Advice for IMG who loves Path

[Kan40]

Hi all,
I am an IMG about to graduate from a European 4-year program in an English-speaking country. I have a greencard and step scores are: Step 1 - 226, Step 2 CK 254. I also have a PhD in molecular biology from a leading USA institution.

I want to apply for pathology residency this September but my major problem is that I just found out I failed step 2 CS (on the communication section). So, I will re-take and hopefully pass this time.

How bad is this for my application? Does anyone have any insight as to whether the rest of my application will carry me through? I am quite distraught over this and would welcome any advice.

Should I mention this in my personal statement or just ignore it and hope the next one is a pass?
Thanks!

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[hemepath]

No worries. Any warm body is welcome to pathology, a sinking ship.

Hi all,
I am an IMG about to graduate from a European 4-year program in an English-speaking country. I have a greencard and step scores are: Step 1 - 226, Step 2 CK 254. I also have a PhD in molecular biology from a leading USA institution.

I want to apply for pathology residency this September but my major problem is that I just found out I failed step 2 CS (on the communication section). So, I will re-take and hopefully pass this time.

How bad is this for my application? Does anyone have any insight as to whether the rest of my application will carry me through? I am quite distraught over this and would welcome any advice.

Should I mention this in my personal statement or just ignore it and hope the next one is a pass?
Thanks!

 

[Kan40]

great advice thanks!
Why do you say that?

 

[Handsome88]

No worries. Any warm body is welcome to pathology, a sinking ship.

Do you really believe that? I think SDN is really pessimistic overall, no offense. The medscape physician salary shows that pathologists are actually doing just as well if not better than previous years. They are well in the mid-range of all specialties. So, an honest non-rhetorical question, why all this doom and gloom?

 

[Enkidu]

Do you really believe that? I think SDN is really pessimistic overall, no offense. The medscape physician salary shows that pathologists are actually doing just as well if not better than previous years. They are well in the mid-range of all specialties. So, an honest non-rhetorical question, why all this doom and gloom?

That question is forbidden! Medscape is working with national pathology organizations in a concerted campaign of disinformation designed to help academic program directors get cheap resident labor for grossing responsibilities! Haven't you been reading?

 

[Euchromatin]

Hi all,
I am an IMG about to graduate from a European 4-year program in an English-speaking country. I have a greencard and step scores are: Step 1 - 226, Step 2 CK 254. I also have a PhD in molecular biology from a leading USA institution.

I want to apply for pathology residency this September but my major problem is that I just found out I failed step 2 CS (on the communication section). So, I will re-take and hopefully pass this time.

How bad is this for my application? Does anyone have any insight as to whether the rest of my application will carry me through? I am quite distraught over this and would welcome any advice.

Should I mention this in my personal statement or just ignore it and hope the next one is a pass?
Thanks!

I think we interviewed only one person who had failed CS on their first attempt (they passed on their second), and only because the person had already done a pathology residency. As a side note, I don't know that we typically would have interviewed someone like that at all (not sure if this past year was not a great year for applicants in general or if it was because a different person was selecting candidates to invite for interviews while our regular PD was on medical leave). Anyway - that person was one of only two candidates that we ultimately decided not to rank.

I'm sure that if you apply broadly enough you will get some pathology interviews, but I would do everything I could to work on communication/people skills and put your best foot forward while interviewing (your post seems fairly well written, which is promising). If you have some sort of specific explanation/excuse for why you did poorly on CS, you could address it in your personal statement, as I suspect many interviewers will be asking you about it.

 

[cyborg88]

Hi all,
I am an IMG about to graduate from a European 4-year program in an English-speaking country. I have a greencard and step scores are: Step 1 - 226, Step 2 CK 254. I also have a PhD in molecular biology from a leading USA institution.

I want to apply for pathology residency this September but my major problem is that I just found out I failed step 2 CS (on the communication section). So, I will re-take and hopefully pass this time.

How bad is this for my application? Does anyone have any insight as to whether the rest of my application will carry me through? I am quite distraught over this and would welcome any advice.

Should I mention this in my personal statement or just ignore it and hope the next one is a pass?
Thanks!

I think with these scores and PhD you should be fine. I got residency in pathology this year. I am an International medical graduate too and I just like you failed my CS. I did not even have a pathology letter of recommendation still I got interviews from good university programs. You don't have to mention about CS failure in your personal statement.

Try to get a course on CS and pass it on second attempt at all cost. Do not assume that you will pass it on your second attempt easily.

I would suggest that you apply to at least 75 programs at the beginning of ERAS application season. Ideally you should have passed CS by then but even if you do not pass it in time it does not matter. More importantly, you need to apply on time.

I think you do not need to mention CS failure in your personal statement. Pathology people, in general, do not care about CS failure but they do care about your Step 1.

 

[Kan40]

Thanks for the helpful responses everyone!

Does anyone know if programs use CS as a filter before they even read the rest of the application or would that just vary from program to program? I feel that if I can get some interviews I should be in with a decent chance as I am a personable, friendly, warm person i.e. normal human being (despite what the USMLE peeps may think!).

 

[Kan40]

I think we interviewed only one person who had failed CS on their first attempt (they passed on their second), and only because the person had already done a pathology residency. As a side note, I don't know that we typically would have interviewed someone like that at all (not sure if this past year was not a great year for applicants in general or if it was because a different person was selecting candidates to invite for interviews while our regular PD was on medical leave). Anyway - that person was one of only two candidates that we ultimately decided not to rank.

I'm sure that if you apply broadly enough you will get some pathology interviews, but I would do everything I could to work on communication/people skills and put your best foot forward while interviewing (your post seems fairly well written, which is promising). If you have some sort of specific explanation/excuse for why you did poorly on CS, you could address it in your personal statement, as I suspect many interviewers will be asking you about it.

Thanks Euchromatin. I wondered....are you at a university program - high, mid or lower tier?

 

[Thrombus]

I would suggest you find another field. I have not heard an area of the country that does not have too many pathologists. Every group I know is fighting for work.

 

[jp123ok]

No worries. Any warm body is welcome to pathology, a sinking ship.

Obviously you're trying to be funny hemepath. I'm sure the OP appreciates it.

Kan40: With the exception of the CS, your scores are good. I suggest that you work hard to improve your communication skills by taking some sort of English course and then take the test again. In addition to improving your communication skills, doing a course will give you something to discuss during your interviews when the topic of your failure on the CS exam comes up.

Providing that you can pass the CS exam on the second attempt you should be able to secure a residency spot somewhere. Top tier programs are out and mid-tier might be a stretch but you'll get a spot somewhere.

 

[Kan40]

Thanks for the useful input jp123ok.

Just have to say...English is my first language and I am frankly mystified as to why I failed on communication skills as I literally did everything by the book according to First Aid: counselled all patients, checked their understanding, showed empathy etc etc.
Anyway,frustrations aside - it is a really good point that if I do a prep course and pass then I can use that as a talking point about how I applied myself and overcame the failure. Thanks for the great advice!

 

[KCShaw]

Unfortunately the "communication" aspect I think is subjective. It seems to me that while language often plays a big role, cultural & personality biases also likely play a bigger role than anyone admits/recognizes. And programs will have different views about not passing the CS on the first try. It's an obstacle, but not an insurmountable one. But realize that you'll have to be prepared to be asked about it on any interviews you do get.