Where to start?

[erectorspinae]

Hey everyone I'm an MS3 trying to figure out what to do in life. I've known for a while I wanted to work with oncology -thought about neuro onc, settled on heme/onc. I haven't gotten much exposure to the field but the more I read about it the more it seems like a great fit for me.
I had kind of sold myself on heme/onc so now I'm scrambling to think what my plan of attack would be if I wanted to be able to experience rad onc and rule it in or out.
- I set myself up to do some liquid tumor research concurrent with my clinicals and possibly an elective early next year. Should I back out and try and find something rad oncesque or would this carry enough weight?
-I've gotten a >265 boards, honors in all classes, not junior AOA maybe senior. We did have several kids go to good radonc programs this year.

Thanks for the help

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[thesauce]

My advice to you would be to set up a radonc away at a big-name program (MSKCC, MDACC, etc.) to begin early in your 4th year. This will allow you to get some radonc clinical exposure (to see if this is what you want to do) and start some radonc-specific research. You might consider the UCSF research fellowship that GFunk posted.

Your stats are stellar and will get your foot in the door. With some radonc-specific research, you'll likely match very well. Good luck!

 

[erectorspinae]

My advice to you would be to set up a radonc away at a big-name program (MSKCC, MDACC, etc.) to begin early in your 4th year. This will allow you to get some radonc clinical exposure (to see if this is what you want to do) and start some radonc-specific research. You might consider the UCSF research fellowship that GFunk posted.

Your stats are stellar and will get your foot in the door. With some radonc-specific research, you'll likely match very well. Good luck!

appreciate the info. where you able to get research done during a clinical away or was it solo research?
and would heme/onc research count for anything
thanks!

 

[thesauce]

appreciate the info. where you able to get research done during a clinical away or was it solo research?
and would heme/onc research count for anything
thanks!

I was able to complete 2 review articles during radonc rotations. Most of the work was solo with faculty providing oversight. If you find an eager faculty mentor, it is doable. I wouldn't try any wet-lab stuff, just a chart review or dosimetry/physics project. Yes, heme/onc will count. However radonc-specific research will probably go farther.

 

[nod]

if you are doing a rad onc rotation for the first time, i would not count on being able to complete or even start a research project. rad onc is a very specialized field, and you will likely be pretty busy trying to impress people with your clinical knowledge and working on your talk (most programs probably have you give a talk as part of your rotation). by your 2nd or 3rd away rotation you will probably have spare time, but your first rotation can be overwhelming (was for me anyway).

 

[erectorspinae]

Thanks much for the advice. I'm thinking I'll try and get something done in the coming months, sign up for a rad onc rotation at my school and aways. Try and crank out as many chart review/case report type projects until then. Hopefully the non rad onc stats buy me some cred but it seems like the field is much less numbers oriented than others.