2008 pathology applicants

[docbiohazard]

I've never had any attendings say anything snarky about Path. I've had several of my attendings express lament that I won't be doing direct patient care because I'm "so good" with my patients...

I'm working on my list of programs, but right now I'm thinking MGH, BWH, Hopkins, Penn, UWash, UCSF, Stanford, Emory, UTSW, UT-Houston, Baylor, Methodist, UTMB... list subject to updates and change, of course. Just getting started as far as lookin at programs in depth.

BH

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[b&ierstiefel]

Other student: Wow, you must really hate patients!

I would say "Yes, I do!" and add, if they engage you further, that you like dealing with people but not when they are sick.

Patient care is overrated, IMO. It is way too tedious and physically, mentally, and emotionally draining with very little satisfaction gained. Patients are demanding, non-compliant, and ungrateful (most of them are). This is one of the biggest reasons why I left Internal Medicine for Path. I never have a problem admitting to people that I do not like patient care - and I am proud of that!

I hear that BigD! I don't miss patient care and also think it's way overrated. I really don't care about their social issues as well. The fact that I don't see patients on the wards or in clinics doesn't make me feel less of a doctor. Of course, I get some crap from my relatives who simply refer to me as "slide doctor."

Plus, I care not for quibbling about such and such clinical trial with some fancy clever acronym such as N.U.T.S.A.C. saying that in such and such population, calcium channel blockers are better than thiazides for hypertension. I'd rather morphologically masturbate about controversial criteria underlying histologic diagnosis

 

[Thaitanium]

I hear that BigD! I don't miss patient care and also think it's way overrated. I really don't care about their social issues as well. The fact that I don't see patients on the wards or in clinics doesn't make me feel less of a doctor. Of course, I get some crap from my relatives who simply refer to me as "slide doctor."

Plus, I care not for quibbling about such and such clinical trial with some fancy clever acronym such as N.U.T.S.A.C. saying that in such and such population, calcium channel blockers are better than thiazides for hypertension. I'd rather morphologically masturbate about controversial criteria underlying histologic diagnosis

Exactly why I chose pathology. I was looking over a patient's chart the other day in my ID rotation...10 medical problems + 15 medications...manage that! Hey, and you better know your patients up and down. Not for me.

 

[yaah]

Sometimes I feel like I am dealing with patients (psych patients, specifically) during the course of my general day.

 

[mattorama]

I think I can be added in to the 2008 pathology gang. I have been debating between radiology and pathology, but after a crappy day of medicine (only in week 2/8 ) the thought of doing an extra year of clinical medicine makes me want to vomit.

any indiana residents on here?

 

[Sean2tall]

I think I can be added in to the 2008 pathology gang. I have been debating between radiology and pathology, but after a crappy day of medicine (only in week 2/8 ) the thought of doing an extra year of clinical medicine makes me want to vomit.

any indiana residents on here?

That's funny, I felt almost exactly the same way about Rads v Path.

I am going to try to do an away at Indiana, and I think there are at least 2 who matched there this year. Current residents I don't know.

 

[clancy81]

I'm a long-time lurker, finally decided to join the group. I'll be applying for Pathology this fall as well. Hope to stay in the Western US and have not made a list of programs to apply to yet. Right now, am just trying to survive my last 2 weeks of my Medicine rotation. It is so painful. Like some of the other posters, a year of Medicine really moved Rads out of the picture for me.

Do any of you know if it is bad to apply to multiple sites for an away rotation and then have to cancel at one of them? I know Path is a small field and do not want to burn any bridges...

 

[yaah]

I doubt it would burn many bridges. They might be a little peeved if you accepted an away rotation and then cancelled reasonably close to the actual date. But in terms of applications, don't worry about it. You can just say your schedule is already full, etc.

 

[Sean2tall]

Holy cow there's a lot of people coming out of the woodwork! I think that's enough now for the class of 2008. Just when I thought I had a chance at actually matching!

*waves hand* This isn't the field you're looking for, move along.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

Do any of you know if it is bad to apply to multiple sites for an away rotation and then have to cancel at one of them? I know Path is a small field and do not want to burn any bridges...

I applied for an away at U Wash, accepted, and then had to cancel about 6-7 weeks before I was slated to go. There were no issues with me cancelling that I can discern.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Do any of you know if it is bad to apply to multiple sites for an away rotation and then have to cancel at one of them? I know Path is a small field and do not want to burn any bridges...

I wouldn't sweat it...really.

 

[clancy81]

Thanks for the away rotation feedback guys. I will schedule away and not worry about it.

