IR chances

[thekitchensink]

Hey everyone, 3rd year DO student here interested in applying IR. Step 1 - 250+, comlex level 1 - 700+, no step/level 2 yet, doing well on rotations so far. I have hit a wall trying to find research, which is giving me some angst since the average number of research experiences is roughly 4 according to the 2020 charting outcomes. The only IR exposure I have is shadowing before medical school and joining SIR. Is there anything else I can/should be doing to help increase my chances of matching? I have also looked into the ESIR pathway but a few friends of mine mentioned that it can be pretty competitive to get and that ESIR is possibly going away in the near future.

Thanks!

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[DOVinciRobot]

IR chances are poor as a DO even with stellar scores. But it can be done. Apply very broadly to IR and DR programs

 

[CyrusHabs7695]

Just apply to DR programs that have an ESIR track.

 

[thekitchensink]

Just apply to DR programs that have an ESIR track.

Gotcha, thanks for the reply. Have you heard anything about the ESIR track going away / the competitiveness of being accepted into it?

 

[Ho0v-man]

Will have to crush some auditions. You basically have to audition like someone going for a surgical sub.

The competition for ESIR will rely heavily on your DR programs ESIR slot to interested applicant ratio. So some years there’s only one person interested. Others maybe everyone is. Not a guarantee, but most programs try to make it work for everyone interested within reason.

 

[AlteredScale]

Hey everyone, 3rd year DO student here interested in applying IR. Step 1 - 250+, comlex level 1 - 700+, no step/level 2 yet, doing well on rotations so far. I have hit a wall trying to find research, which is giving me some angst since the average number of research experiences is roughly 4 according to the 2020 charting outcomes. The only IR exposure I have is shadowing before medical school and joining SIR. Is there anything else I can/should be doing to help increase my chances of matching? I have also looked into the ESIR pathway but a few friends of mine mentioned that it can be pretty competitive to get and that ESIR is possibly going away in the near future.

Thanks!

I am aware of 1-2 from my classes that matched and they were in the top of their class and the majority had a fair amount of research. Get plugged in. Do a lot of Sub-I's and apply to both integrated and diagnostic as back up with ESIR. It's possible but as stated above, pretty difficult as a DO where resources and connections can be harder to find.

 

[thekitchensink]

I am aware of 1-2 from my classes that matched and they were in the top of their class and the majority had a fair amount of research. Get plugged in. Do a lot of Sub-I's and apply to both integrated and diagnostic as back up with ESIR. It's possible but as stated above, pretty difficult as a DO where resources and connections can be harder to find.

Ah I see , thank you for the input

 

[thekitchensink]

Will have to crush some auditions. You basically have to audition like someone going for a surgical sub.

The competition for ESIR will rely heavily on your DR programs ESIR slot to interested applicant ratio. So some years there’s only one person interested. Others maybe everyone is. Not a guarantee, but most programs try to make it work for everyone interested within reason.

Interesting, thank you for the reply

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Match rate was around 60-70% overall in Integrated IR, its not a DO unfriendly specialty per say, you will need the scores and research and obviously need to apply broadly. You are on the right path. Reach out to all the academic centers and faculty who do radiology research, ask your school if there is a director of student research who can help you get something over the summer, even doing a few case reports can help you. Just need to show commitment to the field.

 

[thekitchensink]

Match rate was around 60-70% overall in Integrated IR, its not a DO unfriendly specialty per say, you will need the scores and research and obviously need to apply broadly. You are on the right path. Reach out to all the academic centers and faculty who do radiology research, ask your school if there is a director of student research who can help you get something over the summer, even doing a few case reports can help you. Just need to show commitment to the field.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Dr. McNotDreamy]

I matched as a DO in integrated IR and I had almost the exact same scores as you. My research wasn't all that robust but I did have 3 pubs to my name, several posters and some average research experience/exposure. I think it's completely possible with your stats. I'd focus on scoring well on step 2, getting research and as many sub I's as you can in IR. Also make sure to dual apply to DR with ESIR pathways. Although some of those "fellowships" are transitioning to integrated spots, I don't think all of them will be going away.

From what I recall 15 DO's matched in IR last year and 15 in 2020. It's completely doable. The amazing thing is that all these matches are at large MD driven institutions since no DO hospitals have the numbers to support an IR residency.

