Did I make a mistake applying to research track residencies?

[pandaNH4]

I'm an MD/PhD student currently applying for residencies in internal medicine. I was a pretty average medical student (step 1: 230s, step 2: 260s, 2nd quartile at a mid tier school), but felt that I had a productive PhD (2 first author publications in mid-high impact journals, first author review, several co-author publications, and many presentations/abstracts at national meetings).

I chose to apply to research track residencies (in addition to the categorical track) at any program where this was an option. I would like to pursue an academic career, but I also thought that with my research background I would be a stronger candidate for research track positions than for categorical residency positions. However, early in the interview/application process, I am starting to realize that the research track positions may be more competitive than I had originally thought (most only offer 2-3 spots/year out of 50+ applicants) and that I may have jeopardized my chances of receiving categorical interviews at some of my top choice programs by applying to their research tracks.

I've received only a handful of interview invitations so far (2 for research track positions), but none at the programs that I would consider my top choices. Will I be considered for the categorical track at programs if I applied to both research track and categorical? Should I email programs that have started offering interviews to express interest in the categorical tracks if I am not selected to interview for their research track positions?

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[ValentinNarcisse]

I'm an MD/PhD student currently applying for residencies in internal medicine. I was a pretty average medical student (step 1: 230s, step 2: 260s, 2nd quartile at a mid tier school), but felt that I had a productive PhD (2 first author publications in mid-high impact journals, first author review, several co-author publications, and many presentations/abstracts at national meetings).

I chose to apply to research track residencies (in addition to the categorical track) at any program where this was an option. I would like to pursue an academic career, but I also thought that with my research background I would be a stronger candidate for research track positions than for categorical residency positions. However, early in the interview/application process, I am starting to realize that the research track positions may be more competitive than I had originally thought (most only offer 2-3 spots/year out of 50+ applicants) and that I may have jeopardized my chances of receiving categorical interviews at some of my top choice programs by applying to their research tracks.

I've received only a handful of interview invitations so far (2 for research track positions), but none at the programs that I would consider my top choices. Will I be considered for the categorical track at programs if I applied to both research track and categorical? Should I email programs that have started offering interviews to express interest in the categorical tracks if I am not selected to interview for their research track positions?

The limiting step in most research track residencies is the need to line of a corresponding fellowship spot for you at the same top place. If you selected Cardiology of Heme-Onc it will be more challenging than if you were interesting in something non-competitive like Endocrinology or ID.

 

[tortuga87]

research track residencies send invites out generally later than the normal categorical track

 

[pandaNH4]

The limiting step in most research track residencies is the need to line of a corresponding fellowship spot for you at the same top place. If you selected Cardiology of Heme-Onc it will be more challenging than if you were interesting in something non-competitive like Endocrinology or ID.

I am interested in Heme/Onc and I know thats one of the more competitive specialties, especially for research track. I am just wondering if by applying for a research track I am also taking myself out of the categorical pool. While research track is my preference, I would also like to be considered for the categorical track at most of these programs if I'm not selected to interview for the research track.

 

[tr]

Yes. Most programs will probably put you into consideration for a categorical invite if they don't select you for a research track interview, but just to be sure you should contact the administrators at the programs of interest and make sure they know you would still like to be considered for a categorical position if you are not invited (or even if you are invited) for a research track interview.

 

[dl2dp2]

Yes. Most programs will probably put you into consideration for a categorical invite if they don't select you for a research track interview, but just to be sure you should contact the administrators at the programs of interest and make sure they know you would still like to be considered for a categorical position if you are not invited (or even if you are invited) for a research track interview.

I agree with the above. In general there are several rules in life at large:
1) It's much better to apply widely to spots and receive offers you don't want (and turn them down later) than not apply because you are worried that you are not a candidate for the spot and regretting it. The only caveat here is opportunity cost (i.e. instead of wasting time applying to this particular batch, is there something else you can use your time more productively for?) This is rarely applicable until much later in one's career.

2) It never hurts to ask a question (and for exemptions, if special circumstances follow the spirit of the intent of the application), as long as you do it nicely. Special favors in life are given out like candies, but if you don't ask you will never know. The worst you can get if you ask the question is a no. Women in particular suffer from this pitfall, and this factor alone (i.e. lack of negotiation effort) accounts for approximately 5% of the gender salary gap. There is always substantial disparity in the degree with which things like relationships and politics influence special favors, but if you don't ask the question, it'll always be a no.

IMHO this is also a point at which you should pipe up to your network. If you are gunning for a research track position in heme-onc at a top program, with the plan of eventually developing a serious federally funded research program, it's not a bad practice to start getting endorsements from institutional leaders in this field that you have the potential to "become one the best" and therefore deserve such a spot. Conceptualize yourself as someone who is good enough to eventually raise millions and millions and build an extraordinary research program. People who are on your side should be willing to 1) at least discuss your prospect with a degree of honesty -- where ARE your realistic expectations re: where to train, and what kind of careers you can get (2) make phone calls if they think you deserve place X but are not getting interviews because you are overlooked.

It's interesting how these things play out later on. E.g. for federally funding, there's a remarkably large component of the application that is tied to relationships between various players (i.e. the PO, the IC director, the study group, the PI, the PI's boss, the PI's boss's boss, the external consultant, etc). The sooner you start learning how the system works and how to build these relationships to facilitate transactions, the better. One might say that sustaining a successful career in research relies primarily on driving these organizational features: many equally qualified proposals get selected based on purely human factors that rests on the key issue: "did you ask the question"?