New to the field

[bullmed]

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Hello. I would appreciate a little advice from all you out there seeing as you all seem to be very well informed. I'm a third year and I've always assumed I'd go in to medicine and eventually settle on GI or allergy. Now having been on the wards, my favorite part of any day is when I get to go to radiology to go over films with them. I'm now dying to go into rad but don't know if I'm wasting my time applying. I have no interest in getting in to a top program, just a decent one. I got a 237/96 on step I, almost all honors academically, all clinical honors thus far, I have a masters degree in molecular immunology/natural sciences with several papers published (obviously that field won't mean much, but still...), I'm trying to get started in radiology research now, I will technically qualify for AOA, but very doubtful I will be selected.
Furthermore, I go to SUNY Buffalo, a good school, but not a big name.

I would like to stay in the mid-atlantic/Northeast region if possible.

Does it sound like I have a decent shot of matching somewhere? Anywhere?
Thanks

 

[Whisker Barrel Cortex]

It sounds like you will definitely match somewhere. I would think with those stats you would most likely match at a good university program. Good, but less likely top 10. If you have some meaningful rads research (which may be hard to do at this point), it will move you up on the list.

Apply widely, including a smattering of top programs, a bunch of good university programs, and a few less known programs (maybe even a couple of community ones just to be sure). Unless location is an absolutely requirement for you, I would apply throughout the country to increase your chances at getting into a well known program, which will increase your opportunities in the future.

 

[scootad.]

I can only tell you what i am experiencing:

246/99 top 30 school, +rads research (poster presentation), good clinical grades, non-AOA

17 interviews, mostly community programs, only 7 "academic" programs, and of those 7 only 3 would be considered excellent programs. However, I was shut out of all of the "elite" programs.

I think not being AOA hurt me, so my advice for you is to do whatever it takes (knee pads included) to get AOA if you want a top academic program, but it sounds like it dont matter to you. Otherwise, I think you have a very good shot of matching somewhere, but apply broadly and to a LOT of places. I'm honestly a little bit disappointed in my showing as I expected I'd be able to eek out at least a couple interviews at elite programs but it didnt happen.

Good luck!

 

[itchyscrot]

Hello. I would appreciate a little advice from all you out there seeing as you all seem to be very well informed. I'm a third year and I've always assumed I'd go in to medicine and eventually settle on GI or allergy. Now having been on the wards, my favorite part of any day is when I get to go to radiology to go over films with them. I'm now dying to go into rad but don't know if I'm wasting my time applying. I have no interest in getting in to a top program, just a decent one. I got a 237/96 on step I, almost all honors academically, all clinical honors thus far, I have a masters degree in molecular immunology/natural sciences with several papers published (obviously that field won't mean much, but still...), I'm trying to get started in radiology research now, I will technically qualify for AOA, but very doubtful I will be selected.
Furthermore, I go to SUNY Buffalo, a good school, but not a big name.

I would like to stay in the mid-atlantic/Northeast region if possible.

Does it sound like I have a decent shot of matching somewhere? Anywhere?
Thanks

As long as you are not a mutant you will match somewhere, likely at a well respected university program. Your biggest hurdles will be if you are not AOA and the fact that you are from SUNY Buffalo. SUNY buffalo is a crap medical school and the radiology department is one of the very worst university radiology departements in the nation. If you manage to get AOA you will DRAMATICALLY improve your chances of matching at a good program. Good luck dealing with the facists at UB 😀

 

[hans19]

As long as you are not a mutant you will match somewhere, likely at a well respected university program.

...Unless of course you are a mutant with x-ray vision.

 

[hans19]

But competitive as it is these days, x-ray vision might not be enough.
You'd better be able to do tomography with sag and coronal recons in your head.

Now if you are a mutant that can 'hear' hydrogen molecules spinning with T1W, T2W, FLAIR, and STIR you're in!

 

[peehdee]

well, if YOu don't get in. then we may as well hang ourselves and go into peds 😛