Guide to obtain a Radiology residency - themost

[ArchivalUser]

I am a fresh graduate from INDIA who just completed my MBBS and I am anticipating my Graduation in 5-6 months.

I would like to know what are all the steps I need to take to obtain a radiology residency in the USA.
I don't want to make a mistake in anything that i am going to do from now onward.

I have obtained electives at Herbert Wertheim FIU for Radiology,Gastroenterology and pathology.

I am aiming Step one score 250.


What else should I concentrate on ?

Please make some time to help me.
I would be obliged so much.
Thank you.

[ArchivalUser]

Radiology in USA now is 2 broad categories of diagnostic/intervention. Intervention is more likely competitive although radiology in recent years has not been as well sought after by AMG like say 10 yrs ago because the market is a tad slow.

1. Scores
2. CV including your electives, research, LORs
3. Apply smart, try to get a foot in the door with IMG friendly places and volunteer in research etc. Good luck

[ArchivalUser]

In 2016 there were 1168 positions for radiology with 1220 applicants. OUt of those 719 were US Allopatic seniors, 107 DOs, 76 US IMGs and 101 non US IMGs, 165 other (Previous graduates, Canadians?).IMGs were almost 9% of matched, 8% of applicants. 57% of applying IMGs matched (only non US IMGs)

In 2017 there were 932 PGY2 and 121 PGY1 positions (1053), not sure if the total number would include interventional radiology but let's say it does which would put it at 1177.
OUt of those 1177, 845 were filled by US allopatic seniors, a lot more than in 2016. If the other percentages stayed similar, there would be few positions left for Non US IMGs.
Will have to wait for the final match results.

Matched Non US IMGs probably had excellent profiles and a ton of USCE in radiology or previous radiology residency training abroad.

shrinkmuse is right:
You need
- Contacts, contacts, contacts
- Many rotations, experience or research in radiology
- Top scores in all three steps, no attempts.
- Golden LORs

[ArchivalUser]

Thank you so much for taking time and educating me shrinkmuse and nanaki.

umm. I am really determined enough to work hard but I am also really scared by the way.
For now,

I haven't taken Step1 yet.

Have obtained electives at FIU for month of August.

Is there any specific universities that you people would advice me to apply to that would hold good on CV ? I am planning to apply for weill cornell, U of alabama, Yale.

Thank you so much.

[ArchivalUser]

You're shooting for places that need better than great credentials. For radiology as a fresh graduate you need to be a bit more realistic.
If you look at the available profiles of residents in the Yale program, the ones that are IMGs in 3rd and 4th year are old graduates, only 2 of them, probably with prior residency in radiology abroad and experience or research that made them interesting for a high profile program.
Weill cornell has 1 IMG in all 4 years, all other are from places like Duke, Columbia, Tufts, WC...

Honestly you do not stand a chance in places like those, no matter how high your scores are. You would need tons of relevant radiology research and hands on, super high quality USCE or rotations with them (Not FIU).

Sorry for the blunt comment but you need to aim for places that take fresh IMGs, find out why and how they got there, what kind of research experience you can get.
It is doable, lots of risk, time and effort involved, certainly not impossible, but very risky if your profile is not perfect and you apply to the "wrong" places.