I'm in a Canadian medical school and just want to know the situation in the US. From reading I understand that rad on is super competitive while in Canada it is the opposite. Spots are unfilled every year because they have more residents than jobs available. In fact, some residents transferred out of the program because of this issue. Is that the case in the US? Also, I am interested in Rad on, so after a Canadian training, is it possible to apply and practice in the US? thanks.
Sorry, we're poking fun without really answering the question. In Canadian you must say "rad on" where in American we say "rad onc," eh? Anyway, you are correct, it is quite competetive to get into residency here south of the border but not as bad to get a job. It varies by the types of practice and favorability of location, etc., but I think there are fairly few graduating residents having trouble finding a job somewhere. And Gfunk, LMAO.
Hey silverfish, I'm just a med student, so this may not be entirely accurate or reflect other parts of the country. In my region, people are able to find Rad Onc jobs without much problems. Unlike other fields, Rad Onc is not concentrated, so it is more difficult to find a nice location even if you're willing to compromise on the salary. That being said, there are also less graduates compared to other fields, so your chances may be the same... you just don't have as much options. If graduates are flexible, they can probably find a job regionally without a problem. I don't know if Canadian Rad Onc residencies are ACGME accredited, but I've met people in other fields who do a fellowship in the US and work in academia for a while eventually become board certified (thought I'm not to sure about this). I wonder why Rad Onc in Canada are unable to find jobs... does it have to do with the health care system more focused on primary/preventative care and more efficient use of the tax dollar for health care?
Hey staphaureus. thanks for your reply. Have u heard of any Candian rad onc grads working in the states? In Canada we have too many residency spots in rad onc for the number of jobs available--which is rare in this country since there is a severe shortage of physicians in many fields. The other problem is that the oncology program is government funded and so it is slow to add new positions and treatment sites. The reason I'm asking the situation in the States is that I'm interested in rad onc, but scared of the job prospects in this country. Just wanted to see whether going South is an option...
I would think that you would need to be board certified in the US in order to be competitive for work. I'm not sure what this would entail for someone who did not train at a US residency. One of our former residents transferred from a program in Canada to our's in the US, and she's since gone on to be fully boarded in both countries. She currently practices in the US.
