2008 pathology applicants

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Happy Valentine's Day.

So recieved my diploma last week, submitted my Step 3 app and sent in my ID card to the FSMB... recieved confirmation today that I'm approved to take it and should recieve my permit info in 3-5 days. So no massive delays so far... :thumbup:

BH

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Very much so. I still need to submit my certified ROL (one more second visit to go)... but I'm 99% certain I know where my top choice is, and 99.999% certain they're going to rank me to match, so that's removed a lot of the uncertainty from the whole equation and put me at peace. I also recieved my diploma last week and have been chilling in the lab working a little post-doc action since the holidays, so that's taken my mind off it (although given me considerably more time to surf SDN...)

So I feel bad for everyone that's stressing. Just show your top few choices some love without making promises you can't keep, and keep it frosty... :thumbup:
BH

So, as much as I'd like to be as chill as mlw and docbiohazard are, I'm a little more like Tiki- nervous and obsessed about March 20th. I think the main issue for me is that my #1 is far ahead of my #2-5, and it's also the program that I feel least secure about nabbing (this is based solely on the estimated merits of their current residents who have a high percentage of AOA's, MDPhDs, and people who did post-soph fellowships at the institution). Wanting something so much is an unusual and uncomfortable situation for me, I'm more accustomed to seeing the bright side of situations, making the best of wherever I end up, and generally being pretty even-keeled.

My current coping strategy is to remind myself periodically that programs #2-5 are fine institutions wherein I'd get all the training I'll need and are located in very livable communities. Which helps a little, but I'm still fixated.
 
My current coping strategy is to remind myself periodically that programs #2-5 are fine institutions wherein I'd get all the training I'll need and are located in very livable communities. Which helps a little, but I'm still fixated.

I hear ya. If it makes you feel any better, I still have nagging doubts about the programs I'm passing up in favor of my #1... they mostly come out at night... mostly...

BH
 
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I hear ya. If it makes you feel any better, I still have nagging doubts about the programs I'm passing up in favor of my #1... they mostly come out at night... mostly...

BH

Yeah, but after you match at your #1 it'll be... game over man, game over.

Then you could sit around a fire and sing a couple of songs.
 
I feel like I'd be happy at my 2-5, I just worry that I haven't shown them enough love post-interview, therefore dropping my position on their rank lists because they think I'm not interested.

I mean, I sent in thank you cards. Should I have done much more than that?

Oh, and Happy Valentine's to all!
 
I feel like I'd be happy at my 2-5, I just worry that I haven't shown them enough love post-interview, therefore dropping my position on their rank lists because they think I'm not interested.

I mean, I sent in thank you cards. Should I have done much more than that?

Oh, and Happy Valentine's to all!

Tiki,
Relax already. You've done enough. I remember on my medicine sub-I 4-5 months ago, I was on a team with a fresh MSIII. At the end of the rotation she had written thank you notes to all the attendings, residents, and interns on the rotation, and asked me if I wanted to sign them as well. I thought this was rather odd... and she told me that it was her understanding that everybody did this, and she had done it on every month of every rotation she had done up to that point. I told her it was really overkill, but that it wouldn't hurt her to do it if she really wanted (although I secretly thought it would hurt her since she would seem like a brown-noser). Oh, yeah, she also took pictures of the team and afterwards sent everyone the pictures.
Anyway, point is, I don't think it matters at all, and I bet at most of these places your spot on the ROL was dictated before they ever received your thank you note. I never sent a thank you note to any program. I also only sent e-mails when I had specific questions. After interviewing several hundered people, I bet most PDs get thank-you notes and e-mails and ask themselves "who the heck is this?" before bothering to look you up and your evaluations, to see whether or not it is worth wasting their time to write you back.
 
Tiki,
Relax already. You've done enough. I remember on my medicine sub-I 4-5 months ago, I was on a team with a fresh MSIII. At the end of the rotation she had written thank you notes to all the attendings, residents, and interns on the rotation, and asked me if I wanted to sign them as well. I thought this was rather odd... and she told me that it was her understanding that everybody did this, and she had done it on every month of every rotation she had done up to that point. I told her it was really overkill, but that it wouldn't hurt her to do it if she really wanted (although I secretly thought it would hurt her since she would seem like a brown-noser). Oh, yeah, she also took pictures of the team and afterwards sent everyone the pictures.
Anyway, point is, I don't think it matters at all, and I bet at most of these places your spot on the ROL was dictated before they ever received your thank you note. I never sent a thank you note to any program. I also only sent e-mails when I had specific questions. After interviewing several hundered people, I bet most PDs get thank-you notes and e-mails and ask themselves "who the heck is this?" before bothering to look you up and your evaluations, to see whether or not it is worth wasting their time to write you back.

