Should I apply?

[hopefulmed]

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I know i know, this is another one of those "what are my chances-ish" type thread, but I have to make a decision in the upcoming month. There is a year long paid research opportunity that I can get into if I take a year of after 3rd year, in the hope that it would make my application a little bit more competitive; but extending one more year is really not appealing at this point.

My question is, oh collective wisdom of anonymous SDNers, should I apply given my stat below?

Grades: mostly passes during 2nd year and 3rd year, a couple honors in 2nd year, and couple honors in 3rd year

Research: Lots of research in undergrad, some while in med school. Two poster presentations, no paper published.

Step 1: 242

School: Top 20 school (I know this means almost nothing)

Personal: I'm not a block of wood

The only way I can think of beefing up my resume is either doing a year research or study my ass off and get an awesome Step 2 score. I'm not hoping to get into the best residency, just not the worst ones.

 

[-Goose-]

I know i know, this is another one of those "what are my chances-ish" type thread, but I have to make a decision in the upcoming month. There is a year long paid research opportunity that I can get into if I take a year of after 3rd year, in the hope that it would make my application a little bit more competitive; but extending one more year is really not appealing at this point.

My question is, oh collective wisdom of anonymous SDNers, should I apply given my stat below?

Grades: mostly passes during 2nd year and 3rd year, a couple honors in 2nd year, and couple honors in 3rd year

Research: Lots of research in undergrad, some while in med school. Two poster presentations, no paper published.

Step 1: 242

School: Top 20 school (I know this means almost nothing)

Personal: I'm not a block of wood

The only way I can think of beefing up my resume is either doing a year research or study my ass off and get an awesome Step 2 score. I'm not hoping to get into the best residency, just not the worst ones.

😕

 

[Dr Chooch]

I probably shouldn't even post this b/c I think the previous post pretty much says it all, but if you don't want to take a year off then DON'T do it. Your step I is very good and you already have some research under your belt. Even if your grades aren't the best you still have a few honors which helps. You may make your app a little stronger, but who knows how much it will help you, especially b/c you're not shooting for top programs. Is it worth it to you? You should really be asking your advisor this, but I think you are already completely fine applying especially since your mind is open to places other than "top" programs. You don't have to worry about matching at a bad program, just be normal at your interviews.

 

[gourman]

I would strongly advise against doing another year of anything. It's a year of wasted attending income & a year of wasted effort. I doubt it would improve your chances substantially anyway. Your scores are pretty competitive, despite all the >250's floating around on here. The avg matched radiology residence has a 232, so you're above average. The most subjective measure of your acheivement--grades--are not that great, but that's nothing that doing an extra year will improve. I suspect you will receive a lot of mediocre interviews at many programs in your region. If you want to go to good places, apply to lots of good places in bad locations. Apply to ~30-40 places (add some backups & community programs) & you should be fine.

If you want to improve your quality of interviews, get some addtl publications, and take Step 2 relatively early (if you can do well on it).

 

[OHMAN0125]

I would strongly advise against doing another year of anything. It's a year of wasted attending income & a year of wasted effort. I doubt it would improve your chances substantially anyway. Your scores are pretty competitive, despite all the >250's floating around on here. The avg matched radiology residence has a 232, so you're above average. The most subjective measure of your acheivement--grades--are not that great, but that's nothing that doing an extra year will improve. I suspect you will receive a lot of mediocre interviews at many programs in your region. If you want to go to good places, apply to lots of good places in bad locations. Apply to ~30-40 places (add some backups & community programs) & you should be fine.

If you want to improve your quality of interviews, get some addtl publications, and take Step 2 relatively early (if you can do well on it).

What would you consider mediocre programs? Like less well-known medical school programs or community ones?

 

[Taurus]

You should be able to get in somewhere in the Caribbean.

 

[gourman]

"What would you consider mediocre programs? Like less well-known medical school programs or community ones?"

I would consider mediocre programs as less known medical school programs & higher level community programs. Probably more likely to get the former in mid-west & south + whatever your region is and the latter on the east/west coast & Chicago/TX. Apply broadly.

 

[ScooterBanks]

I think that you might actually be a "block of wood" if you are asking that question in earnest.

Your step score is 10 points above the average radiology match.
Your grades are solid with and honors/pass mix.
You have research experience.
Your medical school is apparently highly regarded.

Where is the disconnect in your thought process that makes you question why you will not be able to match at an average program when all of the information you provided is average for radiology at worst?

 

[-Goose-]

You should be able to get in somewhere in the Caribbean.

No way. Gonna have to go to China for residency. The carib rad programs are intense.

 

[BeamHardening]

Pretty much echo what others said.
No need to take year off, you already have the research experience! I think your Step 1 score is bangin.

I took a year off to do a research fellowship after 3rd yr med school and I don't think it helped much (I am a rads resident but I'm pretty sure I could have been even without the research). Residency is long and there is no need to prolong it further with another year of research. You'll make peanuts during the year, your loans will accrue interest, you lose connections with your med school classmates, and at the end of it all, your research may be successful or it may not, and even if it is successful, your mentor may not have the wherewithall to get it published. Such are the cold truths. Only do the research if you really like the project (or research in general) or need time off for other reasons.

