Radiology Match 2009

[supercomp]

So, I have started preparing for next year's match. I started asking for letters of recommendations, trying to get some research/case report oppotunity, and getting started on personal statement.

What would be good website for radiology match (besides this forum of course)?

While we are at it, how competitive I would be? Do I have shot at radiology?

-going 30-35 ranked US school (research rankings)
-mid-240 Step 1
-Honors in Radiology rotation but Satisfactory in Surgery, OB, and Peds (only top 10% get honors at my school - 3 people per rotation), other grades pending - despite satisfactory grades, i had really good comments on my evaluations
-undergrad research that was continued into med school and published while in medical school (non-radiology)
-Good letters of recommendation (hopefully)
-no radiology research but trying to get case report/research right now


Specific Questions:
- Should I take Step 2 early?
- How much of an impact not having radiology research would have?
- Do I need Radiology Letter?

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[supercomp]

Anyone? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[hans19]

Anyone? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Did you read the FAQ. Most of your questions will be answered there.

 

[Mariah246]

So, I have started preparing for next year's match. I started asking for letters of recommendations, trying to get some research/case report oppotunity, and getting started on personal statement.

What would be good website for radiology match (besides this forum of course)?

While we are at it, how competitive I would be? Do I have shot at radiology?

-going 30-35 ranked US school (research rankings)
-mid-240 Step 1
-Honors in Radiology rotation but Satisfactory in Surgery, OB, and Peds (only top 10% get honors at my school - 3 people per rotation), other grades pending - despite satisfactory grades, i had really good comments on my evaluations
-undergrad research that was continued into med school and published while in medical school (non-radiology)
-Good letters of recommendation (hopefully)
-no radiology research but trying to get case report/research right now


Specific Questions:
- Should I take Step 2 early?
- How much of an impact not having radiology research would have?
- Do I need Radiology Letter?

auntminnie is a good site

I have similar stats myself. My PD told me I'd definitely match. It's just a matter of where. (That definite assumes I apply wisely and widely. And interview well and widely. And create a match list wisely and widely.)

re: step 2. I wouldn't risk it. Your score is high enough.

not having radiology research? not a huge deal as long as you have research elsewhere (I did a year of derm research during med school and the radiology PD said it was fine. Heck, he recommended NOT pursuing rads research 4th year unless I was genuinely interested)

radiology letter? Definitely. You'll want at least one.

 

[shocker]

Take some time and peruse this website:

www.radiology.matchapplicants.com

You will match, not at Hopkins or MGH or UCSF, but I would guess at a very solid university program.

Good Luck

 

[bigfrank]

So, I have started preparing for next year's match. I started asking for letters of recommendations, trying to get some research/case report oppotunity, and getting started on personal statement.

What would be good website for radiology match (besides this forum of course)?

While we are at it, how competitive I would be? Do I have shot at radiology?

-going 30-35 ranked US school (research rankings)
-mid-240 Step 1
-Honors in Radiology rotation but Satisfactory in Surgery, OB, and Peds (only top 10% get honors at my school - 3 people per rotation), other grades pending - despite satisfactory grades, i had really good comments on my evaluations
-undergrad research that was continued into med school and published while in medical school (non-radiology)
-Good letters of recommendation (hopefully)
-no radiology research but trying to get case report/research right now


Specific Questions:
- Should I take Step 2 early?
- How much of an impact not having radiology research would have?
- Do I need Radiology Letter?

1) If I were you, I would study hard and take Step II early. At this point, your Step I is good but your 3rd year grades are average. An excellent Step II score would seriously boost your application. A not-so-good Step II score wouldn't hurt you too much

2) None. Radiology is not a research-heavy field (i.e., derm, rad onc, ENT, etc.)

3) Abolutely, get a radiology letter.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

Regarding some of the varied opinions on when to take Step 2:

Read the fine print on program web pages or flat out call and ask. Some places I've looked at won't interview you if you have not taken Step 2, while others won't even rank you without a passing Step 2 score - CS and CK. Don't screw yourself just cause you feel anxious about it.

Or heck... since you're applying with me this fall, just wait until the Spring to do them both. I won't mind.

 

[bigfrank]

VERY few programs will NOT interview you if you have yet to take Step II CK (what a horrible sentence I just typed!). That is asinine of the programs if they won't. Their loss. All the big names will.

Step II CS, for unknown reasons, is a different story. I went ahead and took Step II CS early in my 4th year for safety's sake.

 

[shocker]

I just went through the process and Step II was only an issue at one place (Jackson Memorial). They emailed me early in the application process that Step II CK should be completed by the ranking deadline and preferably done before interviewing or something like that. It was the only place it came up... I took it early just to get it over with, my step 1 score was respectable but not too special so I took the chance. I think it is completely up to you. Reinforcing BigFrank, the big-name places that I visited made no mention of it.

