Question About Switching To Radiology From Orthopedic Surgery:
Hi Dr. Julius,
I’m a 3rd-yr med student with a growing interest in radiology. I’m in the middle of core clerkships and have come to appreciate how vital radiology is in all fields and how broadly it covers different parts of the body and aspects of medicine.
My issue is that up till now, I have been pursuing orthopedic surgery, doing research, and making connections exclusively in that field. If I switch to seeking DR (maybe IR), what can I do to improve my ERAS application in the eyes of residency directors when I apply next year?
Background information (in case it helps): BS in engineering, currently at a top 25 med school, Step I – 233
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Answer:
Unfortunately, you can’t change what you’ve already done in orthopedic surgery. However, you still have time to get involved with research opportunities in radiology. Find a radiologist who needs some help with her research. At least, that shows some interest in the field. That is the low-hanging fruit that can help your application a little bit. It will also demonstrate some increased interest in the DR or DR/IR field. Even better, if you are interested in IR, I would find an interventionalist to work with and do research. That way, they could become your “mentor” and give your application even more relevance.
Suppose you have come from a good school with reasonable grades/Dean’s letter. In that case, you should have an excellent shot at a university program for DR. DR/IR is a little more of a crapshoot since it has become highly competitive. But you should still have a good chance as well. As I’ve mentioned, I highly recommend checking your Dean’s letter for any mistakes or “questionable” references. That is the most likely cause for a surprise for not matching where you want on match day. And it is also straightforward to correct if you can.
I hope that helps a bit,
Barry Julius, MD