 

[Thaitanium]

Hey guys just wanted to add my name to the list. I am a USIMG looking to get into path residency for 2K8.

Good luck to everyone!

 

[ustmd2006]

hi everyone!

after the great info from this forum, a little research of my own, and some personal soul-searching (haha), i've decided that pathology is for me.

count me in as one of the USIMGs for the 2008 match!

good luck everyone!

 

[mlw03]

hi everyone!

after the great info from this forum, a little research of my own, and some personal soul-searching (haha), i've decided that pathology is for me.

count me in as one of the USIMGs for the 2008 match!

good luck everyone!

greetings ustmd - welcome to the group. care to share which programs you're thinking about at this point in the process?

 

[JPR22]

add me to the list of 2008 applicants.

Im applying to alot of programs in the north east, excluding NYC, and a few in the south.
Is anyone else overwhelmed about 4th year? Electives ERAS, interviews, the match, STEP2, CS?

 

[mlw03]

add me to the list of 2008 applicants.

Im applying to alot of programs in the north east, excluding NYC, and a few in the south.
Is anyone else overwhelmed about 4th year? Electives ERAS, interviews, the match, STEP2, CS?

welcome to your as well jpr - excited about next year, definately. perhaps a little overwhelmed, but not really. i'm gonna be done with both parts of step 2 by mid-july, and i got a pretty good schedule set up for interviewing and whatnot. yeah, a lot is gonna happen over the next 11 months, but i think if we just take things as they come and make sure we're aware of deadlines then it should be a smooth, fun year.

the only thing i'm somewhat concerned about is interviewing in cold-weather cities in dec and jan - there's always a risk of snow seriously mucking up travel plans, but that's just another thing i (and thousands of other candidates and programs) will have to deal with. you'd think after all this time perhaps they'd find a way around this - move interviews to sept and oct perhaps? i dunno, but you know people interviewing at vermont, dartmouth, minnesota, and a bunch of other northern programs probably get messed up by the weather on an annual basis.

 

[ustmd2006]

greetings ustmd - welcome to the group. care to share which programs you're thinking about at this point in the process?

thanks for the warm welcome mlw03! i've yet to decide what programs to apply for. so far, i've just cleared step 1 (with a not so great score)...so i'm waiting to see how step 2 ck and cs turn out! i doubt i'd get into any of the top tier programs, so i'm trying to research the other programs to see which ones are good in terms of teaching and in terms of getting their residents into fellowships. goal is to get into a university hospital...hopefully somewhere in the northeast (but i'm willing to go anywhere!). if you have any suggestions as to what programs i should look into, i'd be very happy to hear them!

what are your plans?

 

[Tiki]

.
Is anyone else overwhelmed about 4th year? Electives ERAS, interviews, the match, STEP2, CS?

I'm overwhelmed. I still don't have all of my away applications done yet.

 

[JPR22]

I'm overwhelmed. I still don't have all of my away applications done yet.

its kinda funny that applying a one month elective is almost more work than applying for a 4 year residency. One place even wanted Rubella titres in their application

 

[Sean2tall]

Haha, yeah away applications can be quite the chore. Ohio State wants not only a tox-screen on you, but also requires ACLS certification, which I won't have. So looks like no Ohio State for me.

I sent in my application for Indiana, hopefully for Sept-ish, and I am thinking one more away, possibly in Chicago area. Anyone know what programs in that area are relatively easy to set up an away? Mainly housing provided and not too many ridiculous requirements? Not that I should be basing things on that, but I don't have money flying out the ears. . .

I guess I never answered the question, but I am interested in:
Indiana, Chicago programs, Ohio State, Philly programs, maybe Pittsburgh/AGH, maybe Boston area

 

[Rotund270]

Little late with the reply...but internship this year and applying 08...good luck everyone...

 

[Tiki]

its kinda funny that applying a one month elective is almost more work than applying for a 4 year residency. One place even wanted Rubella titres in their application

Are you talking about UVa?

I was working on filling out the UVa application when I saw that it wanted the rubella titers. So I went to student health to find out how much it would cost me. Turns out my crappy student health insurance doesn't cover titers at all, and it will cost me $100 just for the stupid rubella titer.

I wish I would have known that applying for these electives would get expensive. It's the end of the school year, my student loan money is running out.

 

[CameronFrye]

Are you talking about UVa?

I was working on filling out the UVa application when I saw that it wanted the rubella titers. So I went to student health to find out how much it would cost me. Turns out my crappy student health insurance doesn't cover titers at all, and it will cost me $100 just for the stupid rubella titer.

