How did you know you wanted to go into Rad Onc?

[futureemdoc1]

Most med schools I know of don't even offer rotations in Rad Onc (at least mine doesn't). With that being said how did you know you wanted to go into this field with little to no (assumption) exposure?

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[Gfunk6]

I went through an MSTP. An an undergrad, I had done a bit of preclinical cancer research, so thought I would go into Med Onc. During my PhD, I was working with a drug that was potentially radiosensitizing. I was sent to the RO department to use the cobalt machine to treat cells/mice. While there, I got to know the residents and attendings and that was all she wrote . . .


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[RadOncDoc21]

I met with our department chair to get more info about the field. He told me to come with him to the annual ASTRO meeting. I got to attend some of the sponsored parties and meet with some of the residents who told me how it was such a great field to go into and I listened.

 

[Neuronix]

I did a PhD in physics and wanted to work in the most physics oriented medical specialty.

 

[metallica81788]

Our school had a RadOnc speak at a Heme/Onc interest meeting as a second year and it sounded cool and maybe more interesting than Medonc (I was between Medonc and Radiology). After Step scores came back I did some research on the field on my own and it sounded interesting, so I was able to spend two weeks on an elective early in third year at a community place since our state didn't have a residency. I liked it a lot and continued to work preferentially with cancer patients throughout my core rotations when possible. The fact that it was my favorite part of medicine was confirmed on my fourth year away rotations when all of my eggs were pretty much already in that basket.

 

[Radiator20]

I found nothing else in medicine that was as rewarding as taking care of cancer patients. Luckily, I did get exposure to rad onc in med school, and I chose it over other onc specialties because: greater percentage of curative-intent tx than med onc; and, let’s be honest, generally better pay than med onc and work/life balance than med onc or surg onc. Turns out there are plenty of other things I love about it that I didn’t realize at the time—though also some things I miss not doing.

 

[evilbooyaa]

Shadowed in it by accident essentially. Really liked treating cancer patients. Didn't want to be a surgeon. Didn't want to do IM --> Med-Onc because 1.5 years of solid tumor training felt insufficient. Was blown away by how good the Rad Onc I shadowed was, seemed like an oncological genius.

 

[thaddeus]

Went to a tumor board as an MS3 and noticed that the rad onc was the best dressed, wittiest, and had the fewest bags under his eyes.

Just kidding... mostly.