Research/Advice

[JP2740]

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I've narrowed down my specialty interests to Neuro, GI, and Rad Onc. I got a grant to do neuro research this summer (between M1 and M2). I also have the opportunity to present a poster at a school event and probably at a national conference with a lab member coming in at the end of the summer to finish off my project as I start M2.

I have a couple questions.

1) I know that generally research in other fields doesn't mean **** for rad onc. When people say this does this mean that it really means absolutely nothing. 0, no help whatsoever to me? As a background I've honored all my classes first year so I expect to get a competitive step 1 score.

2) Since I'm doing neuro research this entire summer (~40-50hrs/week), and I'm getting money for it obviously I don't have time or the opportunity to do something else (i.e. rad-onc research). What would you recommend I do to make myself more competitive in coming years? Would you sacrifice your year 2 scores to do research or something else?

Thanks.

 

[ramsesthenice]

Research is important but its importance is overblown in getting into rad onc. Great clinical grades and stellar board scores are the most important things so do not sacrifice those for extra research. Enjoy your neuro research this summer and do a great job with it. There may be places where rad onc research is all that matters but thats not true at most. Good research is good research and it will count for something especially since you got it funded. Its easy to do clinical research projects in rad onc later on during medical school. At this point just focus on doing whats in front of you well, and shadow physicians when you can to figure out which specialty really is right for you. There is more time to set yourself up well in MS3 and early MS4 than you think there is.

 

[thaddeus]

As someone who just went through the match process I'll chime in with my own experience. I applied with a vast majority of my research experience in a non rad onc field (neuro, in fact) and did just fine in the match. I got a couple abstracts in rad onc out there before the ERAS deadline, mainly to show that I was serious enpough about rad onc to want to do research in the field. Bottom line, I agree with previous poster - better to do quality non-rad onc research than crappy rad onc research, and if you have projects in front of you I would go for it. But try to get involved in a rad onc project or two before applying.

 

[ramsesthenice]

I know I am atypical, but I had no rad onc research. Instead I had an abnormally productive basic science PhD in NeuroPharmacology (4 first author pubs, total of 9 pubs) and then managed to publish a cancer (non rad onc) basic science paper in med school. I got interviews at almost all the top research programs and got my top pick. In my experience, if you have a sold plan for how your prior research prepares you for what you want to do as a research radiation oncologist that is fine. Given, I had more research than many applicants and in LilPs position and others like them, I would certainly try to get some rad onc research. But I would question the broader applicability of people who's position is rad onc is all that counts. Im sure thats true in some places, but not most.

 

[JP2740]

Thanks for the reassurance guys. Anyone else want to chime in?

 

[Sheldor]

Thanks for the reassurance guys. Anyone else want to chime in?

If it is too late for you to arrange to get paid to radiation oncology research this summer I don't think all is lost. You will still have a lot of time to work on clinical radiation oncology research during M2, M3 and the first part of M4. I did radiation oncology research the summer between my M1 and M2, but then proceeded to do unrelated clinical research during M2, M3, etc. My point, is that it seems to me that a good productive summer in neuro followed by a focus on Rad Onc research for the couple years after that should put you in great shape.

Disclaimer: I will be applying this year, so I can't really speak to your success chances, but I can say you'll have plenty of time to get Rad Onc research later in med school.