I wish I would have known that applying for these electives would get expensive. It's the end of the school year, my student loan money is running out.

Yeah, when I started med school at UVA, I had to go through all that garbage. Thankfully, our Student Health did it all for free. They're probably even stricter now with all of the vaccination stuff, since there was a mumps outbreak in Cville recently.

 

[docbiohazard]

OB/Gyn has seriously interfered with my ability to juggle all the impending paperwork and chores related to Step 2 and applications and what not, not to mention my SDN forum reading time. I just got done having to redo my identification documents for the NBME, now I'm sweating about actually finding an available CK slot when I want to take the exam, and I need to start working on my personal statement.

Does anyone else have a copy of the Residency Program Directory (sorry, I forget the formal name)? I noticed on pathologytraining.org that you can get a copy from them for free, but then I wondered if the info in the book differed at all from the information available online at that website... any ideas?

BH

 

[yaah]

I don't think it really does differ. I suspect the info on many programs is not very up to date though. But in the internet age there is very little that a book like that is going to provide that you can't get elsewhere.

 

[mlw03]

yaah's right - no difference between the online and print versions (i have the 2007-2008 print version). he's also right that in general, you'll find all the info in there on the individual program websites.

relax doc - there's plenty of time still. ERAS doesn't even open for another few months.

 

[docbiohazard]

relax doc - there's plenty of time still. ERAS doesn't even open for another few months.

Thanks mlw... right now, apps are really on a back burner to Step 2 in terms of stress level. I have to wait for the NBME to decide that I am who I say I am so I can actually schedule my Step 2 CK and CS. I have to schedule an appointment with my Dean to go over my Dean's letter and personal statement pretty soon though, as well, so I have to get cracking on that as well.

Oh well, it all takes a back burner to my OB/Gyn shelf at this point. At least my upper level took mercy on me and cut us early tonight so we could get back on a regular sleep schedule (been on nights this week)...

BH

 

[alimarie81]

Just finished an elective in surgical path/ and some CP- micro, heme, etc. and really enjoyed this. I don't have any open slots for additional electives before interview season. should I cancel an already-scheduled elective in August and try to do another pathology elective, or is one sufficient to show my interest?

(Midwest programs, esp. Chicago, since that's where I go to school)

Thanks!

 

[mlw03]

most of the faculty at my school that i've spoken to about how many electives are necessary say one is sufficient - if you're sure you want to do path. i think this topic has been discussed some in the past, so try searching a bit and see what you can find written by some of the more experienced contributors.

welcome to the group, alimarie.

 

[Tiki]

Just popping in to say hi! Congrats to everyone who has finished their third year. I have four more weeks to go, but I'm on Family Med right now so it's pretty laid back.

I still haven't heard back from my away electives yet, which is kind of stressing me out. My first choice is to do a month of surg path at UPenn, so hopefully I find out soon.

Anyone else doing any interesting aways?

 

[docbiohazard]

Tiki I'll see your Family Medicine and raise you a Psychiatry...

Now if I could just get motivated to work on my personal statement...

 

[Sean2tall]

Haha. I've got a couple weeks of psychiatry also to finish out 3rd year. But here the new third years have already started, so we are kind of considering ourselves 4th years.

I'm waiting to hear on my main away at Indiana. . . still trying to maybe plan one in Chicago, but I am having trouble finding one that would be reasonably easy to set up. Anybody know of a place that offers housing? I tried to set up Ohio State, but there are wayyyy too many crazy requirements.

To think, I might not need my stethoscope again for like 6 months.

 

[Tiki]

Yay! I just found out I got my eight weeks of Path electives at UPenn. I'm so excited!! Hopefully it'll be a great experience. I can't wait for the rest of third year to end.

 

[mlw03]

Yay! I just found out I got my eight weeks of Path electives at UPenn. I'm so excited!! Hopefully it'll be a great experience. I can't wait for the rest of third year to end.

yea!! glad that worked out for ya. you northerners have a late academic calender. down here, the current MS3s (ie, c/o 2009) start on the wards this coming monday. eight weeks in philly... mmmm, cheesesteaks!!!

 

[cluecells]

Looking through these lists, I've noticed that people apply to mostly "name" programs with one or two more local/regional programs maybe for backup. Is this self-selection? Are the # of applicants per program more favorable in path than other specialties? I know the elite programs are still competitive, but is matching at a solid "name" program within reach of most applicants?

Yes, if you are a US graduate. However, this is quite different for IMG including american caribbean graduates.

Most of the "big names" love US graduates with PhD or coming from a "big name" medical school. The next group of preference are all other US graduates.

