Should I even bother applying??

[sdnuser001]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey guys, I'm an MS3 at a USMD school and I've been looking into radiology and really think it would be a good fit for me. The problem is that I am not the greatest applicant on paper. I had several preclinical failures sprinkled throughout my first two years and ended up having to repeat second year. That being said, my repeat year went pretty well and I honored a couple classes. I also did subpar on step 1 - I scored 219 after doing way better on my practice exams. So far, third year has been going okay, will probably end up with mostly HP not really sure about honors and not to mention I only got a P in surgery. My shelf exams have been going decent, been doing about average to maybe slightly below average on most of them.

So my question is should I even bother applying for radiology with my huge red flag and way below average step 1 score? I'm going to study hard for step 2 and can hopefully score at least average on that. I should mention that I am willing to go anywhere for residency and apply to every single program if that's what it would take.

Please let me know what you guys think and thanks in advance!

 

[meister]

As a pulse-having US MD you can match somewhere, particularly if you show continued improvement and do well on step 2.

 

[Radlad]

Hey guys, I'm an MS3 at a USMD school and I've been looking into radiology and really think it would be a good fit for me. The problem is that I am not the greatest applicant on paper. I had several preclinical failures sprinkled throughout my first two years and ended up having to repeat second year. That being said, my repeat year went pretty well and I honored a couple classes. I also did subpar on step 1 - I scored 219 after doing way better on my practice exams. So far, third year has been going okay, will probably end up with mostly HP not really sure about honors and not to mention I only got a P in surgery. My shelf exams have been going decent, been doing about average to maybe slightly below average on most of them.

So my question is should I even bother applying for radiology with my huge red flag and way below average step 1 score? I'm going to study hard for step 2 and can hopefully score at least average on that. I should mention that I am willing to go anywhere for residency and apply to every single program if that's what it would take.

Please let me know what you guys think and thanks in advance!

You'll be ok. Just apply broadly (40+ programs) - including reach programs.

 

[LoveIR]

Top programs or programs in nice locations are out, but because you have a US MD, you could still match at a low tier program or MAYBE a mid tier in a marginal location. Hopefully you can learn from mistakes and the rest of Med school goes better! 🙂

 

[3sty Thursdays]

.

 

[DragonDO]

Hi, I was reading this and could not help but post my situation as well. I recently posted on WAMC as well and apologies for double posting but am really desperate for any advice:

School: Top 20 US MD
Step 1: 210
Clerkship: Mostly P except one HP. I have two more clerkship grades left. (50% of class get P, 25% get HP, top 25% get H).
Research - 1 first author pub in Rads. Multiple non-Rads papers from before med school.
ECs: Rads Interest group leader, community clinic leader, a few other trivial stuff
LOR: hopefully awesome but hard to exactly know.

Planning on taking Step 2 early and 1 or 2 aways. Wondering what my chances are and what programs I should be targeting especially seeing that Rads is starting to become more competitive again. Please help me and be harsh/realistic. Am I looking at lower tier academic centers, community program, or should I consider other fields?

I would apply broadly. Don't be limited by geography if you want to get in somewhere. I know Step 1 score is a major factor for top tier programs' interview invites, but as long as you improve on Step 2 and being personable during interviews with other factors being solid with research and ECs, you should be good for low-mid academic centers/community programs. Since you are from Top 20 US MD, you should definitely apply to your mother program and few other programs if you have network with. Just apply broadly and networking and LOR play decent factors as well.

 

[deleted564680]

Hi, I was reading this and could not help but post my situation as well. I recently posted on WAMC as well and apologies for double posting but am really desperate for any advice:

School: Top 20 US MD
Step 1: 210
Clerkship: Mostly P except one HP. I have two more clerkship grades left. (50% of class get P, 25% get HP, top 25% get H).
Research - 1 first author pub in Rads. Multiple non-Rads papers from before med school.
ECs: Rads Interest group leader, community clinic leader, a few other trivial stuff
LOR: hopefully awesome but hard to exactly know.

Planning on taking Step 2 early and 1 or 2 aways. Wondering what my chances are and what programs I should be targeting especially seeing that Rads is starting to become more competitive again. Please help me and be harsh/realistic. Am I looking at lower tier academic centers, community program, or should I consider other fields?

If you get past the screening process then I think programs will rank you/look at you closely because of the top 20 MD school thing. You would even beat out DOs 240+ and IMGs 250+ at some institutions. The only problem is surviving the screening process when most programs put their filter anywhere from 210-220 (So I've heard). I would be sure to email programs you really want to go to and tell them you have a heavy interest and what school you are from. Worst they can do is say no and not offer an invite.

 

[arewethereyet...]

School: Top 20 US MD
Step 1: 210
Clerkship: Mostly P except one HP. I have two more clerkship grades left. (50% of class get P, 25% get HP, top 25% get H).
Research - 1 first author pub in Rads. Multiple non-Rads papers from before med school.
ECs: Rads Interest group leader, community clinic leader, a few other trivial stuff
LOR: hopefully awesome but hard to exactly know.

Do residency programs know this when you apply? Based on our eval form I would guess that my school is more like 5-10% P, 85-90% HP and 5% H

 

[3sty Thursdays]

.

 

[3sty Thursdays]

.

 

[deleted564680]

I was always told that rotations can only hurt you since you don't know anything as a student. However, with a lower step score it may be beneficial to rotate at your home program plus another "safety" program. Others input is helpful on this though.

 

[DragonDO]

and @Cubsfan10 and anyone else:


Do you suggest I do an away and if so, what tier academic center/community program do you suggest I do these aways at?

Yeah, I am not a big fan of doing elective away rad rotation neither. I feel like it is a hit or miss. But, if you really want to get into the program you like the most, worth trying for sure. But, I would not stress too much over doing the audition for radiology. You can always express your interests by email or writing a personal statement for specific program you like the most. If I am given one more chance to do ERAS application, I would have made different version of personal statement specific for programs.

 

[sdnuser001]

So I'm pretty set on radiology, but being a borderline USMD applicant I am just curious as to how many programs I should prepare myself to apply to? I'm thinking around 100?

 

[DragonDO]

So I'm pretty set on radiology, but being a borderline USMD applicant I am just curious as to how many programs I should prepare myself to apply to? I'm thinking around 100?

If you are from US MD, applying to 100 is way more than enough. If you are going to apply really broadly and not restricted to geography, even 40-60 is enough in my opinion.

 

[sdnuser001]

Hmm is my advising dean just being super pessimistic?? He told me I have a 0.5% chance of matching radiology!!!

Specifically he brought up my lack of radiology-related extracurriculars and publications...do most applicants with my stats need these to still be considered?

 

[DragonDO]

Hmm is my advising dean just being super pessimistic?? He told me I have a 0.5% chance of matching radiology!!!

Specifically he brought up my lack of radiology-related extracurriculars and publications...do most applicants with my stats need these to still be considered?

Looking back with your stats, yeah it may be prudent to apply more than I suggested. You can be automatically screened by Step 1 score. So, I will apply more than 70+ programs (low-mid tier programs with community programs) or more if you are not bounded by geography at all.

 

[W19]

I guess there is still a chance for me if I manage to get 230+ on step1... bottom 10 US MD, bottom 3rd in term of class rank so far... No preclinical failures. I am open to go anywhere. Do I have any shot at all?

 

[PSamP]

I guess there is still a chance for me if I manage to get 230+ on step1... bottom 10 US MD, bottom 3rd in term of class rank so far... No preclinical failures. I am open to go anywhere. Do I have any shot at all?

OFC, just apply everywhere. In the end it's all about what you want the most.