Programs Mindless of Scores

I don't know any in particular - as long as you have passed, that is often good enough for most programs if the rest of your application has enough to recommend you. In general, the more competitive programs are the larger, university programs. Less competitive are community based. From what I have heard, programs that are outside the northeast or the west coast are also somewhat less competitive.

If you don't have success with your current application, the solution may be to improve your application, whether this is with clinical work, research, etc.

However, applying in december will often get you no response because I believe many programs don't accept new applications after a certain date (they're all different, some are as early as november). Because you applied too late, they may not bother to let you know this, as you could have read the website. I went on one interview in mid-october and the program said that although they were still receiving quality applications they could not take anyone else because their schedule was simply full.

You applied very, very late. I think path is becoming increasingly competitive. Ihave avrage scores and I got 14 interviews out of 40 programs. I Prematched ( I am Board certified in AP in my country). From my experience your whole application counts - Personal Statement, CV, previous experience in the field, not just scores. They wants to see commitment, not just a way to enter in the system.. Keep going.. Watch for post-match!

It's too late now. The programs already submitted NRMP final quota. That means that they already have an idea about their ranking list. Some of them told me when i called that have all their interview spots full. I applied at the end of sept and there where a lot of candidates who already applied on Sep 2nd. So watch out for post-match, try to clear Step 3 (a big issue, because most of the programs asked me about it, they had residents failing 3-5 times) and do some observership. LORs from US Pathologist counts a lot. Good luck! Have faith in yourself and you'll succed!

Everything said before is true, you applied too late and Pathology is getting very competitive! Since you can?t go back in time, now you have to look ahead...PREPARE yourself for postmatch, look up programs who might go unfilled, usually places who did not fill last year and the year before and apply to them 10 days before match day(you can look this up on scutwork.com), this way you will have an edge over others, in the sense that when you contact them they have your application through ERAS. I don?t know if it is the greatest strategy, but it may help, I was planning on doing this, luckily I pre-matched. You can even go ahead and prepare packets of all your documents and mail(snail mail) them to some programs a few days before match day...think of anything that will give you a head start over others & postmatch is in true sense of the word a scramble.Programs will pick whoever comes in first.
Hope this helps!!! And best of luck to you!!

And don?t worry too much about scores, my scores were also very low and I got a few interviews. Definitly apply/send documents to Baptisit health Systems in Birmingham Alabama, I interviewed there and they seem to have had problems filling their positions...just thought I?d let you know

... and I think you get can apply to 30 programs for free through ERAS for the scramble.

does anyone know which hospitals in california would let IMG s work as an research assistant or do a observership in path. I too have a green card , so I have no visa issues. I am desperate to get a lor from an American pathologist. I am not interested in any other speciality except path, so please help me. And, how do you go about applying for observership or a research assistant position????

Originally posted by duk
Everything said before is true, you applied too late and Pathology is getting very competitive! Since you can?t go back in time, now you have to look ahead...PREPARE yourself for postmatch, look up programs who might go unfilled, usually places who did not fill last year and the year before and apply to them 10 days before match day(you can look this up on scutwork.com

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If pathology is getting very competitive, then every field in medicine minus family practice and neurology is also very competitive. Perhaps pathology is getting more competitive but even last year psychiatry, often given as an example of one of the least competitive fields, had a higher % of AMG's than path. Compared to other fields, pathology would still have to be considered non-competitive, especially at community programs and smaller university programs.

The OP's problem was simple.... just applied way too late. A quick glance at most path webpages shows that her application wouldn't even be considered. If he or she doesn't want to work the postmatch, the problem can be easily corrected next year by applying to a large variety of community programs and less desirable university programs.

Sorry, I don?t know anything about research/observeship in New York/New Jersey or California areas. I do have a contact number for a fellowship in HIV in South Florida, I was going to apply for that if I had no luck with the match. There is also an observeship in Path department at Mount Sinai hospital of Greater Miami, called "Mini Residency Program" it lasts one month, and you can get a couple of LoR?s. If anyone is interested you can PM me. For the fellowship I believe you don?t have to have a prior specialty or anything, at least that was what I was told, it?s worth the try, it may open up many doors ...

