Radiology used to be one of the most desired and competitive residencies until approximately 1995. At that time the number of applicants dropped due to a fear of the lack of jobs once out of residency. Although the applicant pool has been increasing since then, it is still less competitive than it was 5 years ago. This is good for those who just want to get into any program (you will match if you apply to enough programs). On the other hand, positions for the top-tier programs are still fiercely competitive, and will probably be even more so due to anticipated reductions in the number of positions.

If you know you want to go into radiology, find an advisor (the earlier the better). Dr. Blickman, the radiology course director, is the best resource for mentoring, being your advisor, and directing you to other members of the staff. You should also introduce yourself to Dr. Ferrucci, the chairman, since he is well known in the field and is a great guy. He is very approachable and student friendly, and has great words of wisdom. He will, however, defer most of the nuts and bolts of advising to Dr. Blickman.

Do your radiology rotation early in your fourth year so it will be in your Dean’s letter, and honor it. AOA, strong board scores, a good academic record and research are all pluses that will make you more competitive for the higher tier programs. Probably the most important thing programs look at are letters of recommendation. Try to get letters from people who know you very well and will really go to bat for you (at least one of whom should be a radiologist).

Although experiences will vary, most programs don’t look at applications until the deadline, usually Nov 15. So it’s not essential to have everything in by September. Most programs participate in ERAS, so get all that stuff from the Office of Student Affairs. Otherwise, relax, have fun, and good luck.

For those of you who are considering a career in radiology (or haven’t ruled it out as a possibility) here are some words of advice.

First of all, plan your radiology rotation early in your fourth year (preferably before your Dean’s letter goes out). Of the 10 people in my class who matched in radiology, 5 had not made their final decision until this rotation. Don’t worry if you make your decision early in your fourth year, this is not unusual. As long as you get your applications in on time you are not at a disadvantage.

Next, find an advisor within the department. Drs. Blickman, Eustace, Cranley, and Ferrucci were all excellent resources and very willing to talk to students. You will probably want at least one letter from a radiologist, therefore it is a good idea to get to know your advisor as early as possible. Other letters can be from just about any department, as long as they are strong. It is a good idea to have at least one letter from the department of medicine because some preliminary and transitional programs require this.

A common question that I have been asked is how important are grades/USMLE and research experience. The general feeling from the students in my class going into rads was that the stronger your academic record, the better. However, radiology has been somewhat less competitive the last few years because of a decrease in the number of applicants. There is a wide range of programs out there, some very competitive and others less so. It really depends on what you are looking for. If you would like to match at a highly competitive, academic program, research experience is very desirable, as are strong USMLE scores. Luckily, it is very easy to get involved in research. Many of the radiologists at BU are currently involved in some form of research and most are very happy to have help from interested students. It is often possible to be involved without actually using up a rotation block. Again, it depends on what you are interested in. Research can help, but is not a requirement.

Finally, if there is a program you are very interested in, it is a good idea to do an away rotation there if possible but this is not a necessity. Very few of the students in my class matched at programs where they had done rotations.

Good luck!!