Critical appraisal

[deschutes]

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I'm throwing it out there - so call it, peeps!

No bachelor's degree 😱 - yes, the MD will be my first.
Non-U.S./non-Canadian citizen - requires J1 visa.
Step 1: 217/88 (would it be that it were higher!)
UCalgary is a 3-year Pass/Fail med school: I'm only 4 months into clinicals and I don't know if I can write Step 2 in time for the February ROL deadline. No failed rotations so far, certainly not planning on failing any!

Coupla med school awards, one ASCP award.

One ongoing research project recently presented at a national meet.
6 weeks' worth of AP/renal path electives, some small-groups teaching experience.
4 letters - all from pathologists, 3 of which I believe to be strong, one from the former regional head (stepped down in June) who is also my research supervisor.

~
I'd like to hear what "reasonable chances" are - e.g. if I'm wasting my $$ and money applying to places like JH, Yale, UChicago, Vermont and Iowa, please tell me so!

yaah - I'm amnesiac to this event, but earlier in the year in my notes-to-self I wrote "1 LOR from program director needed" under UMich. I went to the website and couldn't find any such requirement. I'll call the programme to confirm this, but thought I'd ask.

 

[Matte Kudesai]

Non-U.S./non-Canadian citizen - requires J1 visa.

This is the most limiting factor for the schools you have chosen. Especially since next year there are no prematch offers allowed.

I believe Hopkins had a step one cut off last year (220).

As a Canadian grad, you will be from an accredited school as far as the US is concerned ....
However with J1 issues, I'm not sure how your application will look when compared to others that have completed Step 2.

I am sure you will get interviews. Just make sure you choose a wide spectrum of programs. You know, upper tier, middle, and low.
With no more prematching, next year will be an interesting match year.
I'm not sure how this will affect the way programs rank candidates.

 

[yaah]

I'd like to hear what "reasonable chances" are - e.g. if I'm wasting my $$ and money applying to places like JH, Yale, UChicago, Vermont and Iowa, please tell me so!

yaah - I'm amnesiac to this event, but earlier in the year in my notes-to-self I wrote "1 LOR from program director needed" under UMich. I went to the website and couldn't find any such requirement. I'll call the programme to confirm this, but thought I'd ask.

I am not sure about the 1 LOR from program director. That usually isn't necessary for med students, because many applicants haven't done significant rotational work in path. Perhaps that is for fellowship applicants? Or maybe they are referring to a dean's letter?

I think your application sounds fairly strong. Step I, while not high, is at the mean, and the mean is good because medical students in general are smart people and doing "average" on an exam given to all med students is still impressive. Even if you may not consider it an impressive score, it's still better than many applicants. In regards to step II, just make sure programs you are applying to don't require it before the rank. There are only a couple - Dartmouth I know is one of them.

You're definitely not wasting your money by applying to those places. I would say that perhaps your chances of getting interviews at U Chicago and JHU might be decreased. I would expect Iowa and Vermont, and probably Yale, would interview you. Then again, I am not so sure how much of a role the Visa issues will play. You don't know unless you apply. If they screen out applications based on IMG/Visa status and/or step I score, they may not look much at the rest of your application, sad to say. But I think the programs that would do that are not too common. And I don't know which ones they are because I don't think a program would advertise the fact that they behave this way.

I'm also not sure about the prematching deal. I read somewhere that they are considering delaying implementation of the new rules again. So who knows.

 

[deschutes]

Merci!

The visa issue was indeed the first filter - I spent the better part of April screening websites and phoning across the country. The programs I mentioned sponsor J1's. Of course, whether they'll sponsor a J1 for ME is another story.

I am not sure how prematching (or the lack thereof) affects this??

Sounds like the New Hampshire programs all need Step 2 by December!

What are lower-tier programs? Community-based ones?

 

[yaah]

I don't like ranking programs or referring to "tiers" but if you are referring to competitiveness, then yes, community based programs are less competitive. There are also quite a few university programs out there who historically have lots of IMGs present that could be considered less competitive.

Many people recommend training at an academic medical center, as they say that is where training excellent pathologists is most emphasized (i.e. a teaching hospital). But there are lots of community based programs out there with excellent training programs.

 

[deschutes]

I don't like ranking programs or referring to "tiers" but if you are referring to competitiveness...

I was referring to whatever Matte was referring to! 😕

Man I gotta stop thinking about path for awhile and go stick my head in the river or sumthin.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I was referring to whatever Matte was referring to! 😕

Man I gotta stop thinking about path for awhile and go stick my head in the river or sumthin.

Yeah, I second that! I'm sick of thinking of applications and what to do next in this process.

 

[yaah]

Yeah, I second that! I'm sick of thinking of applications and what to do next in this process.

Let's all get drunk and play air hockey!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Let's all get drunk and play air hockey!

Good idea! I'm out!

 

[deschutes]

Yeah, I second that! I'm sick of thinking of applications and what to do next in this process.

If I were a drinking sort of girl, I'd go get myself pissed-drunk. If I had a husband, he'd be feeding me lobster. If I had his plastic, Holt Renfrew would be saying my last name right.

And it's only the 1st day of August, goddammit.

It's going to be an expensive series of months, I can tell.

 

[yaah]

If I were a drinking sort of girl, I'd go get myself pissed-drunk. If I had a husband, he'd be feeding me lobster. If I had his plastic, Holt Renfrew would be saying my last name right.

And it's only the 1st day of August, goddammit.

It's going to be an expensive series of months, I can tell.

I had to google
Holt Renfrew. Website is better in Francais.

I can't believe it's already august. The dog days are here. Git yerself some lemonade and set out on the porch, watch the world go by. When night falls, we'll have us-selves some moonshine and set a spell, reminiscing about the glory of the confederacy. Then we'll git our Blue Tick Hounds and go out coon huntin'. Don't forget the moonshine.

 

[deschutes]

I had to google
Holt Renfrew. Website is better in Francais.

I should bite the bullet and google Elizabeth Shue. Shoo-ey? Or Shew?

 

[yaah]

I should bite the bullet and google Elizabeth Shue. Shoo-ey? Or Shew?

I took the liberty myself.

KK Elisabeth:

Adventures in Babysitting Elisabeth:

 

[b&ierstiefel]

the right side of the first photo needs to go 🙂

nah...keep it....it looks funny