IR, research, and publications

[805760]

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[DrfluffyMD]

Get pubs first.

 

[DJNYY]

Your first pub is the most important, just to show your academic inclination. I'd say, try to bring your project to completion as long as it's not overly laborious. Also, if a publication is not on the horizon (which can take longer with bench work), then don't waste your time and move to an IR project. I think with the new residency, showing a dedicated and prolonged interest in the field is critical. It's not about who pumped out the highest volume of publications

 

[DrfluffyMD]

Thanks for your response! I think I might have an opportunity to get into a DR research project. Would it look unfavorable on my future IR application that I was engaged with DR instead of strictly IR?

No

 

[tco]

Thanks for your response! I think I might have an opportunity to get into a DR research project. Would it look unfavorable on my future IR application that I was engaged with DR instead of strictly IR?

This is going to come off sounding a lot more harsh than it is meant to.

There's no possible way you know if you want to do DR or IR. My mentor during medical school said he went into residency wanting to do "anything but IR" and ended up in IR because by the end he "only wanted to do IR." I went into residency wanting to do IR and have nearly been swayed to do Neuro and Body. Just do some research, get some stuff published. It doesn't matter if it's DR or IR right now. Just show that you can complete a project.

 

[DJNYY]

Thanks for your response! I think I might have an opportunity to get into a DR research project. Would it look unfavorable on my future IR application that I was engaged with DR instead of strictly IR?

Not at all. Try IR if you can, if not don't worry. DR research is solid

 

[DJNYY]

This is going to come off sounding a lot more harsh than it is meant to.

There's no possible way you know if you want to do DR or IR. My mentor during medical school said he went into residency wanting to do "anything but IR" and ended up in IR because by the end he "only wanted to do IR." I went into residency wanting to do IR and have nearly been swayed to do Neuro and Body. Just do some research, get some stuff published. It doesn't matter if it's DR or IR right now. Just show that you can complete a project.

Fair point if you are between DR and IR. Although I have many years ahead of me, I was between IR and Vascular surgery so it was very easy for me to commit to the IR lifestyle

 

[irwarrior]

There seems to be a growing number of students who were on the fence between a surgical specialty such as vascular surgery, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, ortho, urology etc who are considering interventional radiology. This was not as prevalent a few years ago. I believe this was part of the rationale for developing an IR residency. They wanted to recruit a different type of student (i.e. those who are patient focused and procedurally driven).

Historically those who went into radiology did not want patient care and wanted a more predictable lifestyle. These days the demands on an IR physician are becoming far more surgical in nature and this trend is likely to continue. It is becoming more and more difficult to juggle a high end IR practice while mixing in diagnostic responsibilities.