If they can't get enough applicants from the first two groups, they start looking at IMG with extensive research experience (or already boarded in their home country) and at the american caribbean group.

Not so competative programs then to look at "other" IMG to fill their spots.

 

[Tiki]

yea!! glad that worked out for ya. you northerners have a late academic calender. down here, the current MS3s (ie, c/o 2009) start on the wards this coming monday. eight weeks in philly... mmmm, cheesesteaks!!!

Thanks!

You're lucky that you are done with your third year. I can't wait to be finished, although surprisingly I'm not hating family med.

I have to figure out when I'm going to take step 2. Initially I was going to wait to November/December, but now I'm thinking i might take it July. I finished my third year with internal med, neurology and family med, so I feel like I'm never going to be more prepared than I am right now. I start off with a month of radiology so I'm thinking I'll have time to prep for step 2. But I'm scared, because I feel like my step one score was a fluke and I don't know if I'll do as well on step 2. Anyone else have this dilemma?

Oh, and I need to avoid the cheesteaks. Third year has not been good for me, I haven't been to the gym in a few months. I really need to pick it up again before interviews start.

 

[mlw03]

Thanks!

You're lucky that you are done with your third year. I can't wait to be finished, although surprisingly I'm not hating family med.

I have to figure out when I'm going to take step 2. Initially I was going to wait to November/December, but now I'm thinking i might take it July. I finished my third year with internal med, neurology and family med, so I feel like I'm never going to be more prepared than I am right now. I start off with a month of radiology so I'm thinking I'll have time to prep for step 2. But I'm scared, because I feel like my step one score was a fluke and I don't know if I'll do as well on step 2. Anyone else have this dilemma?

Oh, and I need to avoid the cheesteaks. Third year has not been good for me, I haven't been to the gym in a few months. I really need to pick it up again before interviews start.

considering you ended the year on IM and family med, yeah, i think taking step 2 soon might be a good idea. that was my attitude, as i ended the year on surgery, medicine, and pediatrics (in that order). as to how well you'll do on step 2, i've heard of few people doing significantly worse on step 2 than on step 1.

avoiding cheesesteaks altogether would be a shame - here's what ya do: for for a nice rocky-style run then you'll have earned a nice, juicy, greeezy cheesesteak. mmmmm

 

[deleted113029]

considering you ended the year on IM and family med, yeah, i think taking step 2 soon might be a good idea. that was my attitude, as i ended the year on surgery, medicine, and pediatrics (in that order). as to how well you'll do on step 2, i've heard of few people doing significantly worse on step 2 than on step 1.

it depends on what step 1 score the person had. if high, then one risks getting a lower score. if low-average, then i seriously doubt one will score lower on CK.

if you take studying for CK seriously for 2-3 weeks, then you should not worry about getting a lower score. i would bet my VSOP cognac that you will score at least 5-10 points higher...

 

[docbiohazard]

I have to figure out when I'm going to take step 2. Initially I was going to wait to November/December, but now I'm thinking i might take it July. I finished my third year with internal med, neurology and family med, so I feel like I'm never going to be more prepared than I am right now. I start off with a month of radiology so I'm thinking I'll have time to prep for step 2. But I'm scared, because I feel like my step one score was a fluke and I don't know if I'll do as well on step 2. Anyone else have this dilemma?

Well, I had the dilemma briefly until we were presented with data that showed the average score at my institution is highest in the month immeadiately following the end of third year and then steadily drops every month to an absolute nadir in November/December. It makes sense to me that it's freshest in my mind right now, and I was able to easily arrange my fourth year schedule to have a month off at first to complete studying (since I have plenty of time to study right now in Psych)... so my advice would be to take it ASAP...

Oh, and I need to avoid the cheesteaks. Third year has not been good for me, I haven't been to the gym in a few months. I really need to pick it up again before interviews start.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only person on here trying to battle the extra weight I accumulated in third year (not to mention all the 'finishing the PhD' comfort food - doh!)... I am similarly using interviews as a motivator. Maybe we need a Path 2008 Applicant Weight Loss thread.

Best of luck with everything,
BH

 

[Tiki]

Thanks, you guys all made me feel better.

I think I'll probably take it at the end of July. I have a month of Radiology but at my school it is notoriously easy, we get out at noon everyday, so I should be able to study about 6-7 hours a day for a month. Hopefully that's enough.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only person on here trying to battle the extra weight I accumulated in third year (not to mention all the 'finishing the PhD' comfort food - doh!)... I am similarly using interviews as a motivator. Maybe we need a Path 2008 Applicant Weight Loss thread.

