Double Applying?

[kavs]

Hey guys,

I'm going to be applying next year and was wondering what you all thought about the idea of double applying.(i.e. Rad Onc and IM or Rad Onc and Radiology) Given the competitiveness of Rad Onc, I wanted to give myself a backup option without having to scramble. Does this hurt one's chances of getting one or the other field?

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[stephew]

it shouldnt.

 

[Gfunk6]

I will defer to stephew's experience in this matter, but I imagine that the question inevitably will come up. It's up to you if you want to answer honestly.

 

[pikachu]

The other disadvantage is you will be locked into the backup plan if you match there and not into rad onc. If you just straight-up don't match, you can always do a year of research and try again, but it's harder to get out of a residency that you didn't really want to do in the first place.

 

[doc05]

The other disadvantage is you will be locked into the backup plan if you match there and not into rad onc. If you just straight-up don't match, you can always do a year of research and try again, but it's harder to get out of a residency that you didn't really want to do in the first place.

excellent point. it depends if rad onc is the only thing you want, or will you be happy with IM or rads (competitive in itself, by the way, not usually a backup)? you can always apply and interview at both, then decide whether to rank your backups later in the year.

 

[HAM2]

I applied to both rad onc and IM (and I also like radiology but I don't think it works as a backup) and I am glad I did b/c I did not get many rad onc interviews, so I'll prob end up in IM. The thing is this process is so stressful I really don't want to go through it again and I like IM just as much (and can get into more prestigious places) so maybe later on if I still want to do rad onc I'll apply again. Heme/onc is a 3 yr fellowship and rad onc is 4 yrs long (you can look at it as a fellowship)

and no one asked that in any interviews, but of course you cant tell anyone you're applying to something else. and BTW, prelims are much harder to get so I would apply categorical if you wanted to do this.

I also think rads is easier to get into than rad onc (I didn't apply but it seems that my friends who did got more interviews, I guess it's b/c they have more spots) but still extremely competitive

 

[stephew]

do NOT lie if youre asked about a backup plan. Some might ask, some wont. But do NOT lie. Programs tend to know and any lie will get you swiftly off of the rank list.

 

[RadOnc10000]

Hey guys,

I'm going to be applying next year and was wondering what you all thought about the idea of double applying.(i.e. Rad Onc and IM or Rad Onc and Radiology) Given the competitiveness of Rad Onc, I wanted to give myself a backup option without having to scramble. Does this hurt one's chances of getting one or the other field?

I don't think that there is anything wrong with having a back-up plan, especially in a competitive field such as radiation oncology. However, make sure that you would really be happy with your back-up choice and that you won't spend the next 3-6 yrs (or even the rest) of your life wishing that you had taken a year off and tried for your first choice again. Also, if you are on the fence about two specialties (e.g. radiation oncology vs radiology) I think it is better to force yourself to make your choice before applying. Otherwise there is a good chance that you will find yourself just as confused on the day that the rank lists are due....