Many questions...please help

[koonafa]

Sorry to bother everyone, but i need some serious help!!
Early in the application process i originally applied to medicine...however, after some time i decided to apply to rads, as well (after my rads elective at my school, i found i loved it).
My stats are such that i'm at least a fairly strong applicant in the Medicine world and have received a decent number of top tier interviews and such. However, in the Rads world, I guess I'm a pretty weak applicant. So that, combined w/ the fact that I think i got my rads applications out later than most, i have only been offered 5 interviews so far (and still waiting to hear back from about 10-15 programs).
My interview offers for rads are basically really small, community programs, most of which I'm sure can be considered "lower-tier".
I guess I have a few questions:
1) provided I get maybe a 2 more interviews, is there a decent chance i can match in rads??
2) does the fact that they are small, "lower-tier" programs hurt me in the future (in other words, will i not be able to find a job after i finish the residency)??
3) do most rads residents go onto fellowships (and like my above question, would i even have a chance considering i'm going to a lower-tier program)???

I do want to do rads, but i'm honestly scared like hell not to match. PLEASE HELP!!!!

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[Vince]

Sorry to bother everyone, but i need some serious help!!
Early in the application process i originally applied to medicine...however, after some time i decided to apply to rads, as well (after my rads elective at my school, i found i loved it).
My stats are such that i'm at least a fairly strong applicant in the Medicine world and have received a decent number of top tier interviews and such. However, in the Rads world, I guess I'm a pretty weak applicant. So that, combined w/ the fact that I think i got my rads applications out later than most, i have only been offered 5 interviews so far (and still waiting to hear back from about 10-15 programs).
My interview offers for rads are basically really small, community programs, most of which I'm sure can be considered "lower-tier".
I guess I have a few questions:
1) provided I get maybe a 2 more interviews, is there a decent chance i can match in rads??
2) does the fact that they are small, "lower-tier" programs hurt me in the future (in other words, will i not be able to find a job after i finish the residency)??
3) do most rads residents go onto fellowships (and like my above question, would i even have a chance considering i'm going to a lower-tier program)???

I do want to do rads, but i'm honestly scared like hell not to match. PLEASE HELP!!!!

First of all, easy answer to solution....RANK all of your radiology programs higher than your medicine ones, unless you would rather not match at all and try again next year. In my opinion, and I don't necessarily dislike medicine, but I can't see doing it the rest of my life, but even the "lowest-tier" radiology program is better than IM.

I applied to 70 programs and only got 7 interviews....so with you trying to get in last minute I'd say 5 interviews is pretty good. Hopefully you'll get some more....and you might match even with 5.

As far as ? #2 and #3, from people I've talked to the job market should still be good for radiologists in 5 years or so, and even coming from "low tier" program will be okay. Depends on how the market is...when private groups are paying well and there are plenty of job opportunities, less people go into fellowships...and vice versa. Fellowships are easier to come by than rads residency itself, so once your in residency you can always get to know people, do research, whatever, to increase your chances for getting into fellowships.

Good luck!

 

[koonafa]

thanks a lot! that really helped.