10 High-Yield Tips for Matching into Diagnostic Radiology

Medical students already know the essentials of matching into residency: good grades, board scores, extracurriculars, and research. But what are the lesser-known strategies that can give you a competitive edge? Here are my 10 high-yield tips to help you succeed in matching into a U.S. Diagnostic Radiology (DR) program.

1) Read the AMSER Guide

The Association of Academic Radiology (AAR) updates the AMSER guide annually with practical advice for building a strong radiology application from M1 onward.

2) Set Goals Using NRMP Data

The latest NRMP Charting Outcomes (e.g., 2024) helps you benchmark your goals for ERAS submission. For instance, DO applicants with a LEVEL 2 score less than 451 are significantly less likely to match (pg. 55)—aim to score ≥500 to stay competitive.

Although the NRMP data is a great tool, one should beware of skewed means. An outlier with 100+ research items can inflate the average and misrepresent the “typical” applicant (see Image 1).

3) Leverage Soft Skills to Build Relationships

Networking is a crucial skill and opens doors. It doesn’t have to feel forced—just be friendly, authentic, and proactive in meeting DR attendings, residents, and faculty at your institution or conferences. Ask for their preferred contact info for follow-ups. Here's how it worked for me:

• A DR resident I met on my Gen Surg rotation became a key mentor and pulled me into radiology research, which led to more connections and most of my 15+ research experiences.
• A family friend (an orthopedic surgeon) introduced me to an MSK radiologist who let me shadow and later personally advocated for me at their alma mater post-ERAS submission.
• Cold-emailing a Clerkship Coordinator inquiring about the program led to a private call with the Senior Chief Resident before interview season.
• Expressing genuine interest in a program via email after applying for an away rotation helped secure me a slot outside my original VSLO dates.

4) Seek Out Mentors

I attribute much of my success to my resident mentor, Dave. He was always available for me, answered my questions, provided resources, and connected me to research. This relationship resulted in a published article with his Chief Resident, who later vouched for me to the PD. By my M4 DR elective at this program, residents and attendings already knew my name.

I also tapped seniors 1–2 years ahead for fresh insights, often given freely out of goodwill.

Another important mentor to me was a local radiologist I met through family. Although he was less familiar with constructing a competitive residency application, he called the PD at my top program multiple times on my behalf.

5) Build an Authentic Application

Checking the boxes (leadership, research, extracurriculars) matters, but pursue what genuinely interests you. This creates a natural theme that stands out in your ERAS application, which can be discussed effortlessly during interviews. Mine included:

• Teaching & Mentorship: Submitting to ACR's Case in Point (CIP) added research while letting me teach radiology cases.
• Research: Presenting at conferences boosted my CV and provided an opportunity to network.
• Hobbies (Exercise): Running a half-marathon fundraiser for Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation in honor of my nephew was a highlight.
• Hobbies (Blog): My blog doubled as a creative outlet and mentorship platform, which tied nicely into my work experience at a healthcare tech startup.

6) Accumulate Leadership Experience

Leadership experience shows that you embrace responsibility, take initiative, and positively impact others. I listed seven leadership experiences on ERAS, none were radiology-specific:

1. Fatherhood
2. Work experience as an Account Manager at a healthcare tech startup
3. Tutoring experiences from undergrad through med school
4. Mentoring experiences throughout med school
5. Education Chair for club in med school
6. Secretary for another club
7. Organizing local pick-up soccer leagues

7) Get Involved in Research at Target Programs

Collaborating with residents and faculty at your top-choice program helps showcase your work ethic outside the reading room and keeps your name fresh in their mind. How it worked for me:

• As an M3 on core rotations, I sought out radiology residents at my safety/home program for projects. Residents often have a minimum research requirement and many are happy to offload the work to an eager med student.
• On M4 elective rotations at target programs, I asked key players (i.e., PD, APD, Chair, Chiefs) for research opportunities. Even if I didn't get on a project, they liked that I showed an interest.

8) Leverage Away Rotations

Away rotations are invaluable for leaving a lasting impression and assessing program fit. Be personable, engaged, and proactive.

Choose electives wisely. Target 2–4-week electives at both safety and reach programs. I did 14 weeks across four DR programs by February of M4.

9) Strategically Apply to Programs

In my match cycle of 2025, DR/IR applicants had 6 Gold and 6 Silver signals. Signals significantly impact interview invitation yield and were assigned when submitting ERAS (not after!).

A 2024 preference signaling study showed:

• Interview invitation rates were higher for signaled (59.8%) vs. non-signaled (8.5%) programs.
• Gold signals had higher interview rates (67.8%) than Silver (51.8%).
• Applicants averaged 6 signals for "likely-to-match" programs, 2 for "aspirational," and 4 for "safety" programs.

Avoid over-applying out of fear—I did, and it was a mistake. I applied to over 90 programs, but only received interviews from programs I signaled. With <10% of invites coming from non-signaled programs, I recommend limiting DR apps to ~30 programs (IR is an exception—its non-signal interview rate is higher).*

*Edit: After speaking with some of my colleagues who also matched DR this cycle, many believe this to be controversial advice. I might modify this advice slightly: if you are not a strong applicant (as I was), then I would not recommend applying to more than ~30 programs. However, if you have a strong application, then you are more likely to receive interview invitations from programs you don't signal, but the yield is still quite low.

10) Prepare Intelligently for Interviews

Receiving an interview invite means you're worthy of becoming a radiologist. Congrats! Now, it's about fit. Aim to leave a positive, lasting impression on everyone, from faculty to admins.

Practice answering common questions like:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why radiology?
• Why this program?
• Strengths & weaknesses?
• Do you have any questions for me?

Prepare thoughtfully but speak naturally—don’t regurgitate scripts.

For virtual interviews, invest in a ring light and camera, and use a thoughtful and professional background.

Bonus Tip: Talk About Your Family (If Applicable)

Fatherhood was one of my three ERAS Meaningful Experiences, which set the tone for my application. Some hesitate to mention family—especially my female colleagues—fearing bias. My take? If a program doesn’t support parenthood, it’s not for me. Every program I interviewed at respected my role as a dad. When answering, "Why this program?" I always tied in my family—like my wife’s job stability or local schools—which earned me the appreciation of my interviewer for my honesty.

Final Thoughts

Matching into diagnostic radiology rewards applicants who demonstrate a blend of academic excellence, extracurriculars, and genuine interest in the field. Follow these tips, be proactive, and take advantage of every opportunity to show your interest and commitment to the field. Godspeed!