Thinking ahead: Help Needed regarding Rad/onc

[Dreaming big]

Hey,
I am currently a freshmen in the union/albany medical school 8 - year MD/MBA program. I know its not right to look ahead because its very likely that my interests will change, but I am fairly certain (600 hrs Volunteering in hospital, 250 of those in rad/onc, current Cancer research [minor], and shadowing rad/onc for 100 hrs) that I want to do rad/onc. Could you guys who have gone through the process help me by answering a few questions?

1. Would a rad/onc residency director look at publications I have dealing with cancer from undergrad(5th author)? would that help towards acceptance?
2. If I do a summer research program at Harvard or Columbia during undergrad, would a residency director factor that into their judgement?
3. How many publications do the average rad/onc resident have ( I know average is 8 including posteres and abstracts)? do late authorships count for anything?
4. Would undergrad physics publications help at all?
5. What can I do right now that could have the slightest impact towards acceptance?

Thanks! I have read the faq's, but these are my questions.

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[asmallchild]

Not in rad onc but I can help with some of these questions

1. Undergrad publications don't hurt but I doubt they will help greatly. I would do the research if it truly interests you but if not, wait until medical school.
2. Again, nothing you do in undergrad, short of something remarkable like winning a Nobel Prize is truly eye-catching. Most of your interview questions pertaining to undergrad will be to flesh out what kind of person you are and not what kind of student you were. Again, if those kinds of summer programs truly interest you, go for it. If not, do something else interesting.
3. I'll defer to people in radonc on this question.
4. Again my perception is not greatly but it won't hurt you either.
5. In short, nothing. The game starts from medical school. The advice is generic: be the best possible undergrad student you can be as those habits will transfer to medical school. And do your best to enjoy the college years.

 

[Gfunk6]

Get into the best medical school that you can with the biggest Radiation Oncology department such as Harvard, UCSF, Michigan, Penn, Stanford, etc. This will, by far, be the highest impact thing you can do in your current situation.

I understand you are locked into an 8-year program but I personally know a few people who have bailed out to apply to higher-ranked schools. Not sure if that is applicable to your situation.

Everything else you mentioned ranges from utterly irrelevant or nearly irrelevant.

As to your other question about publications . . . I don't think anybody has hard statistics on actual peer-reviewed publications in journals vs. abstracts and such. All are classified as "publications" in ERAS.

 

[DapperZapper]

GFunk6 is spot on. Getting into the "biggest name" med school or rad onc department is the main thing you could do at this point, if you can transfer. If you plan to be a science major and are really that focused and certain of what you want to do, doing research for your senior thesis or publishing a paper in undergrad in something cancer related will make more sense than doing research in electrical engineering. Beyond that, be a good student, well-rounded, have other interests, and just show consistency that you're good at whatever you do.

 

[Dreaming big]

GFunk6 is spot on. Getting into the "biggest name" med school or rad onc department is the main thing you could do at this point, if you can transfer. If you plan to be a science major and are really that focused and certain of what you want to do, doing research for your senior thesis or publishing a paper in undergrad in something cancer related will make more sense than doing research in electrical engineering. Beyond that, be a good student, well-rounded, have other interests, and just show consistency that you're good at whatever you do.

Do case reports help?

 

[Gfunk6]

Do case reports help?

In undergrad? No.

In medical school? Barely.

 

[deleted4401]

I think its lousy advice to transfer. That's a big deal.
8 year program is a good situation.
Work hard, and you will be fine.
An entire 8 years with foci in cancer along the way will go a long way.
The most weight will be given to your graduate level publications.
There are a few programs that are very particular about pedigree (especially Harvard), but most programs will give you a look.

Most importantly though, you're a freshman. Go out and have a good time and make a total ass out of yourself. Holy crap.

-S

 

[Dreaming big]

Thanks for your help! One last question. Would co-authoring a textbook chapter in a cancer textbook make any benefit at all? I am going to do it, but was just wondering if it would tip the scales any.