I am relaxed, for the most part, except when I'm nervously pacing and chewing on my nails. :laugh:

I realize that it won't effect my place on some lists, but some programs have outright told those interviewing to keep in touch and let them know you are interested. I really haven't done that besides sending the thank you note. Hence my panic. The good thing is that I really do like my first seven programs, so if I don't match at my number one, hopefully i'll match at 2-7.
 
Yeah, but after you match at your #1 it'll be... game over man, game over.

I can already hear my attending at the first morning conference...

"All right people, what are you waiting for, breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in pathology. A day in pathology is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet. Every paycheck a fortune. Every formation a parade. I love pathology!"

:D
 
I can already hear my attending at the first morning conference...

"All right people, what are you waiting for, breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in pathology. A day in pathology is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet. Every paycheck a fortune. Every formation a parade. I love pathology!"

:D

At least it won't be "Hey Biohazard- have you ever been mistaken for a man?"
 
I can already hear my attending at the first morning conference...

"All right people, what are you waiting for, breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in pathology. A day in pathology is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet. Every paycheck a fortune. Every formation a parade. I love pathology!"

:D

accuedge_shot.jpg


"I like to keep this handy.. for close encounters." :laugh:
 
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10 days till ROLs are due :scared:

I revisited my top choice yesterday just to get a better idea of the area and to check out some apartments. I'm so excited, I hope I end up there. :love:
 
10 days till ROLs are due :scared:

I revisited my top choice yesterday just to get a better idea of the area and to check out some apartments. I'm so excited, I hope I end up there. :love:

Holy crap. That's exciting.

It's coming faster than I expected.
:scared:

I hope I can get one of my top 3.
 
10 days till ROLs are due :scared:

I revisited my top choice yesterday just to get a better idea of the area and to check out some apartments. I'm so excited, I hope I end up there. :love:


Has anyone heard back from U of Iowa or Indiana. They have been unusually quiet recently. I've mostly heard back from everyone else except them.
 
Has anyone heard back from U of Iowa or Indiana. They have been unusually quiet recently. I've mostly heard back from everyone else except them.

I didn't apply to either of those, but I wouldn't worry if a program is quiet. From what everyone keeps telling me, not all programs keep contacting applicants.


Sean, even if you aren't confident, I'm confident you'll get one of your top three!!

Even though I love my number one and want to go there really badly, I'll be happy at any of my top five.
 
hey would everyone sign in to AIM this afternoon or evening, it would be great to have a live discussion about this and what impressions that people hold regarding programs. We could have a group discussion? Anyone that wants to chat about this, let me know....I'll be signed in.

mine is: pathorbust
 
Cool. I am seanwill77 as it says on my profile.
 
10 days till ROLs are due :scared:

I revisited my top choice yesterday just to get a better idea of the area and to check out some apartments. I'm so excited, I hope I end up there. :love:

Yeah, I need to submit mine... Can't forget that! Finally got all of my second visits done... I found it interesting to compare how programs responded when I told them I was debating between them and another program...

BH
 
You never said anything about an android being in this program!

Attending: "Well, it didn't occur to me. It's been policy for years to have a synthetic resident in the program."

PGY-Android: "I prefer the term 'artificial person' myself. Is there a problem?"

:)
BH
 
Yeah, I need to submit mine... Can't forget that! Finally got all of my second visits done... I found it interesting to compare how programs responded when I told them I was debating between them and another program...

BH

could you elaborate a little please?
 
could you elaborate a little please?

Mmm lets just say that while most respected the nature of my decision making process, in one instance it was apparently shocking that I was considering anyone else...

BH
 
Do that thing with the knife, man!

Heh, I had a buddy in college, we'd do the whole cornbread dialogue every time they served us cornbread in the cafeteria...

BH
 
less than 5 days left before the deadline. I did not get any emails that give me any hints of ranking position. Scary.:scared:
 
less than 5 days left before the deadline. I did not get any emails that give me any hints of ranking position. Scary.:scared:

Rank them all, and let god sort them out, oxygen...

Seriously, try not to stress... it sounds like its more common than not for people not to hear things...

Good luck!
BH
 
Rank them all, and let god sort them out, oxygen...

Seriously, try not to stress... it sounds like its more common than not for people not to hear things...

