DOs in Radiology

[michaely]

What should you do to increase your chances of being matched into a radiology residency? Do personal contacts help a lot, or are all places filled via the match?
thanks

Henrik

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[Jim Picotte]

I can only speak for the allopathic radiology programs, and only for about 17 of them in the Midwest but none offered a prematch contract to any DO or FMG. There is an abundance of applicants for radiology so as far as I know they go through the match for all the positions (although some places hold a slot for a person who already has a PhD or is a physician for research).

The DO radiology programs probably do offer positions outside the DO match.

Personal contacts are always helpful. Although it pains me to say it, I think the best thing you can do to assure yourself a match in radiology is to score very high on Step I and Step II. There are so many applicants for each spot, most programs screen their applicants for interviews via the Step scores.

There's a lot of future radiologists in this forum so I'm sure you'll find some help. Also try to find a 4th year at your school the matched into radiology and pick his/her brain. Good luck.

 

[pags]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by michaely:
•What should you do to increase your chances of being matched into a radiology residency?•••••Pags' quick version:

1) High Step I and II USMLE's (>230)
2) Top 1/4 of class
3) Excel with clinical grades
3) Not good, but Great letters of recs, 1 to 2 from relatively important radiologists.
4) "Get along" type of attitude during interviews.
5) Do rads elective at places where you wish to be a resident.
6) Research in radiology, a very big plus, but not essential.

If you have all this, even a DO should get a spot.

Personal contacts always help, but not essential for matching.

Most spots are currently filled via the match. However, some spots are filled outside. This is very program dependent.