New to Path forum-applying this year-have some questions

[sweet n sour]

Hi everyone

Let me start off by saying this forum is just great with lots of good info. I am applying this year ...and yes, I did read yaah's FAQs...well let me just give you some idea where I'm coming from..IMG-2000 graduate- US citizen-M.S Immunology-very very interested in Path -Step 1 94(233)-Step 2 scheduled for Aug 25th-CS exam done - 1 publication. So, here goes

1. Considering my step 2 result will be out by mid to late Sept, should I wait till then to apply to at least the good programs(my first priority ones)?Or Should I go ahead and apply on Sep 1st with just my step 1 ?

2. Also, I am very interested in my local Path program. How would one go about expressing interest? Should I contact the P.D. and see if I can do some observership/externship for a few months? or should I approach some faculty and do some research?

3. I have been able to get 2 LORs (both from Ph.D.non-pathologists from where I did my MS). Do I use these or use LORs from pathologists from my med school (all dated 2000!)

This whole application process seems harder than studying for the boards...yesterday, i spent 3-4 hrs browsing ECFMG, ERAS etc and it seems quite complicated.

Thanx a bunch

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[yaah]

You don't want to use old LORs. You can use people you met previously but they should be written (or at least updated) in the past year.

As for expressing interest, both of those get the point across. You just have to find the right person who will help you out. Sometimes you have to be a bit pushy, unfortunately.

Apply as early as you can, submit step II when you get it. No point in waiting. They'll get the score eventually anyway.

 

[sweet n sour]

yaah

thanks for your comments..

 

[b&ierstiefel]

1. Considering my step 2 result will be out by mid to late Sept, should I wait till then to apply to at least the good programs(my first priority ones)? Or Should I go ahead and apply on Sep 1st with just my step 1 ?

No. It never hurts to apply early as possible. You can always choose to have your Step 2 scores transmitted automatically in which case, when the NBME has your results ready, residency programs will be able to download the score at the drop of a hat.

2. Also, I am very interested in my local Path program. How would one go about expressing interest? Should I contact the P.D. and see if I can do some observership/externship for a few months? or should I approach some faculty and do some research?

Observership/Externship is probably your best bet. Research projects are iffy in that the PI will probably have you work with a technician or a postdoc. When you work in a pathology research lab, you won't have much face time with the powers that be. The upside of doing research is that if you do a rather long term project and the PI thinks you're good, then you have one letter of recommendation in the bag. If I were in your shoes, I would choose clinical observership over the research.

3. I have been able to get 2 LORs (both from Ph.D.non-pathologists from where I did my MS). Do I use these or use LORs from pathologists from my med school (all dated 2000!)

Old letters are virtually useless. Some of the programs won't even accept letters that were written over a year ago from the time of application.

 

[sweet n sour]

Andy

Thanks for your reply. just a question, when you said "clinical observership" did you mean a Clinical Path observership? I looked at some Path program websites (mostly in CA) , but got no information about where these Path observerships can be done. Any thoughts?

oh, did you get your LASIK done yet? (was browsing old posts, damn ..this forum is addicting I got mine done and am very happy with the result

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Andy

Thanks for your reply. just a question, when you said "clinical observership" did you mean a Clinical Path observership? I looked at some Path program websites (mostly in CA) , but got no information about where these Path observerships can be done. Any thoughts?

oh, did you get your LASIK done yet? (was browsing old posts, damn ..this forum is addicting I got mine done and am very happy with the result

Yeah, I meant clinical path observership. Any other kind of clinical observership would be less useful for your purposes.

No LASIK...yet.