3rd year clinical grades and path

[E.A. Poe]

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Howdy.

For those in the know I'd appreciate some info on just how important the various 3rd year med school grades are for pathology residencies. I am currently in the clinical year. Don't know how well I'm doing as this is nearly purely subjective grading as well. Anyhow I got a 235 on my step 1 and received all B's first 2 years except 1 A and 1 C. Please consider giving me some feedback. Thanks.

 

[Brian Pavlovitz]

Howdy.

For those in the know I'd appreciate some info on just how important the various 3rd year med school grades are for pathology residencies. I am currently in the clinical year and am discovering just how much I dislike it. This is torture. Don't know how well I'm doing as this is nearly purely subjective grading as well. Anyhow I got a 235 on my step 1 and received all B's first 2 years except 1 A and 1 C. Please consider giving me some feedback. Thanks.

When I applied, no one even mentioned my clinical grades. Your Step score is by far more important...and with a 235, chances are you'll do just fine.

 

[mlw03]

When I applied, no one even mentioned my clinical grades. Your Step score is by far more important...and with a 235, chances are you'll do just fine.

You really think step I score is more important for pathology than MS3 grades? i hope you're right, but i'd always heard that MS3 grades were the single most important thing for a residency application. are you saying that while that may hold for clinical specialties, for residency they're more interested in "pure brain power" than in how well we can memorize the ever-changing management plans for metabolic syndrome? by that same logic, would you also say that MS 1 and 2 grades are also more important to a path applicant than are MS3 grades?

 

[PuGanDoo]

You really think step I score is more important for pathology than MS3 grades? i hope you're right, but i'd always heard that MS3 grades were the single most important thing for a residency application. are you saying that while that may hold for clinical specialties, for residency they're more interested in "pure brain power" than in how well we can memorize the ever-changing management plans for metabolic syndrome? by that same logic, would you also say that MS 1 and 2 grades are also more important to a path applicant than are MS3 grades?

In Iserson's book he does mention that the preclinical grades are considered more heavily than MS3 grades for path. His reason being similar to what you state- pure brain power, i.e. the ability to manage massive amounts of material successfully.

Iserson isn't a path PD so I don't know if this is in fact true, or if it varies by institution... My dean seems to think it is true. I haven't had a chance to talk to my path advisor about it-- yet. Will let you know when I do.

-P.

 

[yaah]

Applications are the sum of their individual parts - good grades in MS3 generally follow good applicants. Doing well in med school does help - I had people tell me this during my interviews. I have no doubt some interviewers barely glance at the transcript, but it is still important in the process. It is probably more important to not fail a clerkship though, than it is to get an honors grade. Also, honors grades generally mean glowing reviews, which will be reflected (probably) in your deans letter.

 

[Brian Pavlovitz]

You really think step I score is more important for pathology than MS3 grades? i hope you're right, but i'd always heard that MS3 grades were the single most important thing for a residency application.

I don't know...maybe my situation was different being a USIMG. Something tells me, though, that many programs will screen applicants with the Step score much like medschool admissions did with the MCAT (at least, I'd like to think that happened with me) 😉

Of course, your overall application is very important.

 

[gschl1234]

Howdy.

For those in the know I'd appreciate some info on just how important the various 3rd year med school grades are for pathology residencies. I am currently in the clinical year and am discovering just how much I dislike it. This is torture. Don't know how well I'm doing as this is nearly purely subjective grading as well. Anyhow I got a 235 on my step 1 and received all B's first 2 years except 1 A and 1 C. Please consider giving me some feedback. Thanks.

We have just about the same stats and I'm also frustrated w/ my 3rd year experience. My question is, how much does it hurt that I mostly passed first 2 years and honored just a few courses? Also, how did current path residents/attendings go about finding a path advisor when they were students? I didn't go to class much during 2nd year so don't know any of our lecturers/small group leaders.

 

[djmd]

We have just about the same stats and I'm also frustrated w/ my 3rd year experience. My question is, how much does it hurt that I mostly passed first 2 years and honored just a few courses? Also, how did current path residents/attendings go about finding a path advisor when they were students? I didn't go to class much during 2nd year so don't know any of our lecturers/small group leaders.

Go to the path department when you have time in other third year rotations.
Follow cases down from the OR.
Hell I got involved when I heard that one of my patients on Medicine rotation had died and was scheduled for an autopsy (which is weirder than just going to an autopsy I must say)
Introduce yourself.
Make sure you set up a rotation in path ASAP (both set it up soon, and make as early as possible).

That is the best way to meet the pathologist.
I would venture to say that many path residents didn't have any significant interaction with the pathologists till 3-4 year.

 

[112641]

This is pretty much my first post but here is my take.

There are a myriad of programs that have a myriad of PD's looking for unique persons for every spot. My brief background so you can see where I'm coming from... I passed step one with a single point to spare, left med school to study architecture for 2 years in the middle of my 3rd year... came back and honored a couple rotations, did some research published a couple papers and passed step 2 with maybe 5 points to spare. I knew I wanted to work in a private practice eventually and did well with my research and liked neuro.. the end result.. I'm at a program with a very well known neuropath dr in a group of people who know how to move work efficiently have killer volume to learn from and make great money on less than 40 hours a week. This was my number one rank.....with scores and grades that make me look ******ed in some circles. But based on what I've needed to learn in my residency I studied the exact right amount.. maybe a little too much with all those points to spare heh.

If you write a good letter, have good recs, love pathology and can show it, interview well, and aren't basing applying to a program solely on brand name recognition, really really think about where YOU will fit and be happiest, you'll get a spot that is well suited to you, get well trained if you work, and get a good job/fellowship afterward.

 

[PuGanDoo]

This is pretty much my first post but here is my take.

There are a myriad of programs that have a myriad of PD's looking for unique persons for every spot. My brief background so you can see where I'm coming from... I passed step one with a single point to spare, left med school to study architecture for 2 years in the middle of my 3rd year... came back and honored a couple rotations, did some research published a couple papers and passed step 2 with maybe 5 points to spare. I knew I wanted to work in a private practice eventually and did well with my research and liked neuro.. the end result.. I'm at a program with a very well known neuropath dr in a group of people who know how to move work efficiently have killer volume to learn from and make great money on less than 40 hours a week. This was my number one rank.....with scores and grades that make me look ******ed in some circles. But based on what I've needed to learn in my residency I studied the exact right amount.. maybe a little too much with all those points to spare heh.

If you write a good letter, have good recs, love pathology and can show it, interview well, and aren't basing applying to a program solely on brand name recognition, really really think about where YOU will fit and be happiest, you'll get a spot that is well suited to you, get well trained if you work, and get a good job/fellowship afterward.

Excellent, excellent advice 👍 You've brightened up a really crappy day. Thank you.

-P.