Radiation Oncology 2021 Match: Webinar for Medical Students

[FreeRT]

Navigating the Radiation Oncology 2021 Match: Q&A Webinar for Medical Students - American College of Radiation Oncology

The ACRO Resident Committee is hosting a webinar for medical students entering or considering the 2021 Radiation Oncology Match. Dr. Emma Fields, Associate Professor and Associate Residency Program Director at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Comron Hassanzadeh, Resident physician at...

www.acro.org

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[medgator]

Navigating the Radiation Oncology 2021 Match: Q&A Webinar for Medical Students - American College of Radiation Oncology

The ACRO Resident Committee is hosting a webinar for medical students entering or considering the 2021 Radiation Oncology Match. Dr. Emma Fields, Associate Professor and Associate Residency Program Director at Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Comron Hassanzadeh, Resident physician at...

www.acro.org

View attachment 311679

What's there to navigate exactly?

 

[Chartreuse Wombat]

Hmmm...submit anonymous questions at the link?...I wonder...

 

[deleted774703]

We should flood it with questions. They have to answer eventually? Maybe? Right? Damn just saw a new program start hahaha

 

[thecarbonionangle]

Do you want to go into a field where things have to be “navigated”? Choose wisely folks!!!

 

[Gfunk6]

Well, to be fair there are a few timeless tidbits that are imparted:

1. Don't tell a program "you are my #1" unless they really are. Definitely don't ell "you are my #1" to more than one program.
2. Rank programs in the order that you would like and don't be influenced by thinking "where could I realistically match?"
3. Beware of last minute calls from program directors who give assurances that you are "ranked to match."

 

[medgator]

Well, to be fair there are a few timeless tidbits that are imparted:

1. Don't tell a program "you are my #1" unless they really are. Definitely don't ell "you are my #1" to more than one program.
2. Rank programs in the order that you would like and don't be influenced by thinking "where could I realistically match?"
3. Beware of last minute calls from program directors who give assurances that you are "ranked to match."

In this day and age, you can probably "ghost" programs and play hard to get

 

[dieABRdie]

In this day and age, you can probably "ghost" programs and play hard to get

Or apply to psychiatry and SOAP into a spot if you don't match.

 

[medgator]

Or apply to psychiatry and SOAP into a spot if you don't match.

Psych is pretty competitive these days... Good to have a backup plan

 

[StIGMA]

It would be great to have some dual trained psych-radoncs to get some functional radiosurgery going for psych diagnoses.

 

[thecarbonionangle]

Psych is pretty competitive these days... Good to have a backup plan

yup very competitive now. Good money, can hang a shingle, can do all sorts of stuff like ketamine and sleep clinics. Very different than ten years ago

 

[medgator]

yup very competitive now. Good money, can hang a shingle, can do all sorts of stuff like ketamine and sleep clinics. Very different than ten years ago

And jobs outside of Indiana and Michigan too!

 

[elementaryschooleconomics]

1. Don't tell a program "you are my #1" unless they really are. Definitely don't ell "you are my #1" to more than one program.

I watched this happen AGAIN last year.

People, seriously, don't do this. Especially in such a small field. Memories are long, egos are frail, folks are childish. Don't shoot yourself in the foot before you even start.

 

[thecarbonionangle]

I watched this happen AGAIN last year.

People, seriously, don't do this. Especially in such a small field. Memories are long, egos are frail, folks are childish. Don't shoot yourself in the foot before you even start.

“Don’t worry, baby girl, I’m only getting with you”

 

[RickyScott]

What's there to navigate exactly?

If you are a middle of the road medical student applying to a mid range program, what would you have to do not to match? Show up drink, criminal/sex offender history, soil yourself during the interview?

 

[medgator]

If you are a middle of the road medical student applying to a mid range program, what would you have to do not to match? Show up drink, criminal/sex offender history, soil yourself during the interview?

I think Will Ferrell's character would definitely match somewhere

 

[RickyScott]

I think Will Ferrell's character would definitely match somewhere

Think both those guys would make it. I matched just when specialty was getting competitive. One of my seniors was still allowed to graduate despite being kicked off multiple rotations and staying home for 2 months to build a motorcycle from scratch.

 

[elementaryschooleconomics]

Think both those guys would make it. I matched just when specialty was getting competitive. One of my seniors was still allowed to graduate despite being kicked off multiple rotations and staying home for 2 months to build a motorcycle from scratch.

Oh what was Paul Wallner like as a Chief resident?

 

[thecarbonionangle]

Oh what was Paul Wallner like as a Chief resident?

the people who can answer that question are probably dead

 

[deleted941485]

We can talk Med students out of this but honestly there are no standards anymore. They can literally apply to 1 or even 2 other specialties and use RO as an absolute last resort.

RO has NOTHING to hold over these students anymore. Jumping through the hoops like a trick dog for this is senseless. You don’t really need research or pubs or in some instances even have a real interest or more than a fleeting awareness of cancer anymore. You can literally SOAP into this I an intern year and reapply to what you really want and even if you don’t get it try again the following year.

 

[Haybrant]

Has rad onc basically become the easiest field to get into now? Pretty crazy how much stress went into that whole process even just 5-10 years ago, I gave up so much of my life for it, moved away from family and friends, and now the field is the laughing stock of residency admissions

 

[Neuronix]

Has rad onc basically become the easiest field to get into now? Pretty crazy how much stress went into that whole process even just 5-10 years ago, I gave up so much of my life for it, moved away from family and friends, and now the field is the laughing stock of residency admissions

That hits me right in the feels. All that competition just to come into this job market and struggle to find any job, let alone a good one. Big oof.

At least people going in now should have an understanding of what to expect in rad onc as a new grad. We try to make sure of that.

The biggest problem is that it's hard to predict five years from now. Every indicator of supply and demand in this specialty suggests continued worsening of the job market. Even if I tell someone what it's like now, it may not even apply in five years.

 

[medgator]

Even if I tell someone what it's like now, it may not even apply in five years.

It's like the titanic in terms of how things nice.... Still, i see plenty of icebergs ahead (APM, too many grads, too many trash fellowships, tough geography etc)

 

[elementaryschooleconomics]

Has rad onc basically become the easiest field to get into now? Pretty crazy how much stress went into that whole process even just 5-10 years ago, I gave up so much of my life for it, moved away from family and friends, and now the field is the laughing stock of residency admissions

Stress? Competition? Don't you remember - per Ken Olivier, we weren't as dedicated to the field as the people applying now.