Good luck!
BH

Thanks BH,
Of course I ranked them all. I was calm a few days ago and all of the sudden, I am having a panic attack. I am afraid nobody picked me.
 
I think this has been the longest week ever. And to think I have to deal with two more weeks of bad dreams of not matching. :laugh:
 
I think this has been the longest week ever. And to think I have to deal with two more weeks of bad dreams of not matching. :laugh:


My sentiments exactly. How are you passing the time? I have a full 4 weeks of mumbo jumbo didactics (ACLS/BLS, Jurisprudence, Ethics and some other electives).
 
My sentiments exactly. How are you passing the time? I have a full 4 weeks of mumbo jumbo didactics (ACLS/BLS, Jurisprudence, Ethics and some other electives).

I'm on my psych rotation... And I take Step 2 CS this coming Monday, and CK on March 31st....

And yet every time I look at the clock its tick... tick... tick...
 
My sentiments exactly. How are you passing the time? I have a full 4 weeks of mumbo jumbo didactics (ACLS/BLS, Jurisprudence, Ethics and some other electives).

Glad I'm not the only one feeling tortured!

I've been on a derm rotation, which has been cool because I get to sit in on dermpath signout. Other than that I've been trying to get to the gym as much as possible and work out my stress, otherwise I'll sit in front of my computer surfing SDN and eating fritos. :D
 
Honestly, I'm not too stressed. It pops into my head on a daily basis, and I had a talk with the PD at my med school yesterday at a social function... I'm just hoping my number 1 choice didn't somehow screw up after telling me I'd match, and I suddenly find out I'm going to #2 (or lower)...

I'm completely done and graduated, so I'm just working in the lab right now and studying stocks / technical trading in my spare time. I need to start studying for Step 3 because I'm taking that in May.

I hope we all get our #1 pics... I'm a little bummed it seems like we're spread pretty far out with a few exceptions, but maybe we can all meet up at USCAP next year... SDN happy hour? :)

BH
 
So my school has that whole envelope opening ceremony happening at 11am on match day. Does anyone know if the results are available through the web any earlier. I recall reading that in previous years results were available at 9am? Also what time specifically will we receive an notice that we've matched?
 
I always wondered how it works for west coast people - is it at 8am or 9am there? But when my school had the ceremony at 11am, the official results weren't on the web or emailed until 12pm, so the only way to find out before 12pm was to go to the ceremony. The note about matching is a couple of days before - it should say exactly when on the NRMP website. I suspect it's the same time everywhere, otherwise east coast people would have an advantage in the scramble.
 
So my school has that whole envelope opening ceremony happening at 11am on match day. Does anyone know if the results are available through the web any earlier. I recall reading that in previous years results were available at 9am? Also what time specifically will we receive an notice that we've matched?

Check out the NRMP website: http://www.nrmp.org/res_match/yearly.html

March 17, 2008
Applicant matched and unmatched information posted to the Web site at 12:00 noon eastern time.
March 18, 2008
Filled and unfilled results for individual programs posted to the Web site at 11:30 am eastern time.
Locations of all unfilled positions are released at 12:00 noon eastern time. Unmatched applicants may begin contacting unfilled programs at 12:00 noon eastern time.
March 20, 2008
Match Day! Match results for applicants are posted to Web site at 1:00 pm eastern time.
March 21, 2008
Hospitals send letters of appointment to matched applicants after this date.


depending on what time zone you're in you might find out your results before the ceremony.
 
busy is good. i'm on a forensic pathology rotation, so most of my week has been spent elbows deep in entrails and other viscera. i'm enjoying learning a lot of this stuff, and being quite busy has kept my mind focused on the dissections and pathology in front of me rather than thinking about the Match. it'll be here soon enough and then i can start on the very important task of moving.
 
Any 2008ers have facebook?
 
I'm too old for all those trendy social networking sites that the kids are into these days... :)

BH
You'd be surprised how many older people have a site. I've seen attendings with profiles.

I've also found a lot of people from high school that I haven't seen in twelve years.
 
You'd be surprised how many older people have a site. I've seen attendings with profiles.

I've also found a lot of people from high school that I haven't seen in twelve years.

I got a Facebook and Myspace account around the time of my 10-yr HS reunion... I couldn't go but became very curious as to where everybody ended up. I discovered many people had such pages, and you needed to create one to use the system.
 
I'm just pissed off that the guy who "invented" facebook went to my high school. Not in my class of course, he's younger, but still. Talk about lucking into something.
 
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