How good are my chances?

[drswam]

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Hello there,

finished my step1(250/99) and step 2 (248/99)......will have around 8 publications(3 first author) at the time of application.....was wondering if i should try applying to any of the top 25 programs or just settle in for the next tier.....being an IMG the programs might have reservations considering me for the residency programs.....any honest opinions would be highly appreciated...thanks and goodluck to you all.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Hello there,

I am a IMG currently finishing up my phd at temple univ,philadelphia....finished my step1(250/99) and step 2 (248/99)......will have around 8 publications(3 first author) at the time of application.....was wondering if i should try applying to any of the top 25 programs or just settle in for the next tier.....being an IMG the programs might have reservations considering me for the residency programs.....any honest opinions would be highly appreciated...thanks and goodluck to you all.

well drswam, we both have similar stats (except for step 2). I'm applying to top 25 programs. So should you...I see no reason why you should count yourself out in any way with regards to top 25 programs.

unlike you though, i'll probably end up bombing step 2.

 

[mosche]

Hello there,

I am a IMG currently finishing up my phd at temple univ,philadelphia....finished my step1(250/99) and step 2 (248/99)......will have around 8 publications(3 first author) at the time of application.....was wondering if i should try applying to any of the top 25 programs or just settle in for the next tier.....being an IMG the programs might have reservations considering me for the residency programs.....any honest opinions would be highly appreciated...thanks and goodluck to you all.

Absolutely! If you want to attend a stellar program, and don't even apply, you will DEFINATELY not get matched! Further, you will spend the next 50 years wondering "what if" ! Good luck!

 

[drswam]

thanks for the quick reply....i absolutely agree that unless i try i wouldnt know.....but i am also aware of the fact that path is very competitive these days and there are outstanding candidates from the US who would be competiting too.....so am a bit cautious assessing myself and picking the programs......thanks again....goodluck

 

[b&ierstiefel]

there are outstanding candidates from the US who would be competiting too.....so am a bit cautious assessing myself and picking the programs......thanks again....goodluck

I think a lot of us feel that way when it comes down to picking programs, especially the top tier programs. At least, I feel that way...I don't know how everyone else feels.

 

[quant]

personally...
it seems everyone who has 99/99 on step 1/2 and has a PhD with 10 publications is applying to path....

God... probably the year i apply, the cut-off criteria is going to be....

1) 99/99,step1/2

2) PhD

3) Minimum of 3 years post doc experience....

which of course would automatically eliminate me...

i am seriously beginning to wonder though !

Hey any thoughts on increased number of seats during the 2006 cycle...is it really true?

Regards
Quant

 

[b&ierstiefel]

personally...
it seems everyone who has 99/99 on step 1/2 and has a PhD with 10 publications is applying to path....

God... probably the year i apply, the cut-off criteria is going to be....

1) 99/99,step1/2

2) PhD

3) Minimum of 3 years post doc experience....

which of course would automatically eliminate me...

i am seriously beginning to wonder though !

Hey any thoughts on increased number of seats during the 2006 cycle...is it really true?

Regards
Quant

From what I can gather from seeing posts from Yaah et al, the quality of path applicants tend to be quite good.

This is consistent with what I was told by the PD at Michigan and the pathologist who will be writing my Dean's Letter...that pathology is like a buyer's market. If you apply, you will get a residency. PERIOD.

However, there's a catch...if you're applying to top programs, it can be quite competitive because of the caliber of applicants out there. (I mean the people applying here who post on these forums are quite impressive. Imagine those who we don't see on these forums.) Is this a problem? No because top programs in any specialty or field attract top candidates. Path certainly should not be an exception.

 

[quant]

Andy
i think i deserved it.....i mean it is foolish of me to think that there wouldnt be top candidates for ANY chosen field. i absolutely agree on that point. I think the best way would be to do the best and hope for the best.
And as also you previously mentioned it would be best to apply and see where it goes from there...regards
quant

 

[yaah]

This is consistent with what I was told by the PD at Michigan and the pathologist who will be writing my Dean's Letter...that pathology is like a buyer's market. If you apply, you will get a residency. PERIOD.

However, there's a catch...if you're applying to top programs, it can be quite competitive because of the caliber of applicants out there. (I mean the people applying here who post on these forums are quite impressive. Imagine those who we don't see on these forums.) Is this a problem? No because top programs in any specialty or field attract top candidates. Path certainly should not be an exception.

