Wizard, let's say I want to do some research (preferably in radiation onc or radiobiology) as a way to sweeten the deal to get into a competitive residency. I have zero research experience.
Who should I talk to? Should I go right up to someone and say "Hey, I want to be your research slave."
The first thing you should do is not accidentally send a dean's secretary an insulting email that you meant to send to somebody else. Yeah, I had a little chat with one of our dean's this afternoon. I recommend it, really. Nothing like the mention of the dirty word UNPROFESSIONAL slapped across your dean's letter before you've even finished a semester.
Brief Wizard autobiography.... I've had very few problems in life that didn't start with an inappropriate email.
Most of the advice that I get is to wait until third year to worry about research. Almost everyone I've ever talked to says that to stay competative, focus heavily on learning the step 1 material during the preclinical years. Some say do the summer honors thing between MS1 and 2, others say it's worthless save for the stipend. It would depend a lot on what scientist you are paired with. Some are better than others.
For rads, there is a guy affiliated with Baptist who is very student-friendly. The interest group crowd for rads recommends him highly as long as you are serious about rads. Medicine is a lot easier to find research opportunities in and generate publications than basic sciences, but I'm not as knowledgable regarding clinical research around here as I am with the basic science departments. Unfortunately, I have a very big mouth and lack self control when it comes to speaking about professors around here, so it would not be a good thing to say "Wizard recommended me to you" to anybody.
Edit:
After reading this again, I realize that you said "rad onc" rather than diagnostic rads. The Baptist dude is an interventionalist (I think).
Um, for rad onc, I don't know much except that right now OU does not offer PGY in that specialty. It is tough both because there just aren't many programs for it. They will probably have at least a couple of PGY-2 ready slots by 2010, but whether or not it will be up for NRMP at that time is foreign to me.
If you are going to do research as a med student, the PI will know that you are doing it just to make your match more competative since, after all, your educational time is already pre-determined. It is not like the basic sciences where you don't get to leave a project until you are finished or published. The good thing is this. They are often excited that you are interested in their work, and they usually are happy to have you for as long as you can make time. They've been in your shoes, and since the PI's on campus have already made a conscious choice to at least have an academic component to their career, they will be receptive to your interest. Keep in mind, though, that anything you put on your application is fair game for an interview, so if you just go through the motions, you will be made to look like an idiot when you can't answer follow-up questions. (BEEN THERE, DONE THAT.)
Love ya. Hit me back IRL sometime dawg.
Both of us got the pressure interview last year, so you know the worst it can be. You might get one of those chatty laid back friendly interviews like 75% of applicants here seem to get. 