If I were doing it again NO WAY would I take a year off to do a research fellowship.

Even "mediocre" programs produce great radiologists that go to private or academic positions (and take a look out there, many private rads docs stand shoulder to shoulder with academic rads docs) and even if you don't get your top choice, you can still have your goal of being a radiologist! Good luck.

 

[hopefulmed]

Pretty much echo what others said.
No need to take year off, you already have the research experience! I think your Step 1 score is bangin.

I took a year off to do a research fellowship after 3rd yr med school and I don't think it helped much (I am a rads resident but I'm pretty sure I could have been even without the research). Residency is long and there is no need to prolong it further with another year of research. You'll make peanuts during the year, your loans will accrue interest, you lose connections with your med school classmates, and at the end of it all, your research may be successful or it may not, and even if it is successful, your mentor may not have the wherewithall to get it published. Such are the cold truths. Only do the research if you really like the project (or research in general) or need time off for other reasons.

If I were doing it again NO WAY would I take a year off to do a research fellowship.

Even "mediocre" programs produce great radiologists that go to private or academic positions (and take a look out there, many private rads docs stand shoulder to shoulder with academic rads docs) and even if you don't get your top choice, you can still have your goal of being a radiologist! Good luck.

Thank you all for your replies. I look at the data and I think I have a good shot, but some of the stats thrown around on SDN makes my stat seem mediocre at best. Either way, great advice. I guess I better bust my ba!!s for step 2

 

[DCMDtobe]

This is ridiculous -- with a 242, from a top 20 school, a few honors third year, research, and no huge black flags on your record -- you'll get more interviews than you'll want to go on. The top-10 most competitive programs may be out of your reach, but you'll interview at some very strong programs, and you'll match well.

Don't even think about doing a year of research solely for your ap. Do it only if you enjoy research and don't care about the $200-300K you're giving up in life income (which if more like $1,000,000 in retirement money).

People, chill, radiology is not THAT competitive. It's not plastics or derm or rad onc. There are usually only 900 US applicants for 1,000 spots in rads (plus 300-400 IMG applicants).

Instead, beef up your application with honors third year, research, connections, away rotations, etc., and be on the ball during interview season (get your application in early, etc).

Also, you don't need to take Step 2 early. You have much more to lose than gain. I mean, if you study hard, you'll probably do better on step 2 than step 1 (easier curve -- most folks don't try that hard), but if you get a 200 or if the power goes out as in my friend's case, you could be screwed for rads.

 

[discontinuebed]

Might as well try my hand with this thread as well.

I'm only a 3rd year student but I've officially reached the half way point. I go to a fairly large school on the West Coast so our academic advisors like to have students set up their schedule early to ensure elective choices and away rotation selections.

I've been thinking derm starting from the summer of my 1st year but I've had some doubts creep into my head recently. (I just finished medicine and made quite a few trips down to the reading room which have piqued my interest in radiology. I haven't seen any clinical derm in about a year now which probably also is messing with my head)

Grades: mostly honors during years 1 and 2. In year 3, high passes (HP) only in medicine, psych, and obgyn. No honors at all thus far 🙁 Surgery and peds are my only 3rd year rotations left.

Research: One summer of full-time research in derm (between first and second year), part-time research in derm during year 2. No publications, no papers, one mini-"presentation" to a small group of med students as part of the research program I was affiliated with during the summer between 1st and 2nd year

Step 1: >250

School: Not so great...unsure of actual rank

Personal: No one likes to knock themselves in this category but if I were to be completely honest, I'd go with a quiet personality here. Which isn't a nice thing to be labeled with during 3rd/4th year and especially during interviews.

Like the OP, don't really care about getting into a super top 10 residency. Looking for something that's merely "nice" and preferably with nice location. (I'd prefer to stay on the West Coast and especially somewhere in Cali which as I've been told repeatedly, is going to be very difficult)

(For those wondering why I've been considering the switch from derm, the lack of honors thus far is really messing with my head. HP is outlined as top 30% of the class per our Dean's letter but it's of little consolation to me. My inability to attain better clinical grades is making me reconsider the supercompetitive derm scene)

Any thoughts?

 

[hopefulmed]

Thanks again everyone for posting. My question is, say due to some random luck, I apply to both prelim year and rad, but does not get into rad, can I apply again and get into rad the next year right after i finish prelim? or is there always going to be an year left open because I didn't get in previously. Thanks

 

[BeamHardening]

there will be a gap year necessarily, b/c w/ each match cycle you apply for spots that start not that year but the following year. the only way around it is if you matched for the prelim year, and then if there are any unmatched rads spots trying to match into those. be aware that each year there are a handful of unmatched rads spots (although trying to scramble into them is probably very difficult), and there are a lot of unmatched prelim medicine or transitional spots, that are not hard to match into.

but based on your numbers and such, YOU WILL MATCH INTO RADS.

to discontinuebed: i salivate when i hear about your step 1 score. i think that enough will land you a radiology residency somewhere, even without honors. just my gut feeling. high passes also aren't exactly chopped liver, either...overall i think you are in very good position for rads.