 

[supercomp]

Thank you all for your help. I really appreciate it.

Radiology Letter - what would be best way to get it? At my school, we have very limited interactions with attendings during radiology rotation. Infact, we rarely see them. We mostly work with Residents (which by the way are great!!). I am thinking of writing a case report with one of the attending, and ask him for letter.

Step II CK - Is it ok to take it in October? Would I be good enough to get Interviews without it, then I can update the programs on my Step II CK scores once I receive them in November (hopefully).

Step II CS- I am scheduled to take it in September. I hope that is alright. I loaded up first three months of 4th year with sub-Is, hoping to improve upon my grades and get letters from them.

 

[CaptKirk]

I'd really consider taking CK and CS as early as you can. I took CS in July of my fourth year and CK in August, and man... it has been a much better year not having to worry about those.

If you're really worried about your CK score possibly hurting you, just choose not to report it in ERAS. You can always go back and resubmit your USMLE transcript after you get your score if it is good. That's what I did. My Step I was upper 230's (not stellar for Rads) but my Step II was 260+. I am really glad I had that to bolster my application slightly. And it was really nice going on interviews knowing that I had not only taken and passed CS, but killed CK.

Up to you man. Good luck.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

My Step I was upper 230's (not stellar for Rads)

Upper 230s is a great score for radiology. I'm assuming you matched somewhere and probably interviewed at lots of places?

People that read the message board need to know that a majority of the folks that post and talk about the match (particularly on Aunt Minnie) are the gung ho applicants that are legitimately trying to get into Hopkins, MGH, UCSF, etc. They also seem to have the mistaken interpretation that a score below 230ish isn't going to get you into the specialty. That is simply not true. While you might be a longshot for one of the upper tier schools the data suggests that anyone with a passing Step 1 can get into radiology. While applicants certainly self-select on some sort of internal metric, even 7 of the 20 people with Step 1s between 181 and 190 got in. While I can't vouch for anyone other than the PD here at OU, I'm sure a nice guy with a 220 will get ranked higher than a dick with a 250 pretty much anywhere.

 

[shocker]

Upper 230s is a great score for radiology. I'm assuming you matched somewhere and probably interviewed at lots of places?

People that read the message board need to know that a majority of the folks that post and talk about the match (particularly on Aunt Minnie) are the gung ho applicants that are legitimately trying to get into Hopkins, MGH, UCSF, etc. They also seem to have the mistaken interpretation that a score below 230ish isn't going to get you into the specialty. That is simply not true. While you might be a longshot for one of the upper tier schools the data suggests that anyone with a passing Step 1 can get into radiology. While applicants certainly self-select on some sort of internal metric, even 7 of the 20 people with Step 1s between 181 and 190 got in. While I can't vouch for anyone other than the PD here at OU, I'm sure a nice guy with a 220 will get ranked higher than a dick with a 250 pretty much anywhere.

I mostly agree about the Step 1 scores, but those with <220 are applying to tons of programs and I imagine it becomes very stressful. They also in general cannot be choosy(sp), which can be a factor when thinking about family situations and so forth. I only mention this because a friend of mine who was a solid candidate with 230s on Step 1 was uniformly shut out of many great (not even top-tier) programs. Board scores open the doors, and then as you mentioned personality takes you the rest of the way. I met a number of odd people that must have had big scores and I am sure they matched well... On a related note to that last sentence. I recall one guy that was going on about how he got 100th percentile or perfect scores on the Surgery and IM shelves. He was making it a point that the other 6-8 of us heard him. Some other people chimed in about them running into the same thing. I am proud of how I did on some tests in my life (never got 100th percentile on a shelf) but you wouldn't catch me spouting that crap off to strangers! It was unbelievable.

I don't agree with board scores meaning so much but in reality they do. If you don't hit their threshold, have not rotated there, or don't have a connection then it usually equals rejection letter. They simply have too many applications to wade through.

 

[bigfrank]

good post.

P.S. I like your Horatio Alger signature.....

 

[Kitra101]

BUMP --- Since all the other specialties have some sort of match/interview/rejection/insight into the match this year thread maybe radiology could do the same? Anyone in the trenches right now want to talk and let us (those non-MS4s interested in Rads) know about how things are going and what your experiences have been like this year?

Good luck to all!

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

BUMP --- Since all the other specialties have some sort of match/interview/rejection/insight into the match this year thread maybe radiology could do the same? Anyone in the trenches right now want to talk and let us (those non-MS4s interested in Rads) know about how things are going and what your experiences have been like this year?

Good luck to all!

All that stuff is on Aunt Minnie and is ongoing.

If you're joining us late the consensus seems to be: Applications are up this year, but if it is due to more people applying or same number applying more places is still undecided. Also what effect it has on matching is yet to be seen.

 

[Howser]

I'm wondering what percentage of applicants will match this year