What you’re feeling? Completely normal. Way more students are in your shoes than are openly talking about it. When you’re staring down the start of M3 with zero pubs and a wall of unanswered emails, it’s easy to feel like you’ve already fallen behind. But you haven’t. You’re just in that frustrating middle zone—where the work is real, but the wins haven’t landed yet. And that’s where most people actually build the skills that count.
Let’s zoom out for a second.
You’ve written IRBs. That’s no small feat—and the persistence it takes to keep navigating admin roadblocks says a lot about your work ethic, even if it hasn’t translated into output yet. You're not lacking motivation. You're just running into bottlenecks that are often out of your control.
Now let’s be real: radiology is competitive, and having a few solid research experiences helps. But the good news is, you don’t need a publication empire. Even 1–2 meaningful, completed, relevant projects (especially if you can talk intelligently about your contribution) will carry a lot more weight than a laundry list of fluff.
Think Smaller + Faster Wins
Not every project needs to be a multi-year IRB juggernaut. Start by asking:
“What’s something I could contribute to this month that has a realistic shot at turning into a PubMed ID?”
Even 1–2 basic case reports, published in lower-barrier, PubMed-indexed journals, can be huge wins. They’re quick, teach you the structure of academic writing, and give you immediate credibility. They also signal to future collaborators that you can follow through—often opening doors to more substantial projects.
Can you help with a chart review? Draft a case from an interesting rotation? Jump in to clean data, do references, or make figures? The key here is visible progress, not perfection.
Reframe Your Stalled Projects
Instead of seeing them as “stuck,” try asking:
“What’s the smallest next step I actually control this week?”
That mindset shift—from helpless to active—can often unblock you more than you think.
Expand Beyond Cold Emailing
Instead of blasting out generic emails, try warm contact points. Ask your med school’s librarian, research office, or even residents on your rotations if they know who’s publishing in radiology. Show up to noon conferences or imaging rounds—then follow up with a thoughtful question. Research doors tend to open faster through in-person curiosity than inbox cold calls.
Use Your Rotations
On your radiology rotation, be the student who doesn't just shadow—be the one who offers to help with a case report or teaching slide. Real-time clinical interactions are often the fastest way to get looped into projects.
Trust, But Verify (Your Interest in Radiology)
Here’s something I’ve learned after coaching med students across the country through their preclinical and clinical years:
One of the most underrated factors in long-term success—especially in competitive fields—is getting early, candid access to what life is actually like in a specialty. That means connecting with practicing attending radiologists, not just residents, and asking questions that get beneath the surface.
What’s the job really like after training? What’s the pace, the autonomy, the lifestyle tradeoffs, the long-term growth curve? When students have those authentic conversations, something powerful happens: they either solidify their commitment—or they realize they were chasing an idea that doesn’t fully align with their goals.
Once you know where you're going, everything changes. The research grind? The networking? The extra effort? It all becomes more tolerable—even exciting—because the path has a purpose. And in my experience, once students hit that level of clarity, their success rate goes up dramatically. Not just on paper—but in how they show up.
You’re not screwed. You’re early in M3. That’s a lot of runway. And you’re already asking smarter questions than most people do at this stage.
Keep showing up. Look for small wins. Seek clarity, not just credentials. You’re doing better than you think.
