What are my odds for IR

[irradiated_sprouts]

Really want to do IR and was hoping for some guidance

The good:
Step 1 252
Step 2 262
Mid tier MD school
Prior work experience as an x ray technician before medical school

The bad:
No research publications (only like 2 poster presentations at a primary care conference)
All high passes in third year (no red flags but no honors either)

The ugly:
My face! (kidding)

Any input would be helpful.

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[GoSpursGo]

You can find this information with the interactive charting outcomes tool: https://public.tableau.com/app/prof...ram/viz/ChartingOutcomes2020/ChartingOutcomes

What you need to understand is that IR is insanely competitive and a very small field to boot. Even among applicants who had >250 on both step 1 and 2, the match rate was only about 70%. When you further restrict it to applicants with <3 publications, the match rate goes down to 50%. I would suspect that the 50% who did match likely had something else that helped their app stand out, like coming from a highly-ranked school or had a very solid relationship with their home program who wanted to keep them.

So that would be my question--how well-liked are you by your home program? Because I think by far that is likely to be your best shot to match, as within a field where every application is stellar there just doesn't seem to be much that would help you to stand out.

 

[irradiated_sprouts]

You can find this information with the interactive charting outcomes tool: https://public.tableau.com/app/prof...ram/viz/ChartingOutcomes2020/ChartingOutcomes

What you need to understand is that IR is insanely competitive and a very small field to boot. Even among applicants who had >250 on both step 1 and 2, the match rate was only about 70%. When you further restrict it to applicants with <3 publications, the match rate goes down to 50%. I would suspect that the 50% who did match likely had something else that helped their app stand out, like coming from a highly-ranked school or had a very solid relationship with their home program who wanted to keep them.

So that would be my question--how well-liked are you by your home program? Because I think by far that is likely to be your best shot to match, as within a field where every application is stellar there just doesn't seem to be much that would help you to stand out.

This is really helpful feedback. I haven’t done my IR rotation at my home yet but I suspect it will go well. Perhaps I should consider DR with an ESIR pathway as a potential backup plan?

Thanks for your help.

 

[GoSpursGo]

This is really helpful feedback. I haven’t done my IR rotation at my home yet but I suspect it will go well. Perhaps I should consider DR with an ESIR pathway as a potential backup plan?

Thanks for your help.

Don't wait for your IR rotation. If you haven't yet interfaced with your home program, you need to meet immediately with your home PD.

What you described is a common backup plan for many IR applicants. Given how much of a numbers game it is, it is all but impossible to feel "safe" applying to that field.

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

This is really helpful feedback. I haven’t done my IR rotation at my home yet but I suspect it will go well. Perhaps I should consider DR with an ESIR pathway as a potential backup plan?

Thanks for your help.

yes. nobody applies only integrated-ir, you should apply to both dr & ir.

 

[MadRadLad]

You'll be fine for at least DR with your scores somewhere assuming you don't interview terribly. Scores are good for IR but can be a crapshoot as programs are small. Network hard, IR is a small world and a good letter from your home dept can go a long way. Maybe try to get on an IR project (or vascular related DR project) and a letter from the faculty you worth with. Sell the crap out of your x-ray tech experience.