Is top 4 IM necessary to match to DFCI for hem/onc?

[Car1992]

For hem/onc fellowship, I'm really interested in some of the stem cell transplant researchers at the DFCI. Curious is it pretty much impossible to match there unless we go to MGH/BWH/Hopkins/UCSF and sometimes BIDMC for IM?

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[notcool]

It doesn't look like DFCI lists where the fellows did their residency on their website, but maybe the IM spreadsheet (fellowships tab) has this information?

 

[gutonc]

No.

Next gunner question?

 

[Car1992]

=( I'm not sure about gunner, there's just some really amazing research going on there in my field but I feel like I don't have a shot after looking at their match list over the past few years, it's essentially MGH/BWH/UCSF/JHH and sometimes BIDMC

 

[bobow98]

It's basically just BWH and MGH. There are about 2 -3 slots reserved for outside folks based on what I heard from friends and friends of friends.

 

[ShuperNewbie]

Lol someone from my institution just matched there this year and last I checked we weren't MGH/BWH/Hopkins/UCSF and sometimes BIDMC.

Also there's amazing work going on at a lot of places in stem cell transplant, if you're specific about what you're looking for you'll be able to find a lot of people doing similar work, especially in (depending on what year you are in med school) 4 or 5 years when you start applying for fellowship

Also just because you're not at Dana Farber, it doesn't mean you can't work with dana farber researchers. There are plenty of institutions in Boston all with varying degrees of competitiveness. Some of my colleagues and co-residents here in NYC were collaborating with (and received letters from) researchers at MD Anderson/MSKCC/private practice physicians despite the distance gap. All that matters is your resolve

Also I appreciate the enthusiasm but a lot can change in the span of a few years especially in oncology, so while well-intended, your comments come off as premature. I feel like what you're really trying to gauge is the competitiveness of onc and the necessity to focus on matching at a good institution for residency, but I think you already kinda know the answer to that

 

[CatFactorial]

For hem/onc fellowship, I'm really interested in some of the stem cell transplant researchers at the DFCI. Curious is it pretty much impossible to match there unless we go to MGH/BWH/Hopkins/UCSF and sometimes BIDMC for IM?

Yes. Curious what transplant research is unique to DFCI

 

[bobow98]

Yes. Curious what transplant research is unique to DFCI

I hear they transplant scallops into clam shells.
Allobivalvic transplant. I wonder if they can do one shell of one kind onto another of a different kind. Haploidentical transplant.

 

[Car1992]

=(

What do you all say one should focus on as an intern and PGY2 to match well into hem-onc fellowship?

 

[CatFactorial]

Just do a transplant year after you finish. They're not competitive, even where the fanciest of pants are worn.

 

[WheezyBaby]

=(

What do you all say one should focus on as an intern and PGY2 to match well into hem-onc fellowship?

Academic productivity

 

[gutonc]

Just do a transplant year after you finish. They're not competitive, even where the fanciest of pants are worn.

I mean, they give them away to unmatched IMGs at MDACC and DFCI every year.

 

[ConfuddledPhud]

Looking at the match stats this year, you basically have no chance at DFCI unless you're MGH or BWH

 

[whoknows2012]

Looking at the match stats this year, you basically have no chance at DFCI unless you're MGH or BWH

There’s no need to have a DFCI fetish -focus on the area of interest you have and where you would go to cultivate that speciality/expertise. Sometimes big time academic centers offer better career path and training than a place like Dfci. Traditionally MSKCC is more forgiving than dfci which basically only takes Harvard programs and a few others. But again would focus not on the name of program but your specific interest and which program would be best for your career. It’s not always a stand alone cancer hospital (or NIH for example). If you’ve already done the research and decided dfci is the place for you, we’ll then yea I’d say it’s an uphill battle..

Edit; sorry didn’t realize you weren’t the thread creator and read the responses above-anyway point stands for those that are interested in top h/o fellowship programs

 

[caulfield830]

Looking at the match stats this year, you basically have no chance at DFCI unless you're MGH or BWH

I don't know about this year in particular, but I have seen Vandy, Mayo, WashU, NYU, and BU grads; some of them are current fellows.
Agree with the above post. There is no need to stress about matching into a particular fellowship program. If you want to do academic oncology, there are MANY opportunities to do that. If you really really want to work with one particular person, you can even finish your fellowship somewhere and go work at DFCI as an instructor or whatever.

 

[whoknows2012]

I don't know about this year in particular, but I have seen Vandy, Mayo, WashU, NYU, and BU grads; some of them are current fellows.
Agree with the above post. There is no need to stress about matching into a particular fellowship program. If you want to do academic oncology, there are MANY opportunities to do that. If you really really want to work with one particular person, you can even finish your fellowship somewhere and go work at DFCI as an instructor or whatever.

Exactly! And make 80k in the process for your immense sacrifice to the DFCI gods 🤣