radiation onc vs radiology

[surgeon_hopeful]

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Hi there,

I'm a junior in high school, and I was wondering if there what the difference is between radiation onc and radiology?

Also, I'm really starting to like both of the fields, but I'm getting concerned about how hard it is to get a residency in either. I've heard that both are amazingly competitive, so I was wondering which one is more competitive.

Finally, is radiation onc simply using radiation (ie chemotherapy) to treat cancer exclusively, or does it include other types of diseases/disorders?

thanks

 

[radiodog]

Hi there,

I'm a junior in high school, and I was wondering if there what the difference is between radiation onc and radiology?

Also, I'm really starting to like both of the fields, but I'm getting concerned about how hard it is to get a residency in either. I've heard that both are amazingly competitive, so I was wondering which one is more competitive.

Finally, is radiation onc simply using radiation (ie chemotherapy) to treat cancer exclusively, or does it include other types of diseases/disorders?

thanks

Radiology is a diagnostic field (i.e. imaging studies). Radiation oncology is a treatment based field (i.e. zap tumors with photons).

It's difficult to say what the field will be like in six years. Right now rad onc is more competitive largely because there are fewer spots available. Its not impossible to match though. I would not worry about this until you are in medical school but if you are very interested in the field I would suggest going to a med school that has a rad onc residency program (there's about 70 that do). Radiology is competitive but it's easier to match in than rad onc.

Radiation oncologists mainly treat patients with cancer. They are involved in the evaluation and staging of the patient, treatment planning, management of side effects, and long term follow-up. A small percentage of the treatments are for non-malignant disease (i.e. heterotropic ossification).

 

[stephew]

in cns ther eis a lot of benign disease treated; meningioma, acoustic neuroma, pit adeoma, chordomo, a nd a fw other some such. also low grade glimoma which aren't exactly "bening"