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i'm a 3rd year, LOVE basic science oncology research and just started exploring radiation oncology as a career option, I had a few questions
how much day-to-day patient interaction is there? from my VERY limited experience, I've seen techs doing a lot of the work, I'm going to need to do more shadowing obviously but am curious..
it's a relatively new field so data may still be limiting, but any increases in radiation-induced cancer seen in radiation oncologists/techs? kind of paranoid about that...
how competitive is the field? I have a Step 1 of 225-230. I know that will limit me to the lower tier programs but do I still have a chance if I apply broadly? I am a 3rd year MD/MPH student at a mid-tier med school, no research specific to rad onc yet but decent amount of research in surgical oncology and surgery research..just recently started a rad-onc specific project
ive actually been debating heavily between surgical onc, interventional radiology/oncology and now rad oncology..am REALLY confused and been really stressing myself out lately to the point where I can't sleep at night since I've never been this indecisive before and it's daunting to think because this will be a life-long decision..wanted to hear some pros/cons, and any advice on how you guys decided on radiation oncology..
thoughts going through my head:
i do enjoy surgery/OR but finally came to terms with not wanting to wake up at 4am every day for the rest of my life..sleeping really early to wake up really early, dont want to live my life like that haha..
interventional radiology/oncology..IRs have to do a lot of other crap also because can't just specialize in interventional oncology, but new clinical model seems cool, and even though i like patient interaction which is lacking in diagnostic radiology, i do like the idea that I can fall back onto diagnostic radiology if I ever get burned out with IR
rad oncology seems REALLY awesome, wish I had explored it earlier because seems to be very academic and research-heavy which is what I want to do, excellent life-style, can't think of much cons but just worried about the radiation exposure (i know IR has some radiation exposure also) and the risk of radiation therapy ever becoming obsolete??
obviously not asking SDN to make my career decision for me just wanted to hear any advice or thoughts from you guys and how you went about making your decisions as a medical student...really appreciate any advice! thanks!
how much day-to-day patient interaction is there? from my VERY limited experience, I've seen techs doing a lot of the work, I'm going to need to do more shadowing obviously but am curious..
it's a relatively new field so data may still be limiting, but any increases in radiation-induced cancer seen in radiation oncologists/techs? kind of paranoid about that...
how competitive is the field? I have a Step 1 of 225-230. I know that will limit me to the lower tier programs but do I still have a chance if I apply broadly? I am a 3rd year MD/MPH student at a mid-tier med school, no research specific to rad onc yet but decent amount of research in surgical oncology and surgery research..just recently started a rad-onc specific project
ive actually been debating heavily between surgical onc, interventional radiology/oncology and now rad oncology..am REALLY confused and been really stressing myself out lately to the point where I can't sleep at night since I've never been this indecisive before and it's daunting to think because this will be a life-long decision..wanted to hear some pros/cons, and any advice on how you guys decided on radiation oncology..
thoughts going through my head:
i do enjoy surgery/OR but finally came to terms with not wanting to wake up at 4am every day for the rest of my life..sleeping really early to wake up really early, dont want to live my life like that haha..
interventional radiology/oncology..IRs have to do a lot of other crap also because can't just specialize in interventional oncology, but new clinical model seems cool, and even though i like patient interaction which is lacking in diagnostic radiology, i do like the idea that I can fall back onto diagnostic radiology if I ever get burned out with IR
rad oncology seems REALLY awesome, wish I had explored it earlier because seems to be very academic and research-heavy which is what I want to do, excellent life-style, can't think of much cons but just worried about the radiation exposure (i know IR has some radiation exposure also) and the risk of radiation therapy ever becoming obsolete??
obviously not asking SDN to make my career decision for me just wanted to hear any advice or thoughts from you guys and how you went about making your decisions as a medical student...really appreciate any advice! thanks!
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