Pathology 2007

[Click Here!]

Hehe, I think I'm going to put 'Student Doctor Network' on my app under 'Membership in Honorary/Professional Societies.' It's sure been a heckuva lot more useful to me than AMSA!

Actually, the more I think about it the better it sounds...

BTW, were any of you members of ACP or USCAP as students?

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[sequela]

Hehe, I think I'm going to put 'Student Doctor Network' on my app under 'Membership in Honorary/Professional Societies.' It's sure been a heckuva lot more useful to me than AMSA!

Actually, the more I think about it the better it sounds...

BTW, were any of you members of ACP or USCAP as students?

Can we be members of ACP or USCAP as students? I was under the impression that you had to be a BC pathologist or pathology resident to be a member of such groups.

 

[srlacy]

Hi guys!

I'm also in for 2007! I'm getting ready to do my senior path elective next month and cannot wait! I'm clueless as to where I want to end up. I'm originally from Indianapolis, though. Does anyone know anything about IU's path program?

 

[beary]

I'm also in for 2007! I'm getting ready to do my senior path elective next month and cannot wait! I'm clueless as to where I want to end up. I'm originally from Indianapolis, though. Does anyone know anything about IU's path program?

I interviewed at IU and really liked it. I was very impressed. They are building a brand new central pathology building that is probably complete now. My impression was that the faculty are into teaching.

 

[2TIM4:7]

Thank you guys/gals for putting up good info on programs, cost of living, etc. I'll see where I'll end up in March with the rest of you.

My path elective will be over next week. I've had a great time so far and people actually smile at work (as someone has already mentioned)... something completely foreign to me.

My dermatologist actually encouraged me to go into DermPath and not Dermatology. He said if he had to do it over again, he would have done path then dermpath... 'a much more interesting option.' What do you guys think about Derm first and then path so that you could read your own biopsies? Just curious.

Good Luck everyone!

 

[106174]

What do you guys think about Derm first and then path so that you could read your own biopsies? Just curious.

Good Luck everyone!

If you really are very sure you want to do Dermpath, I would suggest you get into Derm (if you could, considering how ridiculously competitive the Derm match is). If you get into Derm, you are almost sure you will get into a Dermpath fellowship - it is a sad reality that most of the Dermpath programs in the country (including those headed by Path-trained people) would take a Derm-trained person anytime over one who is Path-trained.

 

[2TIM4:7]

If you really are very sure you want to do Dermpath, I would suggest you get into Derm (if you could, considering how ridiculously competitive the Derm match is). If you get into Derm, you are almost sure you will get into a Dermpath fellowship - it is a sad reality that most of the Dermpath programs in the country (including those headed by Path-trained people) would take a Derm-trained person anytime over one who is Path-trained.

Thank you for your reply. I will talk to my dean about the possibility of a derm match. Although, as you said, it's extremely difficult to match.

Hmmm...4th year just became infinitely more difficult and stressful.

 

[sequela]

Thank you for your reply. I will talk to my dean about the possibility of a derm match. Although, as you said, it's extremely difficult to match.

Hmmm...4th year just became infinitely more difficult and stressful.

hi....i'm still a med student but this is what i have heard too...i also really like skin pathology and had a dermatopathologist tell me to do derm to get dermpath if that's what i really want. apparently this also improves your options with respect to the job market/job location etc because you always have clinical derm to fall back on.

for me, i would rather do any kind of path than any kind of derm (should I not be able to secure a dermpath fellowship) so that kinda settles it.

you might want to take a derm elective, if you haven't already, just to see if the rest of dermatology is something you could tolerate.

 

[LADoc00]

If you really are very sure you want to do Dermpath, I would suggest you get into Derm (if you could, considering how ridiculously competitive the Derm match is). If you get into Derm, you are almost sure you will get into a Dermpath fellowship - it is a sad reality that most of the Dermpath programs in the country (including those headed by Path-trained people) would take a Derm-trained person anytime over one who is Path-trained.

Realize VERY VERY few dermpath trained dermatologists exclusively look at slides, be prepared for 80%+ of your income to come from the clinical practice of dermatology. Getting dermpath creds allows you to recapture about 10K/month currently, providing you are willing to put in the extra time. Rarely, will you be reading slides for other dermatologists. The financial set up and biz model is completely and utterly different from a hospital based pathologist with hospital $ backing who has an outpatient dermpath set up on the side. They are not alternate paths to the same goal for the most part. Be warned.

