rmorelan Posted January 29, 2012 Report Share Posted January 29, 2012 Just curious if anyone has any particular suggestions for electives for Radiology - when would you suggest doing your home school, any particular schools I shouldn't miss for away electives, and what off service electives would make the most sense? I am still trying to figure out - even after all this time - if I want to be surgeon or a radiologist. Man I hate making these sorts of decisions, there is a reason I have multiple undergrads - I always want to do everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krabble Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 Disclaimer: I'm currently going through the match, so take what I say with a grain of salt. I had heard before setting up my electives that UWO and Ottawa were schools that had a history of preferring students who did electives there (although I'm sure all schools do this to some degree) so I made a point of visiting those. Both were great electives and programs. If there is a specific program that you hope to match do, obviously make sure to show your face there. Wherever you decide to go, make sure to set Radiology electives up early. They can be pretty tough to get last minute, and you can always cancel them if you decide to go the surgery route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted January 30, 2012 Report Share Posted January 30, 2012 My philosophy on radiology electives is to visit the schools you are considering most strongly. The reason for this is twofold: it will allow you to be better known and therefore a stronger candidate, and it will also allow you to make a more informed decision with regards to ranking your top choices (the interview days tend to be shorter and it can be hard to get a good feel for a program you have not visited before, and then you are pretty much going by location). If you are mobile, consider a cross-country elective to avoid the impression of regional bias. If you are already known at your home school, you may not need to spend much elective time there at all, but you'll be the judge of that. I would imagine you are hanging out in IR anyway with the choice you are trying to make I think the majority of surgical rotations are relevant to radiology in some way - find out how they use imaging to guide their decisions. Consider something you wouldn't have exposure to otherwise, taking into account that different schools' clerkships and PGY-1 years expose trainees to a somewhat varying complement of rotations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted May 8, 2012 Report Share Posted May 8, 2012 The only official information you're going to get is the CaRMS program description and anything on the program website. Usually there isn't much, but sometimes there are a few clues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inspiring-curmudgeon Posted May 28, 2012 Report Share Posted May 28, 2012 I've been hearing different things regarding non-radiology electives. Some people say it's great to do electives in imaging-heavy fields (neuro, cardio, surg), but others say it doesn't matter. Does not having any non-rads electives make you a less competitive candidate? Also, I was wondering what is a typical number of out-of-province electives. I want to visit UBC, but I really don't have an interest in visiting other schools. Will that limit my ability to get interviews at those programs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted May 28, 2012 Report Share Posted May 28, 2012 Does not having any non-rads electives make you a less competitive candidate? Also, I was wondering what is a typical number of out-of-province electives. I want to visit UBC, but I really don't have an interest in visiting other schools. Will that limit my ability to get interviews at those programs? To answer your first question - not in itself, no; but can make you appear single-minded, or very keen, depending on your perspective. No typical number - if all your electives are in a small geographic area, it can give the impression that you are less mobile, but if you are from McMaster, then UBC would count as a cross-country elective. Some programs like to have met candidates on elective; some don't care as much. It depends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inspiring-curmudgeon Posted May 28, 2012 Report Share Posted May 28, 2012 Thanks guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted June 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 Ok, electives coming in! Looks like I am extremely "cross country" at this point - UBC, Alberta/Calgary, U of S, Western, Dalhousie. Ha - am I going too far a field here? Toronto hasn't gotten back to me yet, and UBC is double booked with Ottawa. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiomegaly Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 Your schedule looks similar to a lot of students from the West!!! A lot of my friends are doing the western cities tour and making a single mandatory stop in Ontario and hitting up Dal because Dal is known to be really awesome. Where do you want to end up going? If the answer is Ontario, I might give them a little more love and take Ottawa over UBC. Though Vancouver would be awesome to visit. Either way you've hit a ton of locations and are "demonstrating the ability to move" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooty Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 are these all rads? i've been advised against UBC. they're known to take their own students, moreso than the norm. don't waste your time with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 Is that both Alberta and Calgary, rmorelan? If so, it actually looks like you want to leave Ontario About UBC - don't know how much the elective counts for them. It's certainly not a guarantee of an interview, in any case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted June 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 Is that both Alberta and Calgary, rmorelan? If so, it actually looks like you want to leave Ontario About UBC - don't know how much the elective counts for them. It's certainly not a guarantee of an interview, in any case. well it isn't like I am not trying for ontario as well - They just aren't exactly getting back to me in any reasonable time. In particular TO I guess is being slow - but I hear that is not unusual. Right now I have UBC, calgary or alberta (same time slot), U of S, Dal, and 2 electives at Western Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madz25 Posted June 27, 2012 Report Share Posted June 27, 2012 are these all rads? i've been advised against UBC. they're known to take their own students, moreso than the norm. don't waste your time with them. not true. people have matched there without even doing an on-site elective. as well, i think it has more to do with people from vancouver wanting to stay in vancouver and ranking it first, while people from the east ranking it lower because it is a substantial move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted June 28, 2012 Report Share Posted June 28, 2012 Right now I have UBC, calgary or alberta (same time slot), U of S, Dal, and 2 electives at Western Ok, when you include the electives at Western, you are perfectly balanced across Canada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2012 Ok, when you include the electives at Western, you are perfectly balanced across Canada Well that was the idea - I should be able to visit some of the sites I cannot do an elective in while I am away, and if everything works out I might even minimize my airfare costs by only having to go east to west. Of course you never know something might crop up to block that plan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted July 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 hmm looks like TO cancelled my elective - always fun! Western has offered a rad onc elective - related at least I guess (and another field I have an interest in). Only leaves me with one elective though in rads in Ontario so that means a bit off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inspiring-curmudgeon Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 Debating doing a McGill elective in radiology, and was just wondering if there is a bias toward anglophone applicants. Obviously they will state there is no bias, but I was just wondering what peoples experiences were before I commit to an elective there. I'd love to do my residency in that city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 How is your French? fwiw I did get asked that on interview. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inspiring-curmudgeon Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 How is your French? fwiw I did get asked that on interview. Terrible. But I'm certainly willing to learn. How good do you need to be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lactic Folly Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 Dunno, you'd have to ask someone who trains there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inspiring-curmudgeon Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 Dunno, you'd have to ask someone who trains there. Thanks lactic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radcurious Posted September 29, 2013 Report Share Posted September 29, 2013 Just curious if anyone has any particular suggestions for electives for Radiology - when would you suggest doing your home school, any particular schools I shouldn't miss for away electives, and what off service electives would make the most sense? I am still trying to figure out - even after all this time - if I want to be surgeon or a radiologist. Man I hate making these sorts of decisions, there is a reason I have multiple undergrads - I always want to do everything Oh neat! What made you decide to go for radiology over surgery in the end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmorelan Posted October 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Oh neat! What made you decide to go for radiology over surgery in the end? mostly the options with interventional radiology I think - particularly neuro interventional rads. I found some of the surg clinic work to be less than exciting to me for some reason and I really liked the flexibility that radiology offered in the end. Plus it gives you a chance to know what everyone else is doing in the entire hospital - if it is an interesting case then rads is involved. Two interventional days with the rest image interpretation sounds pretty good to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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