go.

 

[qwerty89]

As a current intern that matched Rads last year and am doing a medicine heavy TY I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to do medicine.

If you are worried about the job market keep in mind things have improved significantly. Heck the ACR jobs board had 400+ jobs less than a month ago, it had 180-225 this time last year...

 

[W19]

As a current intern that matched Rads last year and am doing a medicine heavy TY I cannot for the life of me understand why anyone would want to do medicine.

If you are worried about the job market keep in mind things have improved significantly. Heck the ACR jobs board had 400+ jobs less than a month ago, it had 180-225 this time last year...

It's good to know that radiology job market has improved, but people should know diagnostic rad has become a de facto 6-year program... You are not marketable without a fellowship according to discussions/threads I have seen in the diagnostic rad forum...

Can you elaborate on why you cannot for the life of you understand why people do IM?

 

[Psai]

It's good to know that radiology job market has improved, but people should know diagnostic rad has become a de facto 6-year program... You are not marketable without a fellowship according to discussions/threads I have seen in the diagnostic rad forum...

Can you elaborate on why you cannot for the life of you understand why people do IM?

I thought that it was because you cannot be board certified until over a year after you finish residency and you lose board eligibility after a year out of residency or something like that

 

[W19]

I thought that it was because you cannot be board certified until over a year after you finish residency and you lose board eligibility after a year out of residency or something like that

I was not aware of that... That's a strange rule though!

 

[Psai]

I was not aware of that... That's a strange rule though!

I'm not entirely sure so it would be nice if a radiologist weighed in

 

[qwerty89]

I don't see the big deal about doing a fellowship. This has been the standard for a LONG time. It was only during the golden era of Radiology in the mid 2000s when some went straight into PP without one, but even then that was a minority.

GI and Cardiology are both 6 years (maybe even longer if you need to do a chief year to get in). Gen Surgery at many programs is 7 years + fellowship. Increased length of training is the standard. At least the training for Radiology is far less painful ( I work just 8-9 weekends as a PGY-2, and most rads programs work their first years exactly 0 weekends)

As to why medicine sucks? Dear god where to begin. First of all being a hospitalist is basically signing up to be the bottom b**** of the hospital. You get paid well considering the overall work hours but the work is painful and you WILL be dumped on. Even many of the hospitalists in the IM subforum agree with this. You either accept this or do a fellowship/outpatient work instead.

 

[Psai]

I don't see the big deal about doing a fellowship. This has been the standard for a LONG time. It was only during the golden era of Radiology in the mid 2000s when some went straight into PP without one, but even then that was a minority.

GI and Cardiology are both 6 years (maybe even longer if you need to do a chief year to get in). Gen Surgery at many programs is 7 years + fellowship. Increased length of training is the standard. At least the training for Radiology is far less painful ( I work just 8-9 weekends as a PGY-2, and most rads programs work their first years exactly 0 weekends)

As to why medicine sucks? Dear god where to begin. First of all being a hospitalist is basically signing up to be the bottom b**** of the hospital. You get paid well considering the overall work hours but the work is painful and you WILL be dumped on. Even many of the hospitalists in the IM subforum agree with this. You either accept this or do a fellowship/outpatient work instead.

Increased length of training is a waste of time if you don't need it. Tuition and debt are increasing to unsustainable levels and every year without attending salary increases it enormously. Gen surg is generally 5 years. Reimbursement is going down as well so what is the point of extra training when it's obvious that no one understands or appreciates it?

By the way, the bottom bitch is the highest status prostitute because they've been with the pimp the longest or make the most money. They can handle a lot of things for the pimp