Question about rad-onc and associated research, need advice!

[Rocket3004]

I'll try to be as straightforward as possible, but i think I already put waaaaayyy to much (unnecessary thought into the whole process).

I'm an MS1 (please continue reading! )

I have a chance to do do research either in a med/surg onc specialty or rad-onc. I am interested in rad-onc but I'm only a MS1 so who knows if that will change. I am leaning towards doing a project in med/surg onc EVEN THOUGH I do have an interest in a surgical specialty, but not really "regular" oncology (and this is the part that that I might have over thought the situation):

Basically I figure that doing work on say metastasis and tumorgenesis and removal using novel therapies/elucidating cell signaling pathways is more "applicable" in terms of the techniques and what-not to a wide variety of specialties WHERE AS doing work in rad-onc would be really very rad-onc specific. Thus, if I were to eventually choose a specialty other than rad-onc, reaserach in rad-onc would be appreciated but not as relevant VS if I were to do (just as an example) cardiology or neurology, that work in cell signaling and what not would be more (not sure how much "more" b/c it was working with cancer) applicable. If I were to go into rad-onc, and did work in say med/surg onc, then it would still be fairly applicable (I'd assume)

Basically what I'm saying is this: I'm interested in doing rad-onc, and have a chance to do research in it at an amazing facility, but am hesitant because I'm not sure if it is the field I want to go into. Therefore, I'm thinking about doing a med/surg onc project still at the same great place and am thinking that it may be slightly more "universal" YET still applicable to rad-onc should I choose that field in the future. The downside to this is that I have a 1 in a lifetime chance to do rad onc research at a very well known place that would probably be a very good CV booster (and to make connections and what not) in the increasingly competitive field of rad-onc - so part of me is thinking to just to take advantage of this opportunity (in rad onc) and go for it - even if I choose a different field in the future.

*Sigh*... Thoughts?

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[ABCXRT]

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to your question, but there is one more thing you should consider. surg onc and med onc are both subspecialties of general fields. so if you decide to go into either of those you'll first have to match into a general residency and then apply for fellowships. By the time you're applying for fellowships (your PGY2 year for medicine and I think PGY4 (?) for surgery) the research project you did as an MS1 will be a distant memory. Plus, if you want surg onc you'll have to take a year or two off for research during residency. I think as long as it's cancer related a project you did 5, 6 or more years ago will be viewed more as just part of a trend of interest in oncology, unless you get lucky and do something amazing. On the other hand, a rad onc project done as an MS1 is relatively closer to the time you would apply to a rad onc program.


Anyway, I wouldn't worry about what will be the best for getting into residency. Just do the project your most excited about. you sound like someone who's going to have multiple research projects by the time the apply anyway.