Advice needed

[Itsarainbow]

-redacted per request

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[IRattending2021]

Future in radiology is good and you can learn procedures. It has been getting more competitive, however. At my residency I believe there was one class that had DOs but none since then.

 

[tomballunger]

Msk breast ir and to some extent abdominal have procedures. Some General radiology in private practice expects basic procedure skills like tubes line drains. Radiology applicants this year were competitive, compared to in the past. Not many pgy2 spots in radiology either (maybe 1-3 per program that has them), and there will be ortho, neurosurg, gen surg burnouts and other prelims fighting for those

 

[Itsarainbow]

Msk breast ir and to some extent abdominal have procedures. Some General radiology in private practice expects basic procedure skills like tubes line drains. Radiology applicants this year were competitive, compared to in the past. Not many pgy2 spots in radiology either (maybe 1-3 per program that has them), and there will be ortho, neurosurg, gen surg burnouts and other prelims fighting for those

How do you think my app stacks up? Will I be able to find a spot if I apply broadly? In know my stats aren't the greatest

 

[tomballunger]

If you apply very broadly, basically all programs, you might get a spot, which includes possibly landing a not so great program (includes the hca programs and the small community places in not so desirable areas). it isn't impossible. Still going to be an uphill battle. Try fitting in a monthlong radiology rotation early, now or intern year and reaching out to programs too. But are you sure you don't want to try anesthesia again, or a least applying broadly to both anesthesia and radiology, which gets you even more chance of landing somewhere since you already have anesthesia lors? It's a shame how the match works these days, your app would've gotten you a spot in anesthesia only like 3-5 years ago

 

[Itsarainbow]

If you apply very broadly, basically all programs, you might get a spot, which includes possibly landing a not so great program (includes the hca programs and the small community places in not so desirable areas). it isn't impossible. Still going to be an uphill battle. Try fitting in a monthlong radiology rotation early, now or intern year and reaching out to programs too. But are you sure you don't want to try anesthesia again, or a least applying broadly to both anesthesia and radiology, which gets you even more chance of landing somewhere since you already have anesthesia lors? It's a shame how the match works these days, your app would've gotten you a spot in anesthesia only like 3-5 years ago

Yeah it sucks and I don't wish this on anyone. I will apply to anesthsia because I do have the letters but I'm also opening up to other specialities including radiology and pmr because I don't want to have to go through this again. I have 2 elective months and the program does offer externships in radiology but doesn't have a residency program themselves. Medicine is a grueling process.

 

[guytakingboards]

if you really wanted IR, i expect the independent track of IR won't be super popular down the line because its a year longer than prior track and current integrated track.

If you apply very broadly, basically all programs, you might get a spot, which includes possibly landing a not so great program (includes the hca programs and the small community places in not so desirable areas). it isn't impossible. Still going to be an uphill battle. Try fitting in a monthlong radiology rotation early, now or intern year and reaching out to programs too. But are you sure you don't want to try anesthesia again, or a least applying broadly to both anesthesia and radiology, which gets you even more chance of landing somewhere since you already have anesthesia lors? It's a shame how the match works these days, your app would've gotten you a spot in anesthesia only like 3-5 years ago

agree with this. the OP's stats are below the radiology average but there's a lot of programs out there and statistically half are below the average.

I also agree the OP probably doesn't have a better chance at a PGY-2 radiology spot than getting an anesthesia spot.

 

[Itsarainbow]

My residency offers a radiology elective rotation and I plan on doing it in order to get LOR and working my tail off this upcoming year. Will one elective be enough? I don't really care to match at a top spot, I just want to match. I do also plan on applying again to anesthesia because I already have the LORs and also a few other specialties. I just don't want to end up in this situation again. Thanks for the replies

 

[Itsarainbow]

Will having a strong Step 3 help my cause?

 

[IRattending2021]

if you really wanted IR, i expect the independent track of IR won't be super popular down the line because its a year longer than prior track and current integrated track.



agree with this. the OP's stats are below the radiology average but there's a lot of programs out there and statistically half are below the average.

I also agree the OP probably doesn't have a better chance at a PGY-2 radiology spot than getting an anesthesia spot.

ir programs are competitive and they look at usmle step 1 quite a bit

 

[Itsarainbow]

ir programs are competitive and they look at usmle step 1 quite a bit

What about only DR? I don't care where it is at

 

[Ho0v-man]

Your chances are very poor for DR.

 

[Itsarainbow]

Your chances are very poor for DR.

What's your reasoning? The advice I have received from my school is that even though my scores are low, I should be able to find a community program somewhere. NRMP has me close to 70-80% chance given that I'm a DO and stats.

 

[LittleFoot]

What's your reasoning? The advice I have received from my school is that even though my scores are low, I should be able to find a community program somewhere. NRMP has me close to 70-80% chance given that I'm a DO and stats.

I would trust the NRMP data more than anything else, it gives you a pretty good estimate where you stand. I had a DO classmate with very similar stats to you and he matched at a community program and had plenty of interviews. That said, when I applied people with worse stats than you were matching into great top tier Anesthesia programs. Things change year to year.

