applicant ranking criteria

[pathomatic]

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Hi,

I am a pathology residency applicant this year and am going through the interview process like everyone else. One thing that still isnt clear to me is how do the programs eventually rank the applicants, I mean whats more important

interview process, USMLE scores, LORs or school grades.

I know that board scores matter in order to get in through the door as far as interviews are concerned, but is it a level playing field once you get an interview.

I mean does a stellar interview performance mean nothing if you have average usmle scores

Any input from veterans in this forum is highly appreciated
thanks

 

[magician]

you also mean stellar usmle scores mean nothing if you have average interview performance? (lol)

 

[img4path]

As chief resident last year, I sat in on the meeting where we ranked residency applicants. I would say all of the above matter. You are pretty much ranked based on your school, grades, LORs and USMLE scores before you arrive for the interview. Then your interview performance can generally only hurt you rather than help you. The guy with the strongest numbers - 99 on step 1 and 99 on step 2 from a high profile med school wasn't even ranked because he acted very cocky and didn't even wear a suit to the interview. He left a bad impression and they decided not even to rank him. Generally, in the end it is a combination of all the factors, but the most important factors I would say are:

1. Experience with department - If you have some experience rotating in the department and everyone liked you, then you are golden.
2. School you went to - We ranked local med school grads, then AMGs, then FMGs in that order. Local med grads mainly because of #1.
3. USMLE scores
4. School grades - not very improtant unless you did poorly.
5. LORs and interview performance - Generally can only hurt you unless one of your LORs is someone on the committee. One guy had a LOR which said "his attitude has shown improvement and he is now better liked by staff" - needless to say he wasn't ranked either.

When you have 250 applicants and 40 people interviewing for 2-3 spots, its easy to knock out people for little things.

 

[pathomatic]

thanks for the input

 

[mmed]

I was told that one of the programs ranked candidates as follows: The interview performance either will put you in the rank or not at all. On excel file they consider USMLE scores (you have to pass step2 to be in their rank) and average interview score. The top two candidates from the same medical school whatever their order in the excel file will be moved to the first and second position in their rank. All other parameters (AMG vs FMG, LORs, performance in medical school …etc and for sure the USMLE scores) are important for invitation to the interview.

 

[kingkong]

can some one clarify what you mean by a good interview performance.....what are they looking for in a candidate in and interview.

I have a couple of late interviews....but if the candidates are ranked even before the interview process is it worth attending the interview at this late stage.....( I have received the interview at 2 places because someone cancelled) and since I was not on their initial list will they even rank me or I am wasting my time.

 

[mmed]

I don’t think late invitations are different from early ones, it may even be better. Cancellation is usual throughout the interview season and programs will invite the average number of candidates they usually rank with to fill the positions. If a program ranks you even the last one, you still have a chance to match there. Go to your interview offers if you want to secure a position.

 

[kingkong]

Thanks mmed.....

 

[mmed]

The good performance is complex and will be acquired after few interviews especially for FMG. Training and mock interviews are very important. Try to satisfy the residents because their opinions are as important as the attendings in many programs. Do search on the web sites and as well as in this forum to prepare yourself. Consider every single interview as the only one you have. No question or comment in the interview is benign. Make your questions, prepare answers for expected ones and prepare positive comments on the program, even if it is the worst program ever, in the order you like any easy to memorize. Go to program web site and if you have your itinerary know every one and his area of interest (research, clinical …etc). Ask the right question to the right person. Professional interviewers will try to challenge you, don’t panic and have the right comment.

 

[yaah]

Good advice - another thing I would add is that when you interview, don't be a dick. It's crass and sounds obvious, but it's kind of amazing to me how some people can blow their interview chances by either being too cocky, too quiet, staring at the floor a lot, etc etc. It probably happens more for med school interviews when people are inexperienced than for residency, but not only.

 

[djmd]

I would disagree with img4path. While it is possible for an interview to hurt your chances, it is definately possible for a interview to improve ones chances. If people like you and your interview goes well you can really improve your chances...

 

[DarksideAllstar]

I agree with this:

I would disagree with img4path. While it is possible for an interview to hurt your chances, it is definately possible for a interview to improve ones chances. If people like you and your interview goes well you can really improve your chances...

...and disagree with this:

Go to program web site and if you have your itinerary know every one and his area of interest (research, clinical …etc).

Out of 50+ 30 minute interviews, only one interviewer sat and deliberately made about 5 minutes of our interview a schpiel about his research (and he was a PhD only)--so I think it would be an incredible waste of your time unless its in an area of interest to you (ie you are interested in hemepath and you interview with several hematopathologists, so it might be interesting to ask them about what they are doing, etc), or you are AP or CP only and want to do a post-doc. I would suggest just knowing what area (AP or CP) the faculty member partcipates in and what their role is in the department. For the most part, that's as far as I got in "knowing" my interviewers.

 

[anencephalic]

I would suggest just knowing what area (AP or CP) the faculty member partcipates in and what their role is in the department. For the most part, that's as far as I got in "knowing" my interviewers.

I just looked over my itinerary the night before and knew what each individual specialized in. Since I expressed an interest in Breast and GU path in my personal statement, you can better beleive that I knew who all of my breast/GU interviewers were, had intelligent questions for them, and could at least intelligently articulate WHY I'm interested in those subspecialties.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

I just looked over my itinerary the night before and knew what each individual specialized in. Since I expressed an interest in Breast and GU path in my personal statement, you can better beleive that I knew who all of my breast/GU interviewers were, had intelligent questions for them, and could at least intelligently articulate WHY I'm interested in those subspecialties.

That's precisely what I was advocating when I made the statement above.

 

[anencephalic]

That's precisely what I was advocating when I made the statement above.

I was just restating the obvious...😉

 

[DarksideAllstar]

I was just restating the obvious...😉

No worries 🙂

 

[danaphosaurus]

I think we try to see who will click with the rest of us here- Because there are only 10 of us we need people who will fit in- We are going through a change amongst the residents (long story) and we need people who will matcht that- I'd like to think that we have input but...