Having second thoughts about specialty choice, considering Rads

[ConsideringSwitching]

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Hi all,

I'm a soon-to-be pathology PGY-1 at a well-regarded program, but I'm already having second thoughts about my choice of specialty. I just don't know if I see myself using a microscope to make diagnoses/directing a lab for the rest of my life. I also like that rads seems to be more intimately connected with day-to-day clinical medicine, and I feel like I would miss that being in pathology. Finally, while I think that the job market woes in pathology are a little overblown, I do think that rads would likely provide me with better geographic flexibility, practice setting options, and pay. One of the main reasons I ended up choosing pathology in the first place was that I liked the idea of having more time to think about cases and not being as pressured to pump out reads, but I think this is something that I could live with. I'm going to go into my pathology residency with an open mind, but I just want to see where I would stand if I decided that it wasn't for me.

Would I be a competitive applicant for rads if I decided to apply through the match this year? Would I have any shot at mid-tier academic programs out West/Southwest? Here are my stats:

US MD (Top 40)
Step 1: Low 240's
Step 2: High 220's
Step 2CS: Pass 1st attempt
Clinical grades: 1 H, 3 HP, 3 P (bottom quartile)
Research: 15 papers/abstracts/posters (mostly image analysis in pathology-related)


I appreciate any information anyone can provide!

 

[CidHighwind]

Despite what people sometimes say, people transfer residencies all the time. Even though you have a decent application, you’re going to have to sell to people why you want to switch, and have the support of your current PD. Best bet is transferring to the radiology department at the institution you’re doing your residency is. Be prepared to redo intern year.

I would also make sure you really, really are sure that you want to switch. Switching once is fine. No one is going to take someone that switches twice unless they finish up. Good luck.

 

[.Asterion]

People switch all the time! Radiology requires a clinical PGY1 year

 

[NDcienporciento100]

Hi all,

I'm a soon-to-be pathology PGY-1 at a well-regarded program, but I'm already having second thoughts about my choice of specialty. I just don't know if I see myself using a microscope to make diagnoses/directing a lab for the rest of my life. I also like that rads seems to be more intimately connected with day-to-day clinical medicine, and I feel like I would miss that being in pathology. Finally, while I think that the job market woes in pathology are a little overblown, I do think that rads would likely provide me with better geographic flexibility, practice setting options, and pay. One of the main reasons I ended up choosing pathology in the first place was that I liked the idea of having more time to think about cases and not being as pressured to pump out reads, but I think this is something that I could live with. I'm going to go into my pathology residency with an open mind, but I just want to see where I would stand if I decided that it wasn't for me.

Would I be a competitive applicant for rads if I decided to apply through the match this year? Would I have any shot at mid-tier academic programs out West/Southwest? Here are my stats:

US MD (Top 40)
Step 1: Low 240's
Step 2: High 220's
Step 2CS: Pass 1st attempt
Clinical grades: 1 H, 3 HP, 3 P (bottom quartile)
Research: 15 papers/abstracts/posters (mostly image analysis in pathology-related)


I appreciate any information anyone can provide!

You would get easily

 

[Laurelie]

What program are u in?

 

[NDcienporciento100]

What program are u in?

who are you asking?