How do you get a Rad Onc residency?

[Feinberg2012]

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If you think Radiation Oncology might be the field for you, what should you do to get into it?

I'm just an entering med student at Northwestern, but I spent time shadowing doctors in different specialities this summer and thought Rad Onc looked like a very interesting and rewarding field. I know it's pretty early, but of the specialities I think I might be interested in (Rad Onc, Radiology, Internal Medicine, and Anesthesiology), Rad Onc is the most difficult to get into. I wanted to get a head start on anything I might need to do to get into Rad Onc, since NW matches pretty strongly in the other specialities I think I might want to do.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Adawaal]

If you think Radiation Oncology might be the field for you, what should you do to get into it?

I'm just an entering med student at Northwestern, but I spent time shadowing doctors in different specialities this summer and thought Rad Onc looked like a very interesting and rewarding field. I know it's pretty early, but of the specialities I think I might be interested in (Rad Onc, Radiology, Internal Medicine, and Anesthesiology), Rad Onc is the most difficult to get into. I wanted to get a head start on anything I might need to do to get into Rad Onc, since NW matches pretty strongly in the other specialities I think I might want to do.

Thanks for your help.

If you think this is for you, I would recommend meeting up with Bill Small in NW's Rad Onc department. Really great guy, kind of the soul of the department there. Very interested in helping out trainees. Probably the main research guy at NW.

 

[brritscold]

If you think Radiation Oncology might be the field for you, what should you do to get into it?

I'm just an entering med student at Northwestern, but I spent time shadowing doctors in different specialities this summer and thought Rad Onc looked like a very interesting and rewarding field. I know it's pretty early, but of the specialities I think I might be interested in (Rad Onc, Radiology, Internal Medicine, and Anesthesiology), Rad Onc is the most difficult to get into. I wanted to get a head start on anything I might need to do to get into Rad Onc, since NW matches pretty strongly in the other specialities I think I might want to do.

Thanks for your help.

I'm also starting my first year of med school this year, and I'd appreciate any general advice about this as well. I'm interested in oncology, and specifically radonc because of the mix of patient care, procedures, and technology; I'm also thinking about medical heme/onc. Are there things that I should be considering for the first two years of med school?

I'm going to try to do as much shadowing as I can with faculty in my school's radonc department, and also try to get involved with research during this year that I might be able to continue during the summer and/or in M2. Are there any other specific M1-M2 summer programs that might be helpful for med students interested in oncology besides the MSKCC summer fellowships? Also, I don't know if this is relevant or not, but I'm going to a NYC school (not Weill Cornell, though ;P), and I'm wondering if it would be worth it to try to do part-time research at MSKCC during the year rather than at my school's dept. (which seems strong from my limited knowledge of the field, but also smaller than places like MSKCC, MDACC, Dana Farber, etc.).

Thanks to everyone who's been posting! I've learned a lot from reading this board for the past year or so, and hope to contribute as I learn more about the field.

 

[XRTMM]

Getting started early would definitely help, just don't close any doors on other fields - perhaps you'll find something you like more. Pick up a copy of a rad-onc handbook - Roach or the new Haffty will do. If you read one of those, you'll know more about our field than 99% of the other medical practitioners out there.

Definitely do research, and make sure you get your name on the final paper. Another option is to do the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the NIH between 2nd and 3rd year, if you don't mind spending an extra year.

Regardless of what field you eventually choose - be enthusiastic and work hard! I think most PD's would take someone who has enthusiasm and a great work ethic over someone who has a greater initial base of knowledge, but seems bored or more interested in "lifestyle issues".

 

[IRISH22]

It would be easy to just say get good grades, ace the boards, and publish a paper...but thats not very helpful. But the trouble is--as you alreadsy know--rad onc is hard to get into. But as someone who just got a rad onc residency, here is my advice:

1) don't dig yourself in a hole these first 2 years of med school. No one asked me about my A in anatomy that I worked so hard for. Likewise, no one will ask you about a B, either. Just don't go along getting C's and expect it all to work out. Pre-clinical grades shouldn't prevent you from getting in (but strong ones will help.) The most important thing at this stage is figuring out what you like. If I could go back and do anything different, I would have done more shadowing during the summer after 1st year. explore anything of interest and read about it.

2) do well on step 1--plain and simple. (Really though, from what I've read on here, you probably just need to beat the national average as long as you are strong in other aspects)

3) get involved in research at your home program, and do so early on. perhaps now. If you are late entering the game, dont worry...its almost never too late to get a project going prior to interviews. But this is almost an absolute minimum requirement to get a spot. If you dont have a home program, consider a year at HHMI or NIH.

4) Do a radonc rotation and bring your A game. This shouldnt be a problem however. After all, by the time you can do a rotation you are a senior who just got done with a sub-I with q4 call in the SICU, and now you KNOW that radonc is your passion. This is the easiest and most rewarding part. Dont freak out about letters from big name people. A strong letter from a faculty who knows you and your passion well will go much father than a letter from some dept chair who cant remember your name. But hey, if you can get both letters, do that too.

5) apply broadly to programs both in your area and away from it. keep an open mind

 

[DeigoT]

Hopkins has a summer program with a nice stipend. It's usually done summer after MSI and it is meant to introduce interested students to the field. I know of a couple of students who participated in the program, then applied to Hopkins for RadOnc residency and got in. Even if you don't plan on applying to Hopkins for residency, the program could help you figure out if this is the field for you.

 

[Feinberg2012]

Wow thanks for the help everyone...this gives me a lot of good stuff to think about.

Regarding starting research...is it necessary or even helpful to do research during the first year of medical school? Or is it just the same to wait till the summer after M1? Northwestern is P/F for the first two years so I guess I might have time to start something part time now...but I'd rather wait till the summer and concentrate on preparing for the boards during the school year if it's just the same.

 

[yeasterbunny]

Wow thanks for the help everyone...this gives me a lot of good stuff to think about.

Regarding starting research...is it necessary or even helpful to do research during the first year of medical school? Or is it just the same to wait till the summer after M1? Northwestern is P/F for the first two years so I guess I might have time to start something part time now...but I'd rather wait till the summer and concentrate on preparing for the boards during the school year if it's just the same.

Necessary? Of course not. Helpful? Research is always helpful. Personally I would focus on doing well in your classes, learning the material for the sake of rocking step 1. Maybe get everything set up to hit the ground running once the summer starts.