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Applying to FM last minute


Radsinthefuture

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Hi all,

As you can probably tell from my username I am a rads gunner. As so I centered my 4th year electives around rads, and with a mix of internal/surg/em electives. I didn't put too much thought into backing up. After talking to residents across the country I feel I am probably running a risky line.

My heart is still on rads and I will be applying country wide. However I can also now see that I probably should have done a family medicine elective. The issue still is my CV/electives make it quite clear what my intent is. Additionally I don't have any room for family medicine electives anymore. My family med preceptor from my core rotation would definitely write me a letter, and the interns I worked with this year would be able to write me two general "strong clerk" letters.

Is there any point in me even applying to family? Location of course would not matter in this situation at all. Have people who are backing up gotten FM interviews with no electives?

Also just a side note that this is not meant to bash or look down on family med in any form, when I entered medical school I was dead set on family medicine, I was just exposed to rads and loved it :)

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If you don't apply there is a 0% chance of matching to FM (unless in second round). If you do apply, there is a >0% chance of matching to FM. 

Also consider whether you'd rather go unmatched than end up in FM.

Of course you can always spin in your personal letter how experiences on your EM, surgery, or internal electives (these fields are relatable to FM to varying degrees) as well as your FM rotation have swayed you towards family.

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I would apply if you would rather be in family medicine than be no match.

In all scenarios, your highest chances of getting into family medicine will be in first round. In second round, your chances will be way less as you're competing with other desperate candidates and IMGs.

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4 hours ago, PhD2MD said:

Weren't there spot left over in rads the last couple of years? I thought it wasn't as competitive as it used to be?

There were! It is slightly less competitive as before. There are still people though that want it that don't get it of course (just because there is a spot left over doesn't mean they would have given it to you). 

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9 hours ago, Radsinthefuture said:

Hi all,

As you can probably tell from my username I am a rads gunner. As so I centered my 4th year electives around rads, and with a mix of internal/surg/em electives. I didn't put too much thought into backing up. After talking to residents across the country I feel I am probably running a risky line.

My heart is still on rads and I will be applying country wide. However I can also now see that I probably should have done a family medicine elective. The issue still is my CV/electives make it quite clear what my intent is. Additionally I don't have any room for family medicine electives anymore. My family med preceptor from my core rotation would definitely write me a letter, and the interns I worked with this year would be able to write me two general "strong clerk" letters.

Is there any point in me even applying to family? Location of course would not matter in this situation at all. Have people who are backing up gotten FM interviews with no electives?

Also just a side note that this is not meant to bash or look down on family med in any form, when I entered medical school I was dead set on family medicine, I was just exposed to rads and loved it :)

sure there is a point to applying. Particularly at your home school for it. 

Is you application weaker than others for family medicine? Yes 

Does that actually matter in terms of applying - Probably no. 

when applying to programs in CARMS is really a no or very little risk/cost to possible high reward. Worst they can say is no and that leaves you not much different than you were before. 

I have seen many people even recently still get into family medicine with similar applications to yours - they know you are backing up but that doesn't mean that you aren't a good candidate still for their program. 

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9 hours ago, Radsinthefuture said:

Hi all,

As you can probably tell from my username I am a rads gunner. As so I centered my 4th year electives around rads, and with a mix of internal/surg/em electives. I didn't put too much thought into backing up. After talking to residents across the country I feel I am probably running a risky line.

My heart is still on rads and I will be applying country wide. However I can also now see that I probably should have done a family medicine elective. The issue still is my CV/electives make it quite clear what my intent is. Additionally I don't have any room for family medicine electives anymore. My family med preceptor from my core rotation would definitely write me a letter, and the interns I worked with this year would be able to write me two general "strong clerk" letters.

Is there any point in me even applying to family? Location of course would not matter in this situation at all. Have people who are backing up gotten FM interviews with no electives?

Also just a side note that this is not meant to bash or look down on family med in any form, when I entered medical school I was dead set on family medicine, I was just exposed to rads and loved it :)

A bit late now but for students just starting medical school, this right here is a reminder to smash the USMLE exams

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16 minutes ago, GrouchoMarx said:

A bit late now but for students just starting medical school, this right here is a reminder to smash the USMLE exams

Not disagreeing with you as having options is useful - although there is a price to that test. I chose not to write as a medical student and instead poured my efforts into ECs, research and networking. I know it was those things that got me my particular radiology placement. I couldn't have done both. 

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