ROL anxiety

[radiodog]

ROL due in exactly 1 week. Anyone else unsure of how to rank everyone? I have been changing my ROL on a daily basis. On top of this I have six different supplementary lists which are also variable depending on how I am feeling that day. I have no idea where I will be next year or the year after that.

I guess the good news is that in one week its more or less over. Nothing I do after that point has any bearing on my future. Just leave it to the computers to determine my fate.

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[nod]

Yes, a complete lack of control sucks. Sometimes I think I could be happy anywhere, sometimes I dread matching at anywhere but my top choices, and the top choices change on a daily basis as well. Oh well. I am setting a personal deadline for this weekend. They say not to make last minute changes because those are often not well thought-out and later regretted. Only 1 more month...

 

[XRTmonster]

I said F-it this weekend and did it. Barring a last minute epiphany I'm not making anymore changes. Hoping for one of my top 3. After that it's pretty much a crapshoot...programs are all of decent quality though there is some dropoff with the last 2-3. I'm ranking 15. If I don't match I'm one sorry SOB.

 

[p-indecise]

along these lines, I have contacted my (current) top few to let them know. minimal feedback. worrisome? i know we aren't supposed to read into this stuff, but when talking to classmates going into other specialties, they all seem to have a best guess of where they will end up. anyone else at there have absolutely NO idea where the best bet is?

 

[napoleondynamite]

So I've had replies from 2 of my top choices which say "you're AMONG our top candidates." That probably means I'm #10 out of their 30 or 40 candidates for 1 spot..! But I feel your pain. Most of my friends in other fields are getting phone calls late at night at home basically begging them to come to their program. No such love in radonc apparently! I have a couple of classmates going into radonc too, and neither have had any love from PD's..so I wouldn't worry.

I have 8 to rank. Just PRAYING one of them wants me I'd be really happy at any of my top 5, my bottom 3 are a little less enticing, but I can't afford to be choosy!

 

[nod]

I emailed my top programs, and have been completely ignored by all. Not even the polite "yes we liked you too and wish you luck". No phone calls either. Just silence. I am trying not to freak out when my friends in other fields tell me about all the attention from their programs. I am ranking 15, and somewhere on that list is hopefully a spot for me!

 

[stephew]

do NOT expect a reply from programs. not getting one means nothing and getting one means about as much.

 

[Gfunk6]

We were all there with you guys last year (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=260373). Everyone who posted in that thread matched. Best of luck to all of you this year.

 

[radiodog]

I have friends going into other specialties who practically already know where they are going to match. Not so much for me.

I contacted my top programs, heard positive feedback from one, an acknowledgement of receiving the corresponsdence from another, and nothing from everyone else. Ranking ~15. Really like 10. Big drop off in my mind after that. Had a couple of programs contact me a while ago, one of which I like so I'm feeling ok, but don't think anything is a guarantee.

I heard that many programs agreed not to pressure applicants to rank them highly because it was getting ridiculous. In fact a few programs made a point during the interview that they were not going to contact us.

No idea what I will be doing next year. Part of me wants to scramble into the city I match in for rad onc. But realize that may not be a great idea.

I hope that after Feb 21st I will be able to relax for a week or two then the anxiety will slowly build up until the Ides of March.

 

[napoleondynamite]

radiodog: I don't think it's a bad idea to scramble into a prelim year where you end up matching in radonc. I have talked to several radonc residents who did this and it worked out well for them. Of course, you run the risk of working your a$$ off for a year..but if location is your highest priority, it would probably work out.

Did anyone interview at UTMB? They sent a kind of interesting email out this week to interviewees and I wanted to see what people's take on that was..?

 

[XRTmonster]

I'm a filthy liar.

Said I wouldn't make any changes but I just changed my mind about the ROL again. Not the top 3 though. I'm swapping 4 and 5.

 

[radiodog]

Know what you're saying. I just completely reshuffled my 6 through 11. I may just loose it.