scramble to radiology??

[taekwondoc]

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i was wondering if anyone has ever heard of a student
scrambling into radiology.

i have very good step I and step II will also be fine
(i think - just took it) grades are somewhat mediocre but
not terrible... but i'm applying for a very difficult match
and am realistic.

if scrambling is out of the question, is it possible to do a
prelim year and then reapply as a PGY2 without having
to repeat PGY1??

 

[f_w]

if scrambling is out of the question, is it possible to do a
prelim year and then reapply as a PGY2 without having
to repeat PGY1??

Yes, a good number of people do this every year. They usually hang out the 'gap' year on a categorical IM position, do research or things like nuclear medicine.

Scrambling in rads is very difficult. There are usually less than 10 open spots (with 850 total spots).Also, as rads is a residency starting in PGY-2, the PDs have no pressure to scramble anyone. They can keep the position open for months and wait for someone suitable to come their way. Most PDs already have a shortlist of qualified people in some sort of waiting status (usually disgruntled surgery residents at the local program) who are able and willing to take the leftovers.

 

[medgator]

Yes, a good number of people do this every year. They usually hang out the 'gap' year on a categorical IM position, do research or things like nuclear medicine.

Scrambling in rads is very difficult. There are usually less than 10 open spots (with 850 total spots).Also, as rads is a residency starting in PGY-2, the PDs have no pressure to scramble anyone. They can keep the position open for months and wait for someone suitable to come their way. Most PDs already have a shortlist of qualified people in some sort of waiting status (usually disgruntled surgery residents at the local program) who are able and willing to take the leftovers.

FYI... there were 35-40 radiology spots available in the 2005 scramble. That was more than the 5 or so categorical gen. surg spots leftover

As to whether they were university-based programs on a coast... I can't say.

 

[Docxter]

FYI... there were 35-40 radiology available in the 2005 scramble. That was more than categorical gen. surg

As to whether they were university-based programs on a coast... I can't say.

Scrambling is very tough in radiology, regardless of the number of spots leftover from the match. Even if 35 or so spots are "officially" unfilled, the reality is less than that. As f_w said, some PDs with leftover unfilled spots from the match will not take people through the scramble. They have enough time (~15 months) to find someone to fill. There are always stellar candidates switching out of many fields who would want to transfer to radiology. In their mind, why take someone who couldn't even match anywhere?

 

[medgator]

That's probably true. Nonetheless, I am sure that some of the unfilled spots were in less than desirable programs in less than desirable locations. In that case, I venture they would be looking to get the cream of the crop as fast as they can rather than risk going unfilled.

 

[f_w]

You are right, there were a couple more unfilled slots last year.

But I doubt that any of them will go unfilled, the people who didn't match are NOT the cream of the crop. The PD has 15 months to wait for something better to come along.

There nothing like a undesireable radiology program. After 4 years you are a radiologist, this alone makes it desireable.

 

[medgator]

You are right, there were a couple more unfilled slots last year.

But I doubt that any of them will go unfilled, the people who didn't match are NOT the cream of the crop. The PD has 15 months to wait for something better to come along.

There nothing like a undesireable radiology program. After 4 years you are a radiologist, this alone makes it desireable.

I dont agree with that. Some PDs intentionally make rank lists short so they can get their pick of the litter come scramble time. There will always be some well qualified candidates who dont match in fields that are highly competitive.

 

[f_w]

Some PDs intentionally make rank lists short so they can get their pick of the litter come scramble time.

That might be the case in IM where the PDs at some programs might not have a good choice of candidates and rather bet on the scramble and pre-match offers to FMGs.

In rads this would be stupid. A program that 'couldn't fill' is one that the competitive candidates will drop off their list the next year. (Radiology applicants are like a gaggle of chicken, they all run in the same direction and create a lot of noise in the process.)

There will always be some well qualified candidates who dont match in fields that are highly competitive.

Yes, and the PD has 15 months to choose from them.

 

[medgator]

In the scramble last year, most of the rads spots were filled within the first 2 weeks after the unmatched lists came out. I scrambled for a prelim med spot and I remember how there were practically no rads spots left after a month.

 

[Docxter]

I remember how there were practically no rads spots left after a month.

But that doesn't mean that all those spots were filled with an actual candidate. I'm sure some were just "not available anymore".

 

[medgator]

true. although I was under the impression that all spots offered through the match had to be filled that way (either match or scramble). I don't know that for a fact though.

 

[f_w]

The spots in the scramble where 'not available', it doesn't mean they were filled through the scramble.