Feedback on Applying with a Step 1 Fail

[Peritus_Medicus]

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As the title states, I just got back an unexpected Step 1 Fail result, and am wondering if it's still possible to match into Path. I am currently a MD/PhD student (entering G1 year) who is very interested in Pathology (especially CP). I have had a number of great experiences to Path, plus some great mentors and research experiences with the field.

How does a Step 1 fail affect my chances of matching into AP/CP as a MD/PhD? I had originally wanted to aim for a research-focused program but I'm guessing that this result makes that possibility super unlikely?

Thanks!

 

[KeratinPearls]

How the hell did you fail Step 1 as a MD/PhD? I am assuming you have brains if you got into a MD/PhD program.

Are you a US med student?

Dude, Ill tell you before everyone else will tell you the same thing that has been said for the past 15 years. If you got a beating heart you can match somewhere. You got a niche interest in CP which you can use to your advantage when applying to Path and interviewing. Academic programs love people like you. You may not be able to get into a top notch place (hell you may still stand a chance if you have a lot of publications in high impact journals) but you can still get into an academic program.

Path is sadly not too competitive. You can get in and your MD/PhD and how you communicate your interest in academic pathology during academic interviews will make or break you. Pass Step 2 first time with a high score.

The key here is that you must effectively communicate a strong interest in CP to the academic faculty and you have to make sure you are likeable during interviews. Some people cannot do that and then cant match because of personality although academic credentials are good. You have to be personable/friendly during interviews and if you are sincere with your academic interests, you can still match into an academic program. There arent many MD/PHDs around and you can use that to your advantage. If you are weird, aloof, crazy or antisocial, then you will have career/career advancement issues wherever you go whether it be medicine or outside of medicine.

 

[ChicagoPath]

Like Jake Paul says….”turn your Ls into Ws”.

 

[mike-sheree]

How the hell did you fail Step 1 as a MD/PhD? I am assuming you have brains if you got into a MD/PhD program.

Are you a US med student?

Dude, Ill tell you before everyone else will tell you the same thing that has been said for the past 15 years. If you got a beating heart you can match somewhere. You got a niche interest in CP which you can use to your advantage when applying to Path and interviewing. Academic programs love people like you. You may not be able to get into a top notch place (hell you may still stand a chance if you have a lot of publications in high impact journals) but you can still get into an academic program.

Path is sadly not too competitive. You can get in and your MD/PhD and how you communicate your interest in academic pathology during academic interviews will make or break you. Pass Step 2 first time with a high score.

The key here is that you must effectively communicate a strong interest in CP to the academic faculty and you have to make sure you are likeable during interviews. Some people cannot do that and then cant match because of personality although academic credentials are good. You have to personable/friendly during interviews and if you are sincere with your academic interests, you can still match into an academic program. There arent many MD/PHDs around and you can use that to your advantage. If you are weird, aloof, crazy or antisocial, then you will have career issues wherever you go medicine or outside of medicine.

Perfect reply👍🏼

 

[Peritus_Medicus]

How the hell did you fail Step 1 as a MD/PhD? I am assuming you have brains if you got into a MD/PhD program.

Are you a US med student?

Dude, Ill tell you before everyone else will tell you the same thing that has been said for the past 15 years. If you got a beating heart you can match somewhere. You got a niche interest in CP which you can use to your advantage when applying to Path and interviewing. Academic programs love people like you. You may not be able to get into a top notch place (hell you may still stand a chance if you have a lot of publications in high impact journals) but you can still get into an academic program.

Path is sadly not too competitive. You can get in and your MD/PhD and how you communicate your interest in academic pathology during academic interviews will make or break you. Pass Step 2 first time with a high score.

The key here is that you must effectively communicate a strong interest in CP to the academic faculty and you have to make sure you are likeable during interviews. Some people cannot do that and then cant match because of personality although academic credentials are good. You have to be personable/friendly during interviews and if you are sincere with your academic interests, you can still match into an academic program. There arent many MD/PHDs around and you can use that to your advantage. If you are weird, aloof, crazy or antisocial, then you will have career/career advancement issues wherever you go whether it be medicine or outside of medicine.