 

[fatboy]

Hi guys!

I'm also in for 2007! I'm getting ready to do my senior path elective next month and cannot wait! I'm clueless as to where I want to end up. I'm originally from Indianapolis, though. Does anyone know anything about IU's path program?

Hey everybody! Count me in for Path 2007 too!! Good luck to all and thanks to all the senior members for their priceless assistance.

Fat

 

[amalthea]

Hey all -

I've lurked here a long time, ever since the middle of my medicine rotation last year when, after a 4:30 pm Friday chest pain admission, the 4th year path-bound medical student working with me suggested I check out path before committing myself to medicine/ID. It was like a dirty secret - there's actually a specialty of medicine that doesn't include playing social worker/nurse/pharmacist/therapist? Where you actually cut to the chase and get to diagnose all day? Where I consistently use the knowledge gathered in 2nd year? Where attendings and residents don't spit venom constantly (usually)? It seemed to good to be true. Sometime earlier this year I began to realize path might be it for me, but was put off by the constant sneers and puzzled expressions from attendings and other med students when I answered "I'm thinking of path" in response to the ubiquitous "what are you interested in?" ice breaker. It felt like a medical faux-pas. Then I started my surg path rotation and it was like coming home. It's good to have a forum for like-minded people here too - I appreciate the sanity break. I'll be seeing you all here and on the interview trail this year . . .

 

[2TIM4:7]

Hey all -

I've lurked here a long time, ever since the middle of my medicine rotation last year when, after a 4:30 pm Friday chest pain admission, the 4th year path-bound medical student working with me suggested I check out path before committing myself to medicine/ID. It was like a dirty secret - there's actually a specialty of medicine that doesn't include playing social worker/nurse/pharmacist/therapist? Where you actually cut to the chase and get to diagnose all day? Where I consistently use the knowledge gathered in 2nd year? Where attendings and residents don't spit venom constantly (usually)? It seemed to good to be true. Sometime earlier this year I began to realize path might be it for me, but was put off by the constant sneers and puzzled expressions from attendings and other med students when I answered "I'm thinking of path" in response to the ubiquitous "what are you interested in?" ice breaker. It felt like a medical faux-pas. Then I started my surg path rotation and it was like coming home. It's good to have a forum for like-minded people here too - I appreciate the sanity break. I'll be seeing you all here and on the interview trail this year . . .

You were getting ridiculed by students and attendings because they were jealous that you were smart enough to realize the great benefits of pathology and/or they're ignorant...mostly jealousy I think.

Several OB/Gyn's and many other physicians (mostly IM) have said to me if they were to do it all over again, they would have chosen path.

Good luck and welcome to pathology!

 

[yaah]

Hey all -

A kindred spirit

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=181852

 

[Circumflex]

Hey y'all,

I've been enjoying this forum for a while and thought I'd throw myself into the 2007 group. I'm currently on a surg path elective at a local private hospital and am loving it. The staff are amazing - no residents, but they still have a daily "cool/difficult cases" conference, which is attended by everyone.

I'm here in the Big Easy (New Orleans) and am planning some away rotations - the path residency at LSU is no more (as well as other residency programs) after Katrina. I can't wait to get outta here!

 

[caspase]

Hey all, just wanted to intro myself as also being a part of the '07 match for Path. I'm still working on that personal statement and studying for Step 2, but look forward to being a part of the gang. Thanks for all the great threads/info you've provided over the past couple years while I've been lurking!

 

[jam]

So is this the official introduction thread?

Hi everyone. Ditto everything Sequela said. Plus a special thank you to yaah for his excellent blog! I'm looking forward to visiting some of your programs later on and maybe meeting some of you.

Right now I'm slogging through my personal statement. Is it a major faux pax to mention lifestyle at all? Of course that's not the major reason, but I'd be lying if I said my family played no role in my decision making process. I don't want to be q4, 80 hrs until my son starts school.

Hmmm...maybe you could word it like .."one of the appealing aspects of pathology is that one has better control over work hours and work flow, leaving more block time for research..."

 

[Click Here!]

Hmmm...maybe you could word it like .."one of the appealing aspects of pathology is that one has better control over work hours and work flow, leaving more block time for research..."