Yeah, I would agree with this. I would add though that there are lots of top programs, and the top candidates do not necessarily cluster towards the same 3 or 4 programs. In fact, they spread out amongst 30-40 programs around the country - another reason why I don't like lists of "top 10" programs and such. It is a buyer's market, which is what interviewers at the Brigham, U Chicago, and U Penn, obviously no slouches, told me on my interview day. You obviously can't bank on that from year to year, because hypothetically a lot of people could be interested in one particular program for a certain year and it might be a much tougher match than it normally would be. I don't know if I would have matched at Brigham, Penn, JHU, or Chicago because I didn't rank them higher. From what they told me I at least had a good shot.

So I wouldn't put too much stock in all the worrying. It's one thing to note there are lots of great candidates out there, but it's another thing to also realize that there are a lot of spots as well.

 

[drswam]

I was checking some of the resident profiles in univs like michigan....its outstanding.....most of them have so many scholarships and awards and seem to have decided on this career track right after birth.....anyway goodluck to all you guys who are planning to apply.....bye

 

[deschutes]

Heh no kidding.... well drswam what say you and me the late-blooming IMGers go grab ourselves a spot at the shrines? 😉

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Andy
i think i deserved it.....i mean it is foolish of me to think that there wouldnt be top candidates for ANY chosen field. i absolutely agree on that point. I think the best way would be to do the best and hope for the best.
And as also you previously mentioned it would be best to apply and see where it goes from there...regards
quant

Did I come down as too harsh? I hope not...but if I did sorry man. I don't think you deserved "it".

Whether most applicants for path are good or not...this is out of one's control. I totally agree with you when you say that one just has to do his/her best and hope for the best outcome. If I were to think about whatever competition I'm up against, I'd go nuts! 🙂

Anyways, good luck on the USMLE's...and most importantly, enjoy working in the lab. Labwork is the bomb ain't it?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I was checking some of the resident profiles in univs like michigan....its outstanding.....most of them have so many scholarships and awards and seem to have decided on this career track right after birth.....anyway goodluck to all you guys who are planning to apply.....bye

Not surprising. And if these highly qualified, smart individuals who will be our colleagues are as cool as the peeps who post on the forum, even more reason to believe that we're going into the right field.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

So I wouldn't put too much stock in all the worrying. It's one thing to note there are lots of great candidates out there, but it's another thing to also realize that there are a lot of spots as well.

The voice of reason has spoken. So it has been written, so shall it be done.

I just realized that I could have combined this post to my other 2 posts just now. DOH!

 

[quant]

Hey Andy
No No i did not take any offence....It is just me...I usually blab something too soon and then think about it...

It is like this, any argument i want to make , i analyse from it two angles...i scrutinise it intensely, then go up to the ceiling and analyse it from far away...(like richard bach of jonathan livingstone seagull fame...anyone heard of him?) and the truth dawns on me...same thing happned in your case...except that I dint scrutinse it from far away,you did that for me..


Anyway i dont think i made an iota of sense there...just wanted to say no harm done...

Labwork would be a bomb except that i dont seem to be getting any results right now and im tearing my hair out....the thing is, my prof is a new guy and he is about as clueless about the whole thing as i am.One free piece of advice to anyone who would care for it,do not venture into a lab which has been just setup,no matter how attractive it seems...an experienced guide is infinitely much better!!!...

argh jus me cribbing...i LOVE the subject though!!!.......and the work!...

at last count i had covered nearly 14 NEW subjects trying to understand and make sense out my own project!

How is your work going on Andy and did you get the statement of purpose done?

Regards
Quant

 

[quant]

Yeah, I would agree with this. I would add though that there are lots of top programs, and the top candidates do not necessarily cluster towards the same 3 or 4 programs. In fact, they spread out amongst 30-40 programs around the country - another reason why I don't like lists of "top 10" programs and such. It is a buyer's market, which is what interviewers at the Brigham, U Chicago, and U Penn, obviously no slouches, told me on my interview day. You obviously can't bank on that from year to year, because hypothetically a lot of people could be interested in one particular program for a certain year and it might be a much tougher match than it normally would be. I don't know if I would have matched at Brigham, Penn, JHU, or Chicago because I didn't rank them higher. From what they told me I at least had a good shot.

