I just started MS2 and I am very interested in rad onc. I want to work with a rad onc on some research over the next two years in order to help my application. However, the main research rad onc attending at my institution does not do too much radiation-specific research. His research is mostly based on various adjuvant chemotherapy regimens and comparing them via retrospective and (sometimes) prospective studies to no chemo, or different amounts/schedules of chemo with or without radiation. He looks at everything: toxicity, efficacy, even provider attitudes towards the chemo regimens. He does have some radiation-specific projects in mind, but is really not excited in them since he is really well known for his chemo work and just likes to publish on that. He publishes in some rad onc journals but mainly in the more general journals (e.g. Breast) for his site. He is extremely productive and a good/smart mentor, and every med student who has done two years with him (from MS2-MS4) has gotten at least 3-4 first author papers over the past 5 years.
Would it be better to work with someone else where I might not get as many first-author papers, but where the research would be more radiation related, or with him, where I will get a lot done (if I work hard) but the research would mostly be on chemo?
Would it be better to work with someone else where I might not get as many first-author papers, but where the research would be more radiation related, or with him, where I will get a lot done (if I work hard) but the research would mostly be on chemo?