Scored 234 in step 1, what should I do in order to match in radiology besides good grades and STEP 2

[amohammed709]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Is it possible to match with this score as a US MD applicant with 230s?

If so how much harder would it be to match?

What do you suggest I do in my remaining 2 years to make me a strong applicant?

What are some examples of programs that would take me

 

[bashwell]

Is it possible to match with this score as a US MD applicant with 230s?

If so how much harder would it be to match?

What do you suggest I do in my remaining 2 years to make me a strong applicant?

What are some examples of programs that would take me

http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Charting-Outcomes-US-Allopathic-Seniors-2016.pdf

 

[Merely]

You can match literally any specialty barring extremely competitive ones (derm, ent, etc) with that score given a USMD...so yes you obv can match an average specialty with an above average score...

 

[W19]

you just don't want to be that one guy who did not have a pulse based on the 'charting the outcomes' of the 2016 match...

 

[CherryRedDracul]

I'm being serious when I say you just need a pulse to match into radiology. There are just way too many spots out there. I believe the reason that board score averages are quite high is because of self-selection and some top-tier applicants who failed to match the specialty of their choice SOAP into radiology. Not sure about how much the latter contributes to the average.

The stronger radiology programs are still very competitive to match into.

 

[bashwell]

According to the Table 1 Match Summary on page 4 of the NRMP Results and Data: 2017 Main Residency Match (2017), U.S. seniors filled 60.3% of all the matches in Diagnostic Radiology. That leaves 39.7% matching into radiology who are not U.S. seniors.

Here are some other specialties for comparison. I bolded the specialties that have lower percentages than DR. U.S. seniors filled:
-66.8% in Anesthesiology
-92.3% in Dermatology
-78.2% in EM
-91.5% in ENT
-45.1% in FM
-44.9% in IM (Categorical)
-50.6% in Neurology
-91.9% Orthopedics
-35.9% in Pathology
-67.5% in Pediatrics
-93.1% in Plastic Surgery (Integrated)
-61.7% in Psychiatry (Categorical)
-100% in Radiation Oncology
-78.5% Surgery (Categorical)

 

[amohammed709]

Hahaaaa yeah radiology statistics are SO ODD. I thought it was over for me when I saw my score but then the Match charts show that with my score only 1% didn't match, same thing with 250. So I mean I will work hard the next two years but I dont have to go overboard with Research/ Sucking up to attending/ extracurricular BS that probably doesn't matter but my neurotic self will do anyway to avoid any chance of not matching?


Would you consider a school like University of Florida in my range? Any other mid tiers you guys can think of that I would have a good shot at?

 

[amohammed709]

I'm being serious when I say you just need a pulse to match into radiology. There are just way too many spots out there. I believe the reason that board score averages are quite high is because of self-selection and some top-tier applicants who failed to match the specialty of their choice SOAP into radiology. Not sure about how much the latter contributes to the average.

The stronger radiology programs are still very competitive to match into.

LMAO i heard the job market is improving so I may have caught a break

 

[ThreeCheers]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that the advice that you'll get in this thread will be very similar to the advice given in this guy's thread (also on page 1 of the MD students forum): 234 Step 1 score what are my chances in radiology?

 

[bashwell]

LMAO i heard the job market is improving so I may have caught a break

Rads is a longer residency especially since a fellowship is all but required now (6 years). If you're going to be a M3, then you'll finish 8 years from now. A lot of things could change in 8 years. It's hard to predict what the job market will be like by the time you are done. Healthcare is potentially going to change a lot (e.g., is Obamacare going to get repealed, is there going to be a replacement, what's it going to look like, how will this affect everyone).

 

[amohammed709]

Rads is a longer residency especially since a fellowship is all but required now (6 years). If you're going to be a M3, then you'll finish 8 years from now. A lot of things could change in 8 years. It's hard to predict what the job market will be like by the time you are done. Healthcare is potentially going to change a lot (e.g., is Obamacare going to get repealed, is there going to be a replacement, what's it going to look like, how will this affect everyone).

