Will these past experiences improve radiology residency chances?

[Monkey Shocker]

Hi all,

I am a software engineer thinking of going to medical school. Reading up on the specialties, it seems radiology would be a fit for me. I currently work at a company that produces imaging software used by researchers in hospitals and universities, so I have some practical familiarity with imaging modalities. I was also a BME in undergrad and Medical Imaging was my favorite class. I also possess a master's degree in CompE and presented my thesis at a top conference in my field of research.

I'm also happy sitting alone at a computer for hours at a time.

I ask about radiology chances because I am pretty certain that this is the specialty I would like to pursue were I to be accepted to medical school. Basically if I didn't get into radiology (or maybe neurology) I don't think I would be a good fit for medicine due to my slightly autistic nature.

Is 'rads or bust' a reasonable attitude? I know it is probably the third most desirable residency, but I think that someone with my background and personality is 'the real deal' for radiology, rather than someone who wants a good lifestyle but is more social and less versed in technology.

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[fun8stuff]

Hi all,

I am a software engineer thinking of going to medical school. Reading up on the specialties, it seems radiology would be a fit for me. I currently work at a company that produces imaging software used by researchers in hospitals and universities, so I have some practical familiarity with imaging modalities. I was also a BME in undergrad and Medical Imaging was my favorite class. I also possess a master's degree in CompE and presented my thesis at a top conference in my field of research.

I'm also happy sitting alone at a computer for hours at a time.

I ask about radiology chances because I am pretty certain that this is the specialty I would like to pursue were I to be accepted to medical school. Basically if I didn't get into radiology (or maybe neurology) I don't think I would be a good fit for medicine due to my slightly autistic nature.

Is 'rads or bust' a reasonable attitude? I know it is probably the third most desirable residency, but I think that someone with my background and personality is 'the real deal' for radiology, rather than someone who wants a good lifestyle but is more social and less versed in technology.

Yes, they would help you, but they aren't going to be your ticket in. You will still need to do well on Step 1 (which you can only take once, unless you fail) and have a good class rank, among other qualities. You also will have to do all the other rotations 3rd & 4th year and internship, so if you think you will hate that stuff then your life will be hell for those 3 years. Then factor that in with the chances you could have to pursue a different field all together. You pretty much have to be willing to do something else, because nothing can be guaranteed. With that said, I would think if you are able to score 31-32 or better on the MCAT, you should be able to get a competitive step scores.

If I were you, I would at least have a back-up plan or an interest in a couple other fields in case things didn't work out. Another thing to note, is that it may be hard for a school to accept you if you say your goal is radiology.... Good luck!

 

[Monkey Shocker]

Thanks, I'll do some more investigation on other paths.

 

[nockamura]

Baby steps dude. First and foremost you need to like other people and be comfortable around them - this will be key to your success in medicine regardless of your specialty. Your 'slightly autistic nature' is not helping here and you must work on this or you will not be accepted to medical school, even with good MCAT scores. Radiologists are not just sitting alone with a computer all day, and it is imperative that you interact well with referring physicians and colleagues alike (as well as pts). The decision to enter med school shouldn't be taken lightly as you will sacrafice time, money, personal social interactions, sleep, etc. Then again, you might love it and end up doing peds.