Engineers in RadOnc

[nimanaba]

Hello all,
I was wondering if RadOnc programs have a favorable view of applicants with an undergrad degree in engineering, since these applicants might be more comfortable with the technical/computer/3D modeling/mathematic/physics aspects of the field?? Thank you, and I'll take your answers off the air.

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[Gfunk6]

It would make little if any difference IMO. After four years of medical school and one year of internship most academic differences from undergrad are pretty much ironed out. If you are an engineering major now, that's great. Otherwise, don't choose to major in a field that you may not thoroughly enjoy b/c you may want to apply to another field 8 years down the road.

 

[radonc]

engineers may have an easier time learning/grasping the concepts of radiation physics, mostly because they may have studied physics in depth at some point. but after 3 years of classes, the non-engineers learn it just as well.

 

[stephew]

neither here nor there in the long run. Its a nice aspect if the applicant otherwise has a serious interest in oncology. But its not a huge issue. Its not going to compensate for any major weakness in the application.

the physics in radonc is not very complicated. its not like undergrad physics. its more of a set body of general concepts more than anything, a few basic math forumlas and the gestault of why it works. Being an engineer wont hurt, but it will not help overly much. However at least that component of the training (relatively small) might be that much easier. in your career you might enjoy the technology aspect more than others. But remember you are first and foremost a cancer doctor.

 

[CaptainXRT]

I think it could help. I had an undergraduate degree in physics, and I think that it helped make me a more convincing candidate (i.e. I'm applying in this field vs medonc because I actually love physics, not just because I don't want to suffer through an IM residency). Also, the physicist interviews always went pretty well

 

[RONCer]

If you can manage to remember your undergrad engineering studies after 4 years of med school and a year of internship, you might be able to get into some interesting and fairly unique research areas.

If you just want to go into private practice, it matters very little.

 

[stephew]

to be honest a decent grasp of physics will help you enormously in the private prac world when you have to buy and maintain your own machines.