IM PGY1 wanting to switch to Radiology

[MDapp06]

Hi Everyone,

I am currently a PGY1 internal medicine resident at a university program. I always had an interest in radiology, but I was discouraged from applying due to low Step 1 and 2 scores (both between 200-210). I am realizing now that internal medicine is really not the best field for me, and that I should have applied to radiology residency programs in the first place. Would I have a better chance of getting a position as a PGY2 radiology resident if I apply as a PGY1, or should I wait to apply as a PGY2? Or should I apply as a PGY3 with the intention of completing internal medicine residency before beginning radiology residency?

Also, since I am already an internal medicine resident, will my application be viewed differently from candidates who are applying as fourth year medical students? Who should I focus on getting letters of recommendation from since it won't be possible to do a radiology elective as an IM resident? What factors in my application will be most important to radiology residency programs?

On a related note, if I don't match into radiology when I apply, I have plans to apply for GI fellowship after completing the IM residency I am currently in. Can anyone offer thoughts on if my time would be better spent making myself a competitive GI candidate vs. trying to get into radiology? I feel like radiology excites me more, but I also am unsure if I am a strong enough candidate to get a residency position. Can someone help me compare GI vs. radiology in terms of lifestyle, compensation, procedures, and innovation?

I apologize for the long post, and I would appreciate any thoughts as I contemplate this difficult decision.

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[medicineluva]

I have a question...if you apply as a PGY1 do you still have to redo internship if you get accepted into a radiology program or do you get to start as a PGY2 straight into radiology?

 

[ar2388]

i think you would start as a PGY2 if your PGY1 year was in medicine or surgery.
and honestly, i think you should do GI. rads is another 4 years of training and i think there are a lot of similarities between GI and rads. at least for me there are and i was torn between which field i wanted to go into. breaking factor for me was i could not imagine going through an entire IM residency before doing GI.

 

[shark2000]

1- "GI is like radiology" is a joke. I still don't know you are serious or not. Most radiologists hate GI. The only similarity is MONEY. And I am not sure whether 6-36 years from now, the money will be there in any of these fields.

2- No need to repeat your intern year unless you match into a categorical radiology program which are very few.

3- It seems your decision is more based on hatred of IM and hard internship rather than liking radiology.

4- Anyway, your best bet is to find an empty radiology PGY-2 Spot by the end of this year, convince your PD to switch and then switch. People have done it before. You can also apply again this year through ERAS.

5- You may like radiology or you may hate it. That is a gamble. But at least for now you know that you don't like IM. Good Luck. I myself encourage you to switch.

 

[cowme]

second. Internal medicine is miserable. Rads is pretty much as awesome as I thought it would be (although, the amount of material to learn is pretty brutal)

 

[EeePC1005PR]

Radiology interests and excites you. Go with radiology. The other things can sort themselves out later.

 

[wyme84]

Why do radiologists hate GI?

1- "GI is like radiology" is a joke. I still don't know you are serious or not. Most radiologists hate GI. The only similarity is MONEY. And I am not sure whether 6-36 years from now, the money will be there in any of these fields.

2- No need to repeat your intern year unless you match into a categorical radiology program which are very few.

3- It seems your decision is more based on hatred of IM and hard internship rather than liking radiology.

4- Anyway, your best bet is to find an empty radiology PGY-2 Spot by the end of this year, convince your PD to switch and then switch. People have done it before. You can also apply again this year through ERAS.

5- You may like radiology or you may hate it. That is a gamble. But at least for now you know that you don't like IM. Good Luck. I myself encourage you to switch.

 

[cowme]

It is the epitome of why we went into radiology.

Some of us didn't want to spend our lives elbow deep in feces (or coagulopathic liver patients vomiting hepatitis blood all over you)

 

[greg1184]

All I can say is... welcome to the dark side.

 

[DrGregoryHouse]

I am realizing now that internal medicine is really not the best field for me

I applaud you on your remarkable judgement and good sense.

Radiology rules.