Transitional year or radiology first?

[jfgavina]

I'm sorry if someone else already asked it...

I'm a non-us IMG, graduated last year from western europe... I did step 1 where I got 245. As I want Radiology I know that I should do transitional year.

My question is: should I apply first to radiology and match, after this I apply to transitional or it is possible to apply first to transitional year without matching in radiology, and apply to radiology only after doing transitional year?

Is it tough to get a good transitional year program in a big city of east coast with my scores ?(assuming I got another 245 in step 2). Thanks

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[SouthernSurgeon]

I'm sorry if someone else already asked it...

I'm a non-us IMG, graduated last year from western europe... I did step 1 where I got 245. As I want Radiology I know that I should do transitional year.

My question is: should I apply first to radiology and match, after this I apply to transitional or it is possible to apply first to transitional year without matching in radiology, and apply to radiology only after doing transitional year?

Is it tough to get a good transitional year program in a big city of east coast with my scores ?(assuming I got another 245 in step 2). Thanks

In the application process, you apply for a radiology residency and an internship at the same time. So in March of 2015 you would match into an internship beginning in July 2015, as well as a radiology residency beginning in July 2016.

This does mean you have to do additional interviews and it increases the expense of the process - but it is coordinated so that you match into both simultaneously.

As for your competitiveness - Transitional years are VERY competitive as they are getting applicants from Radiation oncology, dermatology, ophthalmology, radiology, and a few other fields. Other options for someone going into radiology are a prelim medicine or prelim surgery intern year which are both somewhat less competitive.

 

[jfgavina]

Excuse me, it seems that I didn't explain myself well. I was asking if it is possible to apply to transitional year (or preliminary med) WITHOUT applying simultaneously to radiology ! My idea is to get into transitional or prel. FIRST (in 2015) and try to make some contacts/research in radiology because I know it is difficult to have interviews as an IMG, then apply to radiology in 2016 with PGY-1 already done.



Thanks in advance for the answer.

 

[gutonc]

Yes, that's possible. Not the best idea necessarily as you'll likely wind up with a gap year that way, but do-able. There's no reason not to apply both first though.