Hello,
I am just curious. I want to be a radiologist. I am yet to apply to med schools. I want to know that if you are sure you want to be a radiologist [neuro-radiologist], do you selct a med school for your MD accordingly? Does the school make a difference if you know what your residency is going to be in? Also, I have seen some schools have clinical training in radiology where as others don't.
Pl share your experience/views regarding your choice for school [for MD] when you already knew from the beginning that you wanted to be a radiologist]
thanks,
best
The “standard advice” you’ll get from every medical school is this:
1, although you may be sure now, exposure to all the other things in medicine could easily change your mind about a specialty
2, any medical school will provide you with preparation for whatever specialty you want to pursue.
These are, in general, true statements. Third year at most schools is going to cover the big broad areas - surgery, medicine, peds, psych, ob. There may be some time within each of these rotations devoted to radiology (e.g. in medicine we had a lecture on chest films; during my surgery and peds rotation we spent some time reviewing relevant films for patients just about every day). Fourth year is where you’ll be able to pursue radiology or other more specialized areas, and almost any school is going to have at least a two-week rads elective. Furthermore, you can always do an away elective during your fourth year. (Read OldManDave’s advice on doing away electives as “auditions” for residency programs.)
That said, it probably wouldn’t hurt to ask schools - how many people go into radiology each year? What’s their match record for radiology and what programs do students get into? You’re likely to get statements 1 and 2 thrown back at you as the initial answer, but the match for each graduating class IS available from every medical school; if you persist you’ll get the information.
My advice is to chose the medical school where you think you'll be the happiest for the next four years. Then bust your butt so that when the time comes you'll be in a position to go into whatever field you ultimately decide to go into. Be it radiology or whatever.
Just to highlight the importance of what ToneM & Mary R have said, for several years, Radiology has been one of the three most competitive NRMP programs. Rads, Ophtho & Derm have filled 100% of their slots vritually every year since God still wore booties. To be competitive in any one of these disciplines requires that you be in the top portion of your class, excellent grades (both clinical & basic science) and that you kick some major ass on the USMLE. Having attending certain medical schools may help somewhat, but I strongly suspect that where you went is a much smaller pieces of the puzzle than what you accomplished where ever you are.
Furthermore, do yourself a favor and even though you are 100% confident that Neuro-Rads are your cup ‘O’ tea, throw yourself 120% into every course & clerkship. You never know, you just might find something that melts your butter a lot more than what you started off thinking. You would be AMAZED at how many of your eventual classmates will be 200% positive that they are going to do “xyz abc” & end up doing something comepletely different.
Keep an open mind and study hard!!