That's not bad! But I already got a couple of my letter writers to help me finesse the wording. Emphasize the positive! Not too much negative. Don't talk too much about your family, but it's ok to mention "real-world" concerns. (What?)

 

[sapience8x]

Hey! i tired to post here a few weeks ago but for some reason the submit wouldn't go through.
Count me in for this year. I am sure that I will see some of you on the interview trail! I'm applying mostly to places in the south.

 

[GroundGlass]

Hey all, I'm on the 2007 trail as well. I'll be applying out west, doing an externship at UCSF starting Aug 19. Good luck to everyone! If anyone is interested in USF (Tampa, FL), I can give you some insight as it is my home school.

 

[soopa]

Hey y'all,

I'm here in the Big Easy (New Orleans) and am planning some away rotations - the path residency at LSU is no more (as well as other residency programs) after Katrina. I can't wait to get outta here!

really? aren't they starting up again tho? the Frieda website says they are accepting path applications for the 2007-2008 year.

 

[Circumflex]

You are right - too many rumors floating around down here. Path accepted 3 residents for this year - the rotations are still mostly out of town. It was the Radiology residency that went under. Still, the training in New Orleans sucks now.

 

[DoubleHappiness]

Thank you guys/gals for putting up good info on programs, cost of living, etc. I'll see where I'll end up in March with the rest of you.

My path elective will be over next week. I've had a great time so far and people actually smile at work (as someone has already mentioned)... something completely foreign to me.

My dermatologist actually encouraged me to go into DermPath and not Dermatology. He said if he had to do it over again, he would have done path then dermpath... 'a much more interesting option.' What do you guys think about Derm first and then path so that you could read your own biopsies? Just curious.

Good Luck everyone!

A bit of advice, there is alot of talk about nYC being so expensive. It is crazy expensive. However, one extremely important aspect of pathology is that you CAN have a life outside of work. This not true for almost every other specialty. So doing your residency in NYC is like having icing on your cake and eating it too. Also there are more dermpath spots in NYC than any other city. In addition, they tend to take NYC applicants. Lastly, the path programs in NYC are very solid. Now if you are married with kids, NYC is way to expensive and don't even think about it.

 

[2TIM4:7]

A bit of advice, there is alot of talk about nYC being so expensive. It is crazy expensive. However, one extremely important aspect of pathology is that you CAN have a life outside of work. This not true for almost every other specialty. So doing your residency in NYC is like having icing on your cake and eating it too. Also there are more dermpath spots in NYC than any other city. In addition, they tend to take NYC applicants. Lastly, the path programs in NYC are very solid. Now if you are married with kids, NYC is way to expensive and don't even think about it.

Hmmm...NYC has just joined my list of top programs (pre-interview of course).

(Thanks for the inside info)

 

[pathgirl]

Hi everyone,
I just recently decided to apply for a Pathology residency and just wanted to get your opinion on my chances. I barely passed Step1(by one point), I got a 220 on Step2 and did a year of research between 2nd and 3rd year of Medical School. I have a real good Dean's letter and LORs. I realize my Step1 is horrible, and I am just trying to be realistic. Do you think I have a chance or should I think about a transitional year and reapplying.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Hi everyone,
I just recently decided to apply for a Pathology residency and just wanted to get your opinion on my chances. I barely passed Step1(by one point), I got a 220 on Step2 and did a year of research between 2nd and 3rd year of Medical School. I have a real good Dean's letter and LORs. I realize my Step1 is horrible, and I am just trying to be realistic. Do you think I have a chance or should I think about a transitional year and reapplying.

You have a chance...I'll put my money down and say that you match. Path isn't competitive.

 

[DW]

So, its decided. I'm in the middle of my path elective, and I'm having a great time. The people are generally nice, I've learned a lot, and the day to day stuff is pretty interesting. I realize grossing and autopsies are the bane of many path residents' existence, but I'd gross placentas for a year before another rotation of 5+ hour long ICU rounds.

I must admit this rotation makes me feel like I forgot so much of preclinical med school. I feel like I remember very little histology from 1st year. Is it natural to feel like you've lost a fair amount of preclinical knowledge before residency? Or am I just dumb?

 

[EUA]

I must admit this rotation makes me feel like I forgot so much of preclinical med school. I feel like I remember very little histology from 1st year. Is it natural to feel like you've lost a fair amount of preclinical knowledge before residency? Or am I just dumb?

