gen surg pgy-1 considering switch into rads

[radsapplicant]

I'm starting my prelim surgery year (matched into a very competitive categorical surgical residency) but am considering a switch into rads after I finish this prelim year. (So I'd ideally enter as a PGY-2 or R1).

Here are my relevant statistics:

Step 1: 253
Step 2: 241
Med school: top 5
AOA: no
Course grades:
H- pediatrics, fam med, ob/gyn, 4th-year surgery clerkships.
HP- med, surg, rads
Research:
9 publications total (six first-author publications in top-tier journals, one second-author
publication, two more third- or later-author publications)
3 platform presentations at national conferences (another 5+ talks)
5 posters
LORs: all very strong

I'm curious as to my shot at top-tier and/or mid-tier academic programs in the Northeast / east coast area. I understand my research is very strong (though mostly cancer-related), but I'm not AOA and I got a HP in med, surg, and rads, which is def a weakness.

Thoughts on my competitiveness? And what's the optimal way to go about this?

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[xrevision]

I think you will have a really hard time finding a pgy-2/r1 spot at a top-tier institution for starting in july 2014 when you finish you prelim year seeing as how those spots are already filled. Spots do open up though so there could be a chance.

 

[colbgw02]

If you want a top-tier program, then your best bet is to go through the match, which means you won't start radiology until July 2015. If you don't want to have to find some way to pass the time for that year, then you'll have to be opportunistic and jump at the first decent opening that comes your way. A bird in hand and all that...

 

[ar2388]

or you can start contacting programs and seeing if thye have free spots?

 

[myhandsarecold]

hmm, try out your first choice residency first

 

[tco]

I'm starting my prelim surgery year (matched into a very competitive categorical surgical residency) but am considering a switch into rads after I finish this prelim year. (So I'd ideally enter as a PGY-2 or R1).

Here are my relevant statistics:

Step 1: 253
Step 2: 241
Med school: top 5
AOA: no
Course grades:
H- pediatrics, fam med, ob/gyn, 4th-year surgery clerkships.
HP- med, surg, rads
Research:
9 publications total (six first-author publications in top-tier journals, one second-author
publication, two more third- or later-author publications)
3 platform presentations at national conferences (another 5+ talks)
5 posters
LORs: all very strong

I'm curious as to my shot at top-tier and/or mid-tier academic programs in the Northeast / east coast area. I understand my research is very strong (though mostly cancer-related), but I'm not AOA and I got a HP in med, surg, and rads, which is def a weakness.

Thoughts on my competitiveness? And what's the optimal way to go about this?

If you're at all interested in IR, you could do your surgical residency for two years then transfer to a DIRECT program.