 

[thekitchensink]

I matched as a DO in integrated IR and I had almost the exact same scores as you. My research wasn't all that robust but I did have 3 pubs to my name, several posters and some average research experience/exposure. I think it's completely possible with your stats. I'd focus on scoring well on step 2, getting research and as many sub I's as you can in IR. Also make sure to dual apply to DR with ESIR pathways. Although some of those "fellowships" are transitioning to integrated spots, I don't think all of them will be going away.

From what I recall 15 DO's matched in IR last year and 15 in 2020. It's completely doable. The amazing thing is that all these matches are at large MD driven institutions since no DO hospitals have the numbers to support an IR residency.

Awesome reply, thank you for the info!

 

[MrTaco92]

i side with the DR -> ESIR route. your odds of matching into a better program for your diagnostic training are higher this way which translates to better connections for a more competitive IR spot afterward. its a bit of a toss-up as to whether getting that ESIR spot will be competitive or not since that depends on how many people in your DR class are interested in IR.

as a side note, the twitter world seems to be a great way for applicants to network and get involved in research even at other institutions. taking advantage of mentorship opportunities through the radiology twitterverse seems to work out well for applicants from what ive seen.

 

[thekitchensink]

i side with the DR -> ESIR route. your odds of matching into a better program for your diagnostic training are higher this way which translates to better connections for a more competitive IR spot afterward. its a bit of a toss-up as to whether getting that ESIR spot will be competitive or not since that depends on how many people in your DR class are interested in IR.

as a side note, the twitter world seems to be a great way for applicants to network and get involved in research even at other institutions. taking advantage of mentorship opportunities through the radiology twitterverse seems to work out well for applicants from what ive seen.

Awesome, that sounds like a better idea. I’ll focus on that. Should I be concerned about matching DR? I’ve been hearing crazy stores about people not getting interviews with solid board scores

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Awesome, that sounds like a better idea. I’ll focus on that. Should I be concerned about matching DR? I’ve been hearing crazy stores about people not getting interviews with solid board scores

I think it's getting more competitive but as long as your have decent board scores and apply broadly(>230/240) you have a decent shot. There's a lot of panic but radiology programs are notoriously slow for sending IV's so we will wait till the end of the cycle. I would not be comfortable applying rads/gas with below a 230 tho without a back up especially with virtual IV's.

 

[MrTaco92]

Awesome, that sounds like a better idea. I’ll focus on that. Should I be concerned about matching DR? I’ve been hearing crazy stores about people not getting interviews with solid board scores

with a 250+ step1 I don't think you should have any issues matching into a decent program, even with this new (I think ~30%) increase in the DR applicant pool that we're seeing now.

 

[thekitchensink]

I think it's getting more competitive but as long as your have decent board scores and apply broadly(>230/240) you have a decent shot. There's a lot of panic but radiology programs are notoriously slow for sending IV's so we will wait till the end of the cycle. I would not be comfortable applying rads/gas with below a 230 tho without a back up especially with virtual IV's.

Gotcha, interesting point. Thank you very much.

 

[thekitchensink]

with a 250+ step1 I don't think you should have any issues matching into a decent program, even with this new (I think ~30%) increase in the DR applicant pool that we're seeing now.

Ok sweet. That has taken away some slight anxiousness lol. Thank you.

 

[RadDOdoc]

IR chances are poor as a DO even with stellar scores. But it can be done. Apply very broadly to IR and DR programs

Highly disagree. Applying IR currently as a DO with slightly above average scores and have gotten a solid response. To anyone interested feel free to DM me with Q's

 

[FutureDoctor5000]

Highly disagree. Applying IR currently as a DO with slightly above average scores and have gotten a solid response. To anyone interested feel free to DM me with Q's

It's weird tho I know of USMD's and DO's with great scores struggling with DR Invites tho which is strange. I know rads programs are slower at invites but who knows

 

[calivianya]

If you want IR, apply IR integrated and DR. I disagree with the advice to focus on DR only... but I haven't matched yet, so we'll see if I change my tune in March lol

I'm a DO with what I think is a solid number of both IR and DR invites. More than half of my integrated IR invites were clear that if I also had applied DR, that interview counted for both since the DR PD was one of the interviewers, so it's not like you're going to have to take extra days to interview for both at *most* places.

I do not have any IR or DR research, but I do have research - it's a total mixed bag over several different specialties. I think rads cares more that you've done something, and even that's just a sort of cares attitude since people match without research every year, so I would jump on any research you can find regardless of specialty. Like obvs rads is better, but don't pass up something else if it comes your way just because it isn't rads.