Independently verifying rank claims

[deschutes]

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Whoa, that was a mouthful.

It goes like this - I have been in earnest contemplation for most of the day re: my interview experiences (ankle-deep snow can do this).

Apart from direct questioning, is there a way of independently verifying the info when an interviewer states for instance, that they rank among the "top 20 programs"?

Then again, maybe that wasn't the best example, since we all agree that any attempt to tier programs is hopeless/useless/fruitless.

Try this instead: a program claims that they are among the top 5 nationally each year in sending residents to present abstracts at USCAP.

I've hunted all over the USCAP website and cannot find this!

What should I do?
Would I ask them what the other programs are?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

It's all BS. When they make rank claims, my brain shuts off.

"We have the most number of residents who are experts in deep-sea basketweaving. Hence, we have the #1 AP/BW program in the nation."

 

[yaah]

Don't worry about it - because whose rankings are they talking about? It's like med school rankings. The US News rankings are supposedly as "official" as they come, but there are numerous ways of categorizing med schools (like acceptance rate, average test score, residency program director rank, etc) which are all different. I dislike rankings because they are ALL subjective and not representative of much of anything. A program can be "#1" because they take in the most research $$$ but what does that mean? Perhaps a lot of it is on a single huge project shared with other institutions. Perhaps a lot of it is with people only peripherally in the department. Perhaps a lot of it is not real.

I don't know how to look up USCAP representation aside from going there and copying down everyone's name and institution. I would suggest it doesn't matter a ton as long as the opportunity is there and residents do it.

 

[Doctor B.]

I think the USCAP abstracts are published somewhere each year...Modern Pathology maybe? Anyway, ask some academic pathologists; they know how to find out the numbers. I know Indiana is in the top 10 b/c we got an email from our PD who got an email from one of the USCAP peeps. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had a clue.