Today Chase DiMarco talks to Dr. Barry Julius, an associate radiology residency director at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. He is also the CEO of Dr. Resident, Inc and the chief editor at RadsResident.com. They talk about international medical graduates in the US, finding the right radiology residency programs, and the qualities of an exceptional radiology resident.
- [00:54] Creating Content for Radiology Residents
- [03:10] The Lack of Career Resources for Radiology Residents
- [04:23] Challenges Facing Radiology Residency
- [07:35] International Medical Graduates in the US
- [09:50] How to Stand Out During Match Week
- [13:33] Qualities of an Exceptional Radiology Resident
- [16:30] Factors to Consider Before Settling on Radiology
- [19:10] Dr. Julius’s Advice to Aspiring Radiologists
Creating Content for Radiology Residents
Like all medical fields, radiology residents don’t have access to content that irons out their transition from med school into residency. One major contributing factor to this is that program directors do not have the time to create the resources. With this in mind, Dr. Julius saw a gap and wrote his first blog post on radiology residency. His first few blogs were impressively well received, and the excitement that followed when more people visited his blog is what prompted him to publish more than 400 posts. He admits that the journey has not been easy, but the fact that students stand to benefit from his experience keeps him going.
International Medical Graduates in the US
It’s a well-known fact that hospitals and residency programs are always on the hunt for the top-performing students in the US. For this reason, hospitals flood Ivy League schools looking to entice the brightest minds into their programs. However, Dr. Julius believes that there is no real correlation between the quality of the school and the quality of the residents. This is because schools play a minor role in shaping brilliant residents. After all, a good chunk of medical education is focused on individual study. Moreover, he believes that international medical graduates often outperform their local counterparts because they come in feeling like second-class graduates.
How to Find the Right Radiology Residency Programs
One of the most important decisions you’ll ever make in your medical journey is choosing your medical residency program. If you decide to pursue radiology, brace yourself because radiology touches just about everything in medicine. The good news is that radiology is an exciting specialty that offers many subspecialty options. Candidates looking to join the world of radiology programs will need to be well-rounded, boast solid clinical rotations, research experience, and a personality suited for radiology. With the pandemic still with us, residency interviews are now being conducted virtually. Thus more students are finding it challenging to find the right fit, especially the undecided students.
Dr. Julius believes that zoom interviews are here to stay, especially since they eliminate the costly cross-country traveling. However, students will still need to have a second look and visit the hospital if they are to make an informed decision. A second look provides insights into the hospital culture and whether you will fit in well with the systems in the hospital.
Qualities of an Exceptional Radiology Resident
Candidates seeking a career in Radiology require special skills and aptitudes. Unfortunately, the selection process is a little tricky since many of the essential qualities predictive of a good radiology resident are difficult to assess. Dr. Julius believes residents need to possess several distinct traits that include:
- A passion for reading
- An analytical mind, an eye for detail, and good observational skills
- An excellent understanding of general medicine and surgery
- Exceptional clinical knowledge across all specialties
- Good organizational skills
- The ability to work well in a team and to manage others effectively
- Excellent verbal communication skills to communicate with patients and colleagues
- Excellent written communication skills for accurate report-writing
Check out Dr. Julius’s Website
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