Nope. One of the hardest parts of starting the path residency for me was having to relearn all the histology from 1st year -- and to learn it in greater detail! It will be ok.... promise!

 

[deleted113029]

I'm a newbie and I cannot wait to get this whole residency process over and done with...along with my 4th year in med school.

Woo Hoo! Let the waiting game begin.

 

[sapience8x]

I just submitted my application to 16 programs today!!! I am just awaiting my step 2 results. i am hoping that i passed. I did pretty decent on step 1 but have had extenuating cirumstances surrounding step 2 that might have caused me to not do well. Anyway we'll see what happens from here!

 

[Cougarblue]

I'm with you. I just submitted my application. It's amazing that we have finally reached this point in the never ending study, take a test, apply, interview, repeat, cycle which is medicine. I am excited to get out and start seeing different programs. My wife and I decided on eight programs. The final list: UVA, UNC, Mayo, Iowa, Utah, Cleveland Clinic, U. Washington, and Stanford. Good luck to everyone. Hopefully, I will meet a few of you out on the interview trail.

 

[sapience8x]

cougarblue- did anyone download your application yesterday and/or send you any messages? I got a generic message from MUSC. They aren't even goinng to start reviewing applications until 10/2 and will consider an application complete without the dean's letter because of the november due date for that. I'm guessing that more programs will be downloading next week after the long weekend. apparently my usmle transcript isn't even "at the post office" yet so I'm just waiting for those items to catch up with me. Not to mention my LORS!

 

[Cougarblue]

A bit of an update, as I was looking in the wrong place on ERAS. So far Stanford, UVA, UNC, and Utah have downloaded my documents, but I haven't heard from anyone yet. I'm waiting on a few LORs as well. Hopefully next week will bring a little more.

 

[sapience8x]

I guess more programs had downloaded than I thought. I applied to UVA and UNC also but hadn't checked to see fi they downloaded. I looked at the first few on my list and they hadn't downloaded so i didn't check further. anyway so checking my complete list- UVA, UNC, USF, Emory and Vanderbilt have downloaded my application.

 

[anencephalic]

Yale, U of Louisville, LSU-Shreveport, UNC, Penn State, Vandy, MUSC have downloaded my app. Still waiting on the interview invites...it's been over 48 hours...

 

[anencephalic]

My LORs and Photo actually posted this morning and showed up in my ADTS. All of them were in to the ERAS post office by late July or early August. It also says that my MSPE's been uploaded, even though they won't be made available to programs until 11/1/06.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

Submitted to 15 programs today, hopefully my Dean's' Office will get their **** together and upload some things before December

 

[sapience8x]

anecephalic- your dean's office is quick. My dean's office has at least 1 but probably more LORs and hasn't uploaded them yet. I'll bet the dean's letter will just make the nov 1 deadline. We'll see what happens with my transcript.

WHen you authorize your usmle transcrpit to be delivered through eras how longs does it take for them to do it? Were they waiting for me to submit my app or what? I have authorized that for a few weeks.

 

[anencephalic]

WHen you authorize your usmle transcrpit to be delivered through eras how longs does it take for them to do it? Were they waiting for me to submit my app or what? I have authorized that for a few weeks.

Honestly, I sent my form 172 for the USMLE authorization in on August 28th. I had no idea how soon they'd release that material, but to my surprise, it's already there and programs have access to it. Same goes for the LOR's.

 

[sapience8x]

okay what is a form 172? does that authorize release of the usmle transcript through eras? Or was I suppsoed to do something else too?
Here's something really weird- my dean's office uploaded my LOR and transcript YESTERDAY and UVA downloaded them YESTERDAY (sunday 9/3). someone's working overtime!

 

[yaah]

They may just have an automatic type of system. I wouldn't read too much into whether or not programs download stuff.

 

[MD Dreams]

Ok, this may not be the place to post this. I'm not applying for path but I gotta tell ya, path really interests me. The only reason I didn't apply to path is because I'm afraid of the job market. I know this is an old topic, but I just needed to get it out of my system. I wish you all the best in the match.

 

[yaah]

Oh good lord. Have you talked to anyone in person who is a competent human being and had trouble (I mean real trouble, not "Why isn't anyone calling me out of the blue and offering me $300k per year" trouble) finding a job?

 

[MD Dreams]

I can't say I have. But I do have a path elective coming up, which will give me a chance to talk to the pathologists. However, when I look at