What about if you are doing private practice? I imagine they would prefer a general radiologist who can plow through multiple types of cases instead of limiting to only one type

 

[MadRadLad]

What about if you are doing private practice? I imagine they would prefer a general radiologist who can plow through multiple types of cases instead of limiting to only one type

Fellowship trained rads still read all kinds of studies unless they're in a specialized academic center, they just will get more of the complex studies in their fields (i.e. neurorads will read most brain MR or MRA that come through, but still will get plenty of plain films, U/S, etc).

 

[bashwell]

What about if you are doing private practice? I imagine they would prefer a general radiologist who can plow through multiple types of cases instead of limiting to only one type

Well almost everyone is getting a fellowship now. There will likely be fewer and fewer generalists in the future. If almost everyone is fellowship trained, then almost everyone applying for a job will already have a fellowship. That's your competition for a job. If you don't have a fellowship, then all other things equal, I would think a PP group or hospital or other entity would prefer the fellowship trained person.

Also like @TheThirdLevel pointed out, fellowship trained rads still read everything, not just their own subspecialty (plus do procedures, etc.).

 

[amohammed709]

Well almost everyone is getting a fellowship now. There will likely be fewer and fewer generalists in the future. If almost everyone is fellowship trained, then almost everyone applying for a job will already have a fellowship. That's your competition for a job. If you don't have a fellowship, then all other things equal, I would think a PP group or hospital or other entity would prefer the fellowship trained person.

Also like @TheThirdLevel pointed out, fellowship trained rads still read everything, not just their own subspecialty (plus do procedures, etc.).

Ahh okay that makes a lot more sense.

 

[amohammed709]

Well if thats the case then I dont mind doing a fellowship for one year. I just didnt like the idea of only looking at a certain type of images.

My goal is ideally to land a private practice job with solid pay. Lifestyle and city aren't all that important to me.

Bashwell are you a rads resident? Could you comment on the actual nature of the work. I love the idea and everything about rads but there is always the possibility that reading scans all day will either be boring or super engaging for me.

 

[bashwell]

Well if thats the case then I dont mind doing a fellowship for one year. I just didnt like the idea of only looking at a certain type of images.

My goal is ideally to land a private practice job with solid pay. Lifestyle and city aren't all that important to me.

Bashwell are you a rads resident? Could you comment on the actual nature of the work. I love the idea and everything about rads but there is always the possibility that reading scans all day will either be boring or super engaging for me.

Sorry, I wish I could say otherwise, but I'm not a rads resident. I did a long rads rotation in med school and still visit rads a lot though, and I have a couple of friends who are rads residents, so that's the basis for what I know (or don't know!). Maybe it'd be better to ask on the rads forum?

I can tell you what I've seen though. Basically you rotate through different modalities (e.g., U/S, CT, MRI), and the amount you're reading depends on the modality, as well as different settings (e.g., ED, mammo and IR are quite different). You have to study a **** ton of anatomy and pathology, being able to identify what seems to be almost every single inch of the body down to normal anatomic variants of say every vein and artery. You have to know about every specialty from IM to ob/gyn to peds to surgical subspecialties. The sheer amount of reading and studying you do (especially in your earlier years) seems ridiculous to me. You dictate reports. That can be done in good and bad ways. Ideally you get to do things independently and go over findings with an attending so you are learning 1:1 with an attending, then dictate the report. Sometimes you take calls and have visitors from other physicians. You interact with other radiologists, other staff like radiology technician, other physicians, attend tumor boards, etc. You do procedures (e.g., biopsies, thoracenteses). You have lectures, research. I'm sure there's a lot I'm missing, but hopefully this is somewhat helpful. The best thing to do, if you haven't already, is a rotation in radiology, and try to get as "involved" as possible (though I know that's hard in radiology).