Notes from Radiology post-match meeting (4/23/07)

4th years Present – Mark Tushan (Cleaveland Clinic), Nishant Verma (IU), Greg Nadolski (UPENN, DIRECT pathway), Doug Kitchen (Wash U in STL), Kyle Redelman (IU), Rekha Meesa (Grand Rapids, Community Program)

♣One speaker got a 216 on boards with mostly P’s.  Sent out 60 apps/15 transitional – got 10 interviews.  Didn’t get any from NY or CA.

♣Get apps in early!  Get letters early! Start personal statement early!  Submit everything within 6-7 days of ERAS opening (early September)

♣Do something besides radiology 4th year – need to be well-rounded!

♣DO NOT underestimate the power of the program directors (Lois here at IU)

♣Send thank you notes/emails fairly soon after the interview.

♣Interviews:  big waves through October send emails (not cut and paste) to schools that have not accepted/rejected you after first big wave a interviews.

♣Make an effort to get your name out there

♣4 letters of rec – doesn’t matter where letters come from as long as they are personal and good. (some debate on this point)

♣You cant get by at interviews by just looking up a few questions based upon the school’s website – take an interesting part of yourself and use that to spin questions, so you end up with a limitless supply.  Sometimes interviewers just keep asking you what you want to know about their school, even after you have already asked them 3-4 questions. Be prepared!!!

♣Do away rotation at some place YOU WANT TO GO (and would actually attend – take into account the wishes of significant other, wife, husband, etc).  However, it is not absolutely necessary.

♣Do 2 radiology rotations 4th year – 1 here, 1 away

♣Pediatric radiology here is a great rotation as there are many different types of studies and great staff.

♣Other great rotations at IU include Nuclear Medicine and Interventional Radiology.

♣Be multifaceted – need research to get into Duke, UCSF.  Research isn’t required, but it helps, especially at huge academic centers.

♣Dr. McLennan (IR) and Dr. Maglinte (Abdominal)

♣Don’t want rec from more than 1 radiologist (except maybe if you have a radiologist as your advisor)

♣Good to have radiology advisor so they can actually advise you based on the current situation in radiology, but OK not to have one.

♣Waive right to read letters. If you have to read them, then they probably aren’t good anyways.

♣Don’t just ask for a letter of rec, ask for a “strong letter” if they cannot do this, then ask someone else. ~1 page = good length.

♣How to pick schools

o↑ step score = ↓ places to apply

oThink about if you would practically want to go there

oGroup interviews together as best you can

oIf you get an early interview time, go early!  Do not put it till later – this may make program director angry

oSave yourself money by telling programs that you may be in that area and that, if they want to give you an interview, you will be available during that week

oIf you don’t want to go to a certain school that has given you an interview, don’t interview there!  You are just wasting their time as well as your own.  However if you cancel, make sure you allow them ample time to schedule someone else.

♣Timeframe

oCan start uploading in July, everything goes out in September

oNeed at least 2 letters and personal statement at this time

oEnd of Nov/early Dec lulls in interviews sent out

oPeople begin to drop interviews in early January

oIf school emails you, email them and call them back

oCancel graciously

oOnly interview at ~15 places

oOnce you get an interview, it is all a level playing field

oInterview for transitionals as well

oPrelim surgery is most useful for radiology – good visual process of anatomy, good at decision making, however more difficult and time consuming

oKnow your program: community vs academic

oGO TO THE DINNER THE NIGHT BEFORE interviews – this is critical – it is a time to make good impressions – DO NOT GET DRUNK!!!

oAsk the residents there about follow-up letters.  Many times they may be your inside track for what to do at a certain school so listen up, meet lots of people, and GO TO THE DINNER.

oPay attention to conversations around you during the dinner.  Often times other interviewees will ask that dumb/rude question you may be wondering about, so you wont have to look stupid!

oRadiology rank – list transitionals at end of rank list by themselves so worst case you match only a transitional spot

♣Resources

oFRIEDA http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2997.html

oResidency Program home pages