Really like IR but not so sure about Rads, what should I do??

[Ahmed786]

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I am a MS1 right now and have a really strong interest in pursuing a career in Interventional Radiology and really cannot see myself doing anything else. However, I dont know how much I like Diagnostic Radiology and really couldnt see myself sitting in front of a computer reading MRIs and CTs all day.

I know IR is not that competitive right now and Rads is becoming less competitive, but I am almost certain that when I apply for my fellowship many many years from now it will be exactly opposite.

I guess the point of stating all this is that I am wondering should I do a certain residency if I dont really like it so much to pursue a fellowship in a job that I absolutely love? Thanks for the advice.

 

[SGuttenberg]

Look into the direct pathway. IR may become more clinic based in the future and the DIRECT pathway may become more common, but in the end IR procedures are based on imaging and you will need to be proficient reading imaging studies so there is no way to do IR without doing 2-3years of DR during residency. Afterwards there is no need to spend hours grinding through studies if that's not your thing.

 

[HotLikeSauce]

I am a MS1 right now and have a really strong interest in pursuing a career in Interventional Radiology and really cannot see myself doing anything else. However, I dont know how much I like Diagnostic Radiology and really couldnt see myself sitting in front of a computer reading MRIs and CTs all day.

I know IR is not that competitive right now and Rads is becoming less competitive, but I am almost certain that when I apply for my fellowship many many years from now it will be exactly opposite.

I guess the point of stating all this is that I am wondering should I do a certain residency if I dont really like it so much to pursue a fellowship in a job that I absolutely love? Thanks for the advice.

So a few things:

1) Rads is becoming more and more competitive with each year (check out Charting Outcomes in the Match), and IR fellowships are competitive as well. The job market in rads is tight right now, so many people are doing fellowships or 2nd fellowships who otherwise might not have. So yeah, unfortunately both are competitive.

I would encourage you to shadow a lot early on and see what IR is really like--at a variety of places if possible. There is definitely a turf war of sorts going on between IR and a few other specialties, so if you end up not liking IR, one of the other specialties (like vascular surg, for ex) that competes with IR might appeal to you.

In a large academic institution like my school, the IR physicians ONLY do IR, but in some private practices I've been to, the IR physicians end up having to do whatever is needed, and a lot of them were doing half (or less than half) IR and the other half DR. So you're very astute to think about how you wouldn't enjoy DR, because depending on the job you end up getting later, you might be required to.

 

[MossPoh]

I know people hate hearing this, but you're in your first year, so you have a while and lots of things to encounter before you make you decision.

I'd also encourage you to spend time with radiologists. The "sit in a dark room all day" thing is always referred to, but you do have procedures and other interactions during the daily routine with non-IR. MSK is fairly high on the procedures list too.

The people who are doing those second fellowships are usually gunning for spots at academic centers or large oversaturated cities. Also, the people searching now are on the short end of the stick since many baby-boomers are holding off retirement to make extra cash with them losing a lot of retirement. You won't have to worry about job hunting for nearly a decade. Either way, the jobs are only hard to find in those certain areas. I know of multiple places looking right now, but they aren't in the attractive locales people want....good gigs other than that.

 

[officedepot]

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[Asp]

IR was one of the least filled fellowships in the last decade.. for a reason.

If you go into radiology without at least liking diagnostic radiology, you'd be better off doing some other procedural field IMO. It would suck if at the end of residency you found out you didn't like either IR or DR.

 

[Rothbard]

nm

 

[DoctwoB]

I am a MS1 right now and have a really strong interest in pursuing a career in Interventional Radiology and really cannot see myself doing anything else. However, I dont know how much I like Diagnostic Radiology and really couldnt see myself sitting in front of a computer reading MRIs and CTs all day.

I know IR is not that competitive right now and Rads is becoming less competitive, but I am almost certain that when I apply for my fellowship many many years from now it will be exactly opposite.

I guess the point of stating all this is that I am wondering should I do a certain residency if I dont really like it so much to pursue a fellowship in a job that I absolutely love? Thanks for the advice.

Like IR but not the diagnostic Rads part? There's a solution for that.

It's called Vascular Surgery. More and more of vascular is endovascular (AKA eating IR's turf, though IR is good about expanding into new areas). While residency will teach you both open and endovascular techniques, you can choose to tailor your practice specifically for endovascular work.

There are integrated, 5 year vascular surgery residencies, though they are quite competetive.

 

[PSurg530]

Like others have said, you are only in your first year. A lot can change during 3rd/4th year when you see the clinical side of things.

An attending once told me not to go into anything where you would not be happy with your career without subspecializing. DR residency is long, and things in life might change. You might not make it to fellowship for any number of reasons, so make sure you could be happy with a career in your specialty (without subspecializing).

 

[MIAYO]

How about vascular surgery?

 

[bomgd3]

How, pray tell, did you arrive at this conclusion?

Haha, totally agreed. You're one-eighth through med school and you've already decided on your subspecialty? I'm assuming you haven't even learned all of the normal physiology yet, right?