 

[Ho0v-man]

What's your reasoning? The advice I have received from my school is that even though my scores are low, I should be able to find a community program somewhere. NRMP has me close to 70-80% chance given that I'm a DO and stats.

You very well could and I hope you do. But you have below average stats, you went down on step 2, you’re a DO, and a reapplicant.

Do you have any idea why you didn’t get interviews in anesthesia. I don’t think you were a shoe in to match, but no interviews and applying “VERY broadly” sounds strange. Do you have a red flag you haven’t disclosed or don’t know about? I.e., a toxic letter?

There’s certainly overlap between the two, but overall rads is more competitive than anesthesia.

 

[lernaeann]

What's your reasoning? The advice I have received from my school is that even though my scores are low, I should be able to find a community program somewhere. NRMP has me close to 70-80% chance given that I'm a DO and stats.

This is generally true for USDO seniors, but the data for reapplicants is a bit more variable.

 

[Dr. USMLE]

You very well could and I hope you do. But you have below average stats, you went down on step 2, you’re a DO, and a reapplicant.

Do you have any idea why you didn’t get interviews in anesthesia. I don’t think you were a shoe in to match, but no interviews and applying “VERY broadly” sounds strange. Do you have a red flag you haven’t disclosed or don’t know about? I.e., a toxic letter?

There’s certainly overlap between the two, but overall rads is more competitive than anesthesia.

Yeah I basically agree. Consider seeking feedback from program directors in anesthesia familiar with your app details.

You might also consider applying to PM&R. It has become a bit of a "backdoor" route to pain medicine.

 

[Prehealth1011]

What's your reasoning? The advice I have received from my school is that even though my scores are low, I should be able to find a community program somewhere. NRMP has me close to 70-80% chance given that I'm a DO and stats.

In general, <230 is a huge uphill battle for Radiology. Based on what I’ve seen this cycle, I wouldn’t be confident about Anesthesia either. PMR and Neurology are still doable

 

[scoopdaboop]

In general, <230 is a huge uphill battle for Radiology. Based on what I’ve seen this cycle, I wouldn’t be confident about Anesthesia either. PMR and Neurology are still doable

Charting outcomes of the match in 2020 reports 18 people matched and 1 didn't match given step scores in 220-230 range for DO's. Pretty low sample size, but it seems do-able. 230+ is basically guaranteed if you have no red flags and apply broadly.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Charting outcomes of the match in 2020 reports 18 people matched and 1 didn't match given step scores in 220-230 range for DO's. Pretty low sample size, but it seems do-able. 230+ is basically guaranteed if you have no red flags and apply broadly.

Look at that same data for anesthesia. It’s even better based on those numbers from 2020. 66/67 matched. But we have little data on the success of reapplicants. But it’s common knowledge that as a reapplicant to anything you’re less competitive.

I genuinely want OP to bump this thread in a year and tell me I’m wrong. But I think saying he has the chances reflected in those charting outcomes is misleading.

 

[scoopdaboop]

Look at that same data for anesthesia. It’s even better based on those numbers from 2020. 66/67 matched. But we have little data on the success of reapplicants. But it’s common knowledge that as a reapplicant to anything you’re less competitive.

I genuinely want OP to bump this thread in a year and tell me I’m wrong. But I think saying he has the chances reflected in those charting outcomes is misleading.

Where are you getting that?

It's 59 out of 75.... seems more competitive than rads, which is funny.

 

[Ho0v-man]

Where are you getting that?

View attachment 336984


It's 59 out of 75.... seems more competitive than rads, which is funny.

My mistake. I was looking at 2018. It is funny that it looks like rads is less competitive. But I still stand by my overall opinion based on OP being a reapplicant.

 

[Prehealth1011]

Charting outcomes of the match in 2020 reports 18 people matched and 1 didn't match given step scores in 220-230 range for DO's. Pretty low sample size, but it seems do-able. 230+ is basically guaranteed if you have no red flags and apply broadly.

I wouldn't go with those charting outcomes anymore in the world of COVID and virtual interviews. I know Thalamus said it was all the same yada yada but I don't buy it. 230+ is definitely not a guarantee to match into Rads (and to a slightly lesser extent, Anesthesia) especially if you're a DO. You add the reapplicant label on top of it and things look much worse. These aren't DO friendly in the same sense as EM is

 

[scoopdaboop]

I wouldn't go with those charting outcomes anymore in the world of COVID and virtual interviews. I know Thalamus said it was all the same yada yada but I don't buy it. 230+ is definitely not a guarantee to match into Rads (and to a slightly lesser extent, Anesthesia) especially if you're a DO. You add the reapplicant label on top of it and things look much worse. These aren't DO friendly in the same sense as EM is

Yeah I forgot about COVID being an impact. And yeah, I know reapplicants have it rougher.

 

[gyngyn]

This thread can be followed here: Failed to match a advance spot. Not sure what to do. Need advice