Thank you, I appreciate this feedback. Tbh I don't really know what went wrong, I was pre-testing great, and was essentially guaranteed to pass. I've always been a solid test taker, but maybe the nerves got to me? And yes I'm US T30 MSTP, an at-or-above average student in my classes. My mentors were super supportive, but no one can really pin point what went wrong (which kinda feels horrible tbh)

 

[Napoleon1801]

Thank you, I appreciate this feedback. Tbh I don't really know what went wrong, I was pre-testing great, and was essentially guaranteed to pass. I've always been a solid test taker, but maybe the nerves got to me? And yes I'm US T30 MSTP, an at-or-above average student in my classes. My mentors were super supportive, but no one can really pin point what went wrong (which kinda feels horrible tbh)

Never let your failures define you. It's still very possible to match pathology if you get your stuff together and max out all your other stats. Pathology is not super competitive, but be ready to talk about a Step failure and how you overcame it on the interview trail.

 

[Ubba]

Thank you, I appreciate this feedback. Tbh I don't really know what went wrong, I was pre-testing great, and was essentially guaranteed to pass. I've always been a solid test taker, but maybe the nerves got to me? And yes I'm US T30 MSTP, an at-or-above average student in my classes. My mentors were super supportive, but no one can really pin point what went wrong (which kinda feels horrible tbh)

Did you panic and/or overthink?

If your other stats and background are as impressive as you say, you can probably talk your way out of this as long as you show substantial improvement on Step 2. Wouldn't fly in Plastic Surgery or Derm even with outstanding academic background, but Path seems more forgiving and (from what I understand) needs intelligent people in the field. The correlation between test-taking success and practice success is not always +1.

 

[Peritus_Medicus]

Did you panic and/or overthink?

If your other stats and background are as impressive as you say, you can probably talk your way out of this as long as you show substantial improvement on Step 2. Wouldn't fly in Plastic Surgery or Derm even with outstanding academic background, but Path seems more forgiving and (from what I understand) needs intelligent people in the field. The correlation between test-taking success and practice success is not always +1.

Overthinking/panic was definitely an issue (my block 3 was particularly panic-y as I recall). I'm preparing to retake next week, and ngl I don't know how to feel about it

 

[Iceman24]

I encountered the female applicant who were chugging Bloody Mary waiting for the pre-interview dinner and got pretty ****faced when evening was over; another dude brought Rubik's cube with him and played with it during the interview day; another gal was telling me staff about her professional interests which completely contradicted her own personal statement. Guess what, they are all matched.

So, my point is even if you are "weird, aloof, crazy or antisocial" you WILL match into path.

 

[Ubba]

Overthinking/panic was definitely an issue (my block 3 was particularly panic-y as I recall). I'm preparing to retake next week, and ngl I don't know how to feel about it

Tip: try your hardest on every single question, but it it seems remarkably difficult or esoteric, remind yourself that a certain number of questions on every exam are experimental or deemed inappropriately hard, and that if you're finding this question extraordinarily challenging, there's a significant chance that so will many other students, increasing the odds of its being thrown out or being experimental in the first place.

Then force yourself to psychologically move on to the next question. It's easier than you might think. Just choose to ignore every question you've already done on the exam and focus only on what's before you.

 

[Ubba]

I encountered the female applicant who were chugging Bloody Mary waiting for the pre-interview dinner and got pretty ****faced when evening was over; another dude brought Rubik's cube with him and played with it during the interview day; another gal was telling me staff about her professional interests which completely contradicted her own personal statement. Guess what, they are all matched.

So, my point is even if you are "weird, aloof, crazy or antisocial" you WILL match into path.

Rubik's cube story is hilarious, and honestly what I imagined to be somewhat normal in Path. Speaking for myself, I sort of want to work with that kind of pathologist.

 

[ChicagoPath]

I know a dude who doesn’t even like pathology but got in because he couldn’t match into anything else.

 

[mike-sheree]

I know a dude who doesn’t even like pathology but got in because he couldn’t match into anything else.

Back in the day (70’s-80’s) when path was uber lucrative, I knew many who openly stated that they went into path strictly for the money that the clin path lab generated. They USED to be like money presses. Almost zero, or perfunctory at best, interest in AP which took far, far second place.

 

[Zarniwoop]

Instead of asking "Can I get into pathology after failing step 1?" the better question (assuming you want clinical medicine) is
"Will I have to go into pathology after failing step 1?"

 

[mike-sheree]

Path seems to be paying a living wage now. And really anybody can get into it regardless of their dedication, skills or qualification. Very sad but very true. I always have biopsies from me, friends or family members looked at by someone who least “passed everything“.