Ok, well I know the Boston, NYC, and California programs are now difficult to get, but what about the more isolated big name places (i.e. Mich, WashU, Dartmouth, etc.)? Any difference? I'm assuming less competitive based on less people randomly wanting to live in these locations (not that they are less attractive, but more obscure). I want to get into the best program possible and my advisor (a pathologist) is telling me that path is now pretty competitive. I'm from a top 50 school with above average Step I and grades. Any advice?
I know this is a dead horse
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b&ierstiefel
You will never know how difficult it is to get into a particular program unless you apply. My advice to you is to not hold back when you apply through ERAS--apply broadly including the Boston, NYC, and Cali programs. If you apply to more than 20 programs, you'll have to pay a few extra bucks but the initial application stage is not the time to hold back. When you start getting interview offers, that's when you should start getting picky.Tidal said:
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Tidal said:
I wouldn't necessarily assume that "isolated" places are easier to get. A lot of people frankly don't want to live in big cities, and the bigger name programs, in the recent past, have had the same difficulties as any other place. Like me, for example, you couldn't get me to live in NYC or LA for residency if my salary was doubled.
Ann Arbor is far from obscure and isolated, and neither is St Louis. There are degrees of isolation though - while Ann Arbor is not Chicago, it's a decent sized city and close to a major airport and a big city. Whereas Hanover NH is 2 hours from anything, and Rochester MN is basically a collection of Mayo Clinic Buildings, hotels for Mayo Clinic patients, and housing for Mayo Clinic staff.
A word of advice: The "best program possible" is going to be different for everybody - do not listen to other people's "rankings" and take them as fact. A lot of people tend to do this - they hear someone talk about certain programs being good and they take it as gospel because that is what they want to hear, at the same time dismissing other praise for different programs because that is what they don't want to hear. You need to look into programs carefully, ask around as to where people have had good training experiences, and open your mind to more than just the whole "top ten" school of thought.
By the way, what is a "top 50" med school anyway? My med school was ranked anywhere between 3 and 80 on a bunch of the lists I saw, so did I go to a top 3 med school or a top 80?
Most people don't care about med school rankings except for pending premeds and med school deans who can use this to attract premeds.
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In addition to the comments already made, I think of the Midwest and other so-called non-Top-10 places as the "new frontier", for lack of a better phrase. They aren't afraid to take on applicants who are a little unconventional, who are just starting out - as opposed to already being established with first-author publications +++ etc. And they tend to surprise you with their flexibility.
To illustrate, the place where I will be starting in July is actually considering helping me get to a European conference
In my first year itself! I don't have the plane ticket in hand yet, but the fact that they are even thinking about it wins me over.
To illustrate, the place where I will be starting in July is actually considering helping me get to a European conference
In my first year itself! I don't have the plane ticket in hand yet, but the fact that they are even thinking about it wins me over.
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b&ierstiefel
deschutes said:
There are no such rankings for pathology programs. And I'm sure if you asked people which were the top 10 programs, you would not get a consensus answer.
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