So I wouldn't put too much stock in all the worrying. It's one thing to note there are lots of great candidates out there, but it's another thing to also realize that there are a lot of spots as well.

Hey Yaah

It is really a different perspective which you provide which i hadnt thought about before!!!...the distribution of candidates thing....hmm the more i think about the more sense it makes...

anyway im looking forward to your next post on resident s diary.....the peadiatric post was quite moving...one of the most sad moments i have had during my career was once when a 10 year old girl whose father consumed some for acid in a suicide attempt came up to me and said..."doc is there anything you can do for him please....we d be destitute without him..." Needless to say,we really couldnt do anything for him and he died.I never saw the girl again, but somehow...it made me realise my vulnerabilites as a doctor....

Your post somehow brought back those memories....

Regards
Quant

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Hey Andy
No No i did not take any offence....It is just me...I usually blab something too soon and then think about it...

cool cool...btw, this describes me in real life. but see, when you post on forums you have to maintain some sense of decorum and tact 🙂

It is like this, any argument i want to make , i analyse from it two angles...i scrutinise it intensely, then go up to the ceiling and analyse it from far away...(like richard bach of jonathan livingstone seagull fame...anyone heard of him?) and the truth dawns on me...same thing happned in your case...except that I dint scrutinse it from far away,you did that for me..


Anyway i dont think i made an iota of sense there...just wanted to say no harm done...

Nope you didnt make sense. Can I have some of the drugs you're on? 🙂

See that was a joke...but I'm not gonna erase this.

Labwork would be a bomb except that i dont seem to be getting any results right now and im tearing my hair out....the thing is, my prof is a new guy and he is about as clueless about the whole thing as i am.One free piece of advice to anyone who would care for it,do not venture into a lab which has been just setup,no matter how attractive it seems...an experienced guide is infinitely much better!!!...

argh jus me cribbing...i LOVE the subject though!!!.......and the work!...

at last count i had covered nearly 14 NEW subjects trying to understand and make sense out my own project!

Yes, when I talk to young budding MD/PhD students at our program, I tell them that it is always a risk to work with younger professors. Here's the dilemma:

Young Assistant Profs - have least political power, but have the most drive and energy. If they are successful and you take a risk by working with them, you can ride the wave to success. But if they are not productive, you're screwed.

Associate Profs - still give a damn about work cuz they're worried about being promoted to Professor status. I think this is a good type of person to work for in principle. But these folks may not be the big names in their respective fields and hence not too much political power.

Profs - they've made it. Many of them don't care any more. Many of them have so many responsibilities that they have no time for their students. Overall, they're bigwigs in their fields but you may not learn much from them. Only benefit is that if they're bigwigs you have an easier time getting manuscripts accepted to the top journals. But since they don't have time to mentor you, you don't learn much from them.

How is your work going on Andy and did you get the statement of purpose done?

Regards
Quant

Work sucks. I don't like my subinternships. Two words = bullsh1t admits.

And yes I finished my personal statement...it's nothing special...it probably similar to all the same crap PDs read every year...but what the hey, my life isn't anything special. Basically I gotta secure a letter or two from pathologists next month and am basically waiting to send out my applications.

 

[quant]

Pardon the "Pea-diatric"....i meant "Pae-diatric"

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Pardon the "Pea-diatric"....i meant "Pae-diatric"

are you british? 🙂

 

[quant]

'HOLY COWWWW"

you think im british????

Goodness gracious me.....im no british,no siree.....

Im an Indian.....not Injun......An Indian Indian. But thanks to 200+ years of british rule, it is Pae-diatrics for me. Personally, i think pediatrics is much more efficient though. Dint someone say English is a mongrel language? each one to his own mongrel i guess though !

 

[b&ierstiefel]

'HOLY COWWWW"

you think im british????

Goodness gracious me.....im no british,no siree.....

Im an Indian.....not Injun......An Indian Indian. But thanks to 200+ years of british rule, it is Pae-diatrics for me. Personally, i think pediatrics is much more efficient though. Dint someone say English is a mongrel language? each one to his own mongrel i guess though !

well that got a rise out of you!

i know you're indian but one of my buddies is an injun from britun 🙂