Is rad onc for me?

[binabird]

Hello everyone,

I've been reading some of the threads on this site, and I would really appreciate some advice.

A little about myself: I am starting my third year of medical school. I scored in the 270's on step 1, and am at the top of my class in terms of grades. Up to this point, I was very interested in neurosurgery; however, the lifestyle is starting to scare me off. I would like to see my family occasionally while in residency (and afterwards). I was an engineering major in college. I particularly loved anatomy and neuroanatomy M1 year. That's about it.

I've started thinking about rad onc for the usual reasons: lifestyle, $, evolving field, ability to really impact patient's lives. I'm wondering if those are good enough reasons? Obviously, I would like to be passionate about my career, and it was my particular fascination with anatomy and neuroanatomy that led me to neurosurgery. However, I become passionate about most things I study, particularly subjects involving math and science. Basically, it seems like rad onc is a field that will be intellectually fulfilling, but will also allow me to have a life.

That's about it. Other than this board, I have had no other exposure to the field. Obviously, I will shadow a radiation oncologist and do elective rotations in the field. In the meantime, I'm wondering if some of you can share your interests and what drew you to the field.

One more thing. I have done a lot of clinical research and really enjoy it. I did a few months of bench research as an undergrad. I have no research experience with cancer, although there is still time. When residency programs refer to "research opportunities", is most of the research in rad onc laboratory based? Is clinical research also an important part of the field?

Thank you for any insight, suggestions, advice, etc. you may have.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ghgi8]

No one should tell you what your passion is, nor should you begin to let anyone do so. If you find, by the end of third year, that you haven't developed a passion for a specific field, then you can attempt to rationalize a career choice as you have done in your post. Otherwise, I would recommend getting as much exposure as possible in any and all fields in which you may be interested. This is how one recognizes a passion....

There are many previously posted threads where people share their personal stories about what allured them to the field, try the search button.

 

[IndyXRT]

I've started thinking about rad onc for the usual reasons: lifestyle, $, evolving field, ability to really impact patient's lives. I'm wondering if those are good enough reasons?

While these really may be your top two reasons, I would not list them as such when talking to people in person about why you want to go into any field. Rightly or wrongly, people tend to be turned off if they think you're interested in something just because of lifestyle and money.

 

[Brim]

Rad onc is a highly technical, intellectually fulfilling field, and you will probably enjoy those aspects (as well as the lifestyle factors that you also desire). But a number of other fields also meet these criteria. Any residency should be "intellectually fulfilling" or it wouldn't require an M.D. So what is the discriminator?

The sine qua non of radiation oncology is that it's rooted in oncology. You should have a true interest in working with cancer patients, caring for them, and doing everything in your power to beat this illness, because that is what this job is all about.

If you haven't had much exposure to oncology yet, you probably don't know if this passion exists for you. Do a rotation in a Rad Onc department and see if it's a field you truly enjoy. Good luck.

 

[IRISH22]

hey, at least you're honest. I think that a handful of people on this site feel very similarly, and just wont let on to that. some people like to pretend that choosing a specialty is like a magic revelation that occurs at some point during 3rd year. It really isnt. For many, it is a calculated decision based on careful "cost-benefit" type analysis. After all, when we all (residents and physicians) decided to go to med school, I SERIOUSLY doubt anyone envisioned themselves as a radiation oncologist (or an ophthalmologist pulmonologist, etc..).

That being said, Brim is right on. First and foremost we are oncologists and deal with cancer everyday. This is a major turn off for some, and it may be for you. When you do your medicine rotation during third year, request in advance to have a rotation on the onc ward. same thing on peds. You need to know you like the "human" component of oncology. In my opinion (and the opinion of most patients I get to know) that is the element missing in many oncologists.

good luck, keep exploring

 

[Adawaal]

hey, at least you're honest. I think that a handful of people on this site feel very similarly, and just wont let on to that. some people like to pretend that choosing a specialty is like a magic revelation that occurs at some point during 3rd year. It really isnt. For many, it is a calculated decision based on careful "cost-benefit" type analysis.

Hey, I can totally relate to that. When I went about deciding what to do, I made up a list of all the specialties and went down the list, identifying the "negatives" about each specialty. I figured I'd end up with a couple to decide from. In the end, the list was completely blank. Talk about mental crisis time. I learned the hard way that no specialty is perfect.

So, I went back to the drawing board (literally), and repeated the process, focusing on what I perceived as the "positives" about each specialty. In the end, I only had 2 or 3, and Rad Onc kept coming back as the highest number of positives for me.

 

[orbitsurgMD]

Hello everyone,

I've been reading some of the threads on this site, and I would really appreciate some advice.

A little about myself: I am starting my third year of medical school. I scored in the 270's on step 1, and am at the top of my class in terms of
. . . .
One more thing. I have done a lot of clinical research and really enjoy it. I did a few months of bench research as an undergrad. I have no research experience with cancer, although there is still time.
....

Thank you for any insight, suggestions, advice, etc. you may have.

Sounds like the birth of an ophthalmologist.

 

[Adawaal]

Sounds like the birth of an ophthalmologist.

Nahhh... He actually sounds pretty smart....