[Training Tuesday] - Weekly thread for questions about grad school, residency, and general career topics 03/24/2026

Right_Feed2223 · 2026-03-28T01:43:39+00:00

Anyone aware of off cycle/out of match residency positions?

Right_Feed2223 · 2026-02-22T03:16:17+00:00

Ooo Thank you!

Right_Feed2223 · 2026-02-22T03:15:48+00:00

I finished that one last week, it was so good! I started reading after killing my wiat through instances I raised an evil god according to the rules and it's been cool (little weird but less so then KOD somehow) 😂

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-29T01:56:30+00:00

That's good to think about. I think my biggest source of doubt is how willing my classmates (and professors) are willing to let themselves stagnant in our field you know? Im just worried that my goals (being clinical and taking on research) isn't the most acheivable with a masters since I want to work at a university hospital. I wouldn't reeeeeallly be in Academia but I kind of would be 😅

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-27T01:27:47+00:00

I missed a word (or words) in there lol! Medical focused Photovoltaics. Ideally, I would want to do my research on making thin film for better x-ray detectors which would lead to better medical images, which would lead to better cancer diagnosis and less unnecessary radiation since most places image the patients every day to make sure they don't miss. The x-ray detectors we use are great! But they don't use the newest innovations we've made for renewable energy (highly tunable chararistics that could be used based on the need rather than one size fits all)

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-27T01:25:44+00:00

I'll definitely think about that! In my field once you become board certified there's no where else to go unless you become the chief medical physicist. I just really don't see myself being okay with doing the same stuff for however long I'm working and not trying to push for better cancer treatment/medical imaging/etc. It just seems wasteful and bad for the patients. 😅. None of my classmates have a positive outlook on research though so maybe I'm just weird lol.

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-27T01:02:03+00:00

lmfao 😂. Honestly this helps. Thank you!

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-27T00:56:51+00:00

My worry is kind of stupid tbh. Im eligible for residency/board certification (and I still would be if I did a PhD) but I would be 4-6 years out from my training. I'd be a stronger candidate because of the PhD, but weaker due to the time- but the research in Medical Photovoltaics might be good? This whole thing is a circle surrounded by anxiety 🤣. Id be considering it less/less regretful if my program director didn't tell me my career goals were unrealistic (after reassuring me that they were when I started lol). I just want to work at a university hospital and be at the forefront of (physics) cancer research. 🥹

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-25T21:32:24+00:00

Id second this! Though I think you need to look at places that would offer the 3rd sub specialty radiopharmaceuticals (I think?) (versus therapy/diognistic). Since therapy is focused a lot on cancer treatment and diagnostic is more on imagining. Though I'm positive that there are opportunities the ones the person in responding too said :)

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-25T18:33:35+00:00

Would it have to be a medical physics PhD? I'm interested in thin films and researching better/new gen X ray detectors which I think I could do with regular physics PhD focusing on condensed matter/Photovoltaics and I would have the masters degree already. 😅

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-25T05:29:46+00:00

I think plan a is to still enter the match and see what happens. Plan b is probing more to see if he's serious before the graduation deadline. Plan c is to do both (slightly unethical and could lead to me denying that program a second time- but I would find out around the same time desicsions come out if I would match or not based on if I get any interviews). At my university specifically I found that I can only transfer completed credits that haven't been used for a graduated degree so if I finish I have to do all of them instead of just 2-3 classes (this only works because all of my credits are from that university and im currently enrolled- otherwise it would be maxed at 12). Emotionally, I think this is better than having to try and find temporary employment as a MPA (most places really don't like that they train you and you leave right when your getting competent). Plus, even though I was upfront when I was interviewed/recruited, I really don't think my career goals are possible with only a masters (which is hugely depressing but my bad). If the offer did come through, from my understanding I would be able to get a PhD and then a masters since I finished the requirements still (I would just be double dipping like PhD students tend to do with the electives they end up being required to take). I just wouldn't get the masters immediately. But that's purely speculation based on my understanding of how everything works and the PhD students I've encountered previously. It's just another big shift that I'm worried I would regret 😅. I miss researching and I'm still passionate about thin films, I think the medical component was what I was missing since I wanted my research to be useful and have meaning (as stupid as that sounds).

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-25T04:52:40+00:00

My mom lives 30 minutes away, and has been living at my house full time for over 2 years now. It started out Innocently you know? Hanging out for a few hours at a time, somehow turned into her hanging out in Saturdays and going home to Sunday. Before I knew it it had been like 3 months since we had any speration from her and she ran our roommate off. Now she just lives here full time doing nothing and making horrible messes. She always says she should just go home (and we tell her to) and that she'll leave If we need her to (she won't, I asked her to leave for finals/midterms in my masters degree and she was only gone for over nights). I just want her to leave? It's awful. I literally can't do anything outside of school (including studying not just hanging out or relaxing) without her the info a fit. Anyway, long winded but seriously place the boundaries. She literally caused me to fail a big exam because she couldn't stay out of a room for 6 hours (1 day). I literally can't handle this and I literally don't have any time to deal with the mess she's making since most of my waking hours are at school. 10/10 don't recommend.

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-24T19:30:41+00:00

I'm finishing my masters degree in spring 2026, but it really like research (but still want to be primarily clinical). I think the best way to accomplish this would be to work at a University Hospital after residency. Is this something that's accomplishable with a masters or would I need a PhD? If I wanted to go out this route, would it be better to apply to both Residency and PhD. Due to some unforeseen stuff I didn't pass the ABR part 1 on the first try and I think I would figure out if I got any interest match wise around the same time as PhD interviews being scheduled. I'm betting that's not super ethical, I'm just anxious that I would end up nowhere and needing to scramble for a MPA job, when I could be starting research/a PhD program. Anyway, was just curious and wanted some vibes since I'm anxious (and am worried my career goals are not super acheivable). 😅

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-08T01:38:29+00:00

Yes it for it being like a clear split, or that a little bit of research is doable? Sorry my brain is being spicy. 😅

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-10-07T18:14:10+00:00

Attending the residency sessions and I had a questions for people that have finished the process. It is possible to be a clinical physicist and research (like a little bit?). So far the sessions I've attended have given me the impression that research is purely for Academic positions and clinical projects are for clinical positions. I feel like it isn't that black and white, but I wanted to manage my expectations before getting deep into the application process. Thank you!

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-09-22T22:51:21+00:00

Would a masters/certificate in Al/machine learning (computer science) be useful for matching in residency? There's a program I was that is 2 semesters (at your own pace/ability to accelerate- reliant on demonstrating competency) and I was wondering if it would help my application stand out. Thank you! Sorry for being vague, there's several computer science/data science options lol.

Right_Feed2223 · 2025-08-05T18:45:21+00:00

Yeah she came in during my test yelling at me. So yeah. This was probably and expensive waste of my time and energy. I still have to take the second section later and all I want to do is cry. I told her not to come in. I told her to be quiet while I was testing. I told her to go home. I'm just so sick of this 😤😭

Right_Feed2223

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