Best of luck with everything,
BH

It's a bad time of year to start being good though, considering I'm officially out of my student loan money and am now living off of peanut butter and jelly, ramen noodles and egg whites.

 

[mlw03]

It's a bad time of year to start being good though, considering I'm officially out of my student loan money and am now living off of peanut butter and jelly, ramen noodles and egg whites.

one word for uber-cheap, tasty nutrition: legumes. seriously, i must go through tons of black beans, pinto beans, red beans, garbanzos, and lentils. they're crazy cheap and full of fiber, carbs, and protein. mix them with some rice, spices, olives, onions, garlic, maybe a little meat, whatever, and they're all good.

 

[Tiki]

one word for uber-cheap, tasty nutrition: legumes. seriously, i must go through tons of black beans, pinto beans, red beans, garbanzos, and lentils. they're crazy cheap and full of fiber, carbs, and protein. mix them with some rice, spices, olives, onions, garlic, maybe a little meat, whatever, and they're all good.

It's funny that you mention beans, because last time I went food shopping I bought some brown rice and black beans. I've been meaning to make them, but I'm not really sure what to put in it. Not to change the topic of this thread, but what kind of spices do you use?

 

[mlw03]

hey all -

i'm wondering if anyone's gotten any recruitment type mailings from pathology residency programs? i haven't, but i have gotten some from IM and FM programs (I joined our school's family med interest group as an MS1 because the group does some good volunteering). so i'm just wondering if pathology programs do that, and if so, how to get on the list to let PD's know i'd be interested in such mailings. any thoughts? any comments from the residents on the list about whether this is done in pathology?

 

[Tiki]

I haven't gotten any pathology specific, only general letters and IM letters.

Anyone start on ERAS yet? I went to the site, but I just don't have the motivation to think about this yet. I take step 2 CK in three weeks, so that is what I'm concentrating on. I am starting to feel the pressure to sit down and write my personal statement at some point. :\

 

[mlw03]

our school's gonna send us our ERAS tokens tomorrow. so i may start on things friday morning. i've been working on my CV and personal statement this week so i can get them to my letter writers. i did CK 3 weeks ago, still awaiting my score and i got CS on the 16th. i can't wait to be done with all this stuff. what i'd really like is to also take step 3 in a few months, but i was told you can't take step 3 until after you graduate. my clinical knowledge is only going to decline from where it was a month ago, ya know?

 

[sickofit]

our school's gonna send us our ERAS tokens tomorrow. so i may start on things friday morning. i've been working on my CV and personal statement this week so i can get them to my letter writers. i did CK 3 weeks ago, still awaiting my score and i got CS on the 16th. i can't wait to be done with all this stuff. what i'd really like is to also take step 3 in a few months, but i was told you can't take step 3 until after you graduate. my clinical knowledge is only going to decline from where it was a month ago, ya know?

I've heard the same thing about Step 3 from random sources, but several of the path residents at my home program said that you could register for and take it before graduating from med school...and that you could do so by registering in a different state but still take the test in your home state. Many of them actually strongly recommended doing this, too, to avoid the inevitable loss of peds/ob/psych info etc that occurs once you start a path residency. does anyone have any reliable information on whether this is actually possible or is just med student lore? I could trek over to my dean's office to ask him, but I'm far too lazy for that.....

 

[mlw03]

I've heard the same thing about Step 3 from random sources, but several of the path residents at my home program said that you could register for and take it before graduating from med school...and that you could do so by registering in a different state but still take the test in your home state. Many of them actually strongly recommended doing this, too, to avoid the inevitable loss of peds/ob/psych info etc that occurs once you start a path residency. does anyone have any reliable information on whether this is actually possible or is just med student lore? I could trek over to my dean's office to ask him, but I'm far too lazy for that.....

maybe someone will say differently, but my source about not being able to take step 3 until after graduating came from our school's assistant dean of student affairs (who has about 25 years experience). so after that i didn't pursue it any further. however if there is a way around this i would love to hear about it for the reasons stated. at the same time, would any of the current path residents say that passing step 3 is a major difficulty even if you take it during the pgy-2 year? what's the saying - 3 months for step 1, 3 weeks for step 2, and 3 days for step 3, right?

 

[anencephalic]

any indiana residents on here?

Resident as in "a medical residency program" or as in "paying taxes and having a physical address in Indiana"?

I guess I can answer yes to both...

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I believe it's "two months for Step 1, 2 weeks for Step 2, and bring a No. 2 pencil to Step 3."

It gets bumped up to 2 weeks for Step 3 if it's been 2 years since even thinking about clinical medicine.