Radiology is a excellent field. Many radiologists are retiring and there will be a need for more with more technology that comes on line--i.e. MRI/MRA and ultrasound with bubble contrasts, etc.

Thanks for you all taking the time out to explain the dermatology resident process...

Surgery is a sorely needed area, too the Cardiothoracic at my institution is BEGGING for fellows and are having trouble finding ones. But you already need to have your general surgery boards for that million hours per week and a super high malpractice insurance. But you do get paid a lot of money...

Thanks for the longer explanations, GC doctors! My best friend from HS is a M3 right now and is considering surgery pretty heavily, so I like to know all about this stuff. :)

Yes...radiology is a competitive program, but I didn't go through the match for my spot. I got a spot after a resident decided not to come back after doing his internship in family medicine. Radiology is a 5 year program. The first year you do a rotating internship or general internship in medicine or family medicine. You can also do surgery for your internship (therefore, my two years of surgery counted for my internship.) The remaining four years are spent learning just radiology including all of the radiological subspecialties. The only extra courses we take are to study for our boards which are very intense. Unlike other specialties, we have a three part board examination which includes a Physics exam, Written exam and Oral exam. Many people take courses to study for Physics and oral exams. AFIP is a radiology/pathology course at Walter Reed in DC that most residents in the country attend (now a 4 week course, but was 6 weeks when I went) to prepare for the written boards.

One of my best friends is a third-year and she just told me she's deciding on OB/GYN! I am sooooo proud of her as a student and as my friend. She worked so hard for this and I can't wait to call her doctor!

Haven't posted in a while and I want to say...three more days until my last shelf EVER and I'll be a 4th year! Bring on the residency apps!:eek:

Congrats! I have 9 days (and three more nights of call !yikes!) until my last shelf. We had a big meeting yesterday about Dean's letters, ERAS and the Match...sounds so much more intense than the AMCAS! At least this time I know that I'll be going somewhere for sure at this time next year. That 93% match rate is very comforting.

Good luck to both of you! My best friend is taking her last shelf the same day I take the bar exam so we can celebrate together. :)

5 weeks into 4th year! How's everyone else doing?

It's been pretty awesome so far. I'm currently in Arizona for a PICU month (yeah I know it's crazy to go to the desert in August) and I'm absolutely loving it. I really think that peds critical care is what I'm going to do with my life. The only caveat is that I've had a really, really great attending this week and I want to make sure that's not overly influencing my decision...but I don't it will be. I'm really focusing on the actual medicine part and the things we're actually doing and that's what I'm really enjoying...

Good for you with peds cc! I know you will make a wonderful physician in that area...

I am in hematology, medical genetics, specifically doing studies with Anemias and I absolutely hate it... The mouse models are loopy and the work is monotonous, and I have ennui...I should be excited because it is Sickle Cell Anemia, but I am not...

Take care of yourself.

Hi! 4th year is going well so far. I've been pretty busy this month with my OB sub-I, and I love it! I've seen so many really cool things, and delivered one infant, so my total now is 4. Not that high, but I'll be doing this for THE REST OF MY LIFE!! haha. Next month I'm headed to Montana for a month on a reservation, which should be a pretty great experience. Hope all is well out there in school! ERAS apps open up September 1st, apply early and often! :)

MS IV
 

I am.... and nearly done!! I am applying to internal medicine. Haven't been on GC in a looooong time.....

Good to see you back...it's tough having to deal with all this free time isn't it?

I'm studying for step II now... I will be happy when this is done and all my sub-I's are over.

I'm studying for Step 2 right now as well - CK on the 6th and CS on the 17th in LA. My year is pretty easy from here on out though - Student Run clinic this month, Peds ID in December, Vacation for January, Australia in Feb, Peds Pulm in March and Peds Private clinic in April.

How are interviews coming?

First interview down! I have like 9 to go or something... got my first rejection today too. Not sure what the rest of the year looks like yet... I have some last-minute scheduling to do!

I have CK on Nov 18th, and I haven't scheduled CS yet (lol).