If pathology is getting very competitive, then every field in medicine minus family practice and neurology is also very competitive. Perhaps pathology is getting more competitive but even last year psychiatry, often given as an example of one of the least competitive fields, had a higher % of AMG's than path. Compared to other fields, pathology would still have to be considered non-competitive, especially at community programs and smaller university programs.

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Yes Path is not Dermatology, but the number of applications are rapidly increasing on a year to year basis.

Five years ago, FMGs could match at top ranked university based programs in the most popular cities in the country, but now it would be nearly impossible to match at even an average program in a desirable location.

Talking to a program director, he said that the number of American students applying to his program was 30 five years ago and now it was 120.

But for now community programs or smaller university programs in relatively undesirable locations will probably still be possible, but if the increase in path applications continues for a couple more years, the number of slots for FMGs could be very few, but that means that slots in other specialties are opening up.

As far as signing outside the match, I don't know anything about it.

What are the more competitive path programs, and what makes them so? Research? Academic institution? What have people heard from the residents who are actually at these programs?

Thanks

Ben

^the big name programs on the east and any program on the west coast are typically get the most applicants.

Thanks governaitor,

What makes these programs more competetive? As far as the west coast goes I imagine it's location mostly. What are the "big name" programs on the east coast you referred to?

^IMO,

There are fewer west coast programs and they are all "strong" and the west coast is such a nice place to live. So, they get a lot of applicants.


The big names in the East are the ones that you here about all the time. MGH, Brigham, Yale, Penn, and Hopkins.

In the Midwest the big ones are Washington-STL, Iowa, Cleveland Clinic, and Mayo.

Utah is probably the best program in the west but not on the coast.

Again IMO.

thanks for the tips pathstudent, as an IMG now I know which programs I shouldn`t even bother applying.

^well you can always apply.

Five years ago, FMGs got into all those places, but like the Governator said, things have changed, but you never know.

Originally posted by pathstudent
^IMO,

There are fewer west coast programs and they are all "strong" and the west coast is such a nice place to live. So, they get a lot of applicants.


The big names in the East are the ones that you here about all the time. MGH, Brigham, Yale, Penn, and Hopkins.

In the Midwest the big ones are Washington-STL, Iowa, Cleveland Clinic, and Mayo.

Utah is probably the best program in the west but not on the coast.

Again IMO.

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I'm not sold on Yale.

The midwest, I would say Michigan and U Chicago are more highly regarded by most pathologists than Iowa and Cleveland Clinic. Mayo is a wonderful place, but not every resident would do well there. They have a very different style. A better place for fellowships. Iowa is wonderful, though.

Programs get highly ranked, in large part, because of research $$$. This doesn't mean that it is the most appropriate environment for everyone.

The programs that are well-known for good teaching and making resident teaching a priority are not always the same ones that have lots of research.

Utah is great, I agree.

And I must disagree with the statement that the west coast is a great place to live. Yuck! Oregon is beautiful, though.

The midwest, I would say Michigan and U Chicago

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michigan is great, but having met path residents that went to the University of Chicago as med students, who said that they wouldn't even consider doing residency there, it can't be that great.

"Big name" programs often get their big names because of well known faculty and their research output. Being big name doesn't mean you'll get any better teaching/learning than other, not so big name, places. I'm not trying to put down the well known programs. All I'm trying to say is don't be afraid to go to places that aren't considered big name.

Defending U Chicago - Dr Kumar (of Robbins fame) is now the chairman there, and there are a number of fairly new faculty members who are really outstanding. This is why I say that one should not pay too much attention to people who severely badmouth a program. The department is very scholarly and has a lot of experts - Dr Krausz who is chairman of Surg Path is a good example. The department has the most outstanding (it's hard to argue this point if you see it) surg path facilities, most of which are very new and updated, of any program I have seen. The grossing rooms, multihead scopes, and conference rooms in particular.

I had my doubts before visiting. I applied because my advisor knew the PD there and had good things to say about lots of the folks there, and I was going to apply to a few other programs in the general area and thought I could schedule an interview there on the same trip. I was really impressed with the scholarly nature of the program and surprised at how much resident education was a priority. And the facilities, as I said.

I have heard too in the past about how the program could use some improvement - and I think it definitely is not for everyone. They do favor those interested in research and academic careers, but the resident education seems to be quite good now.

Personally,there are a number of programs that I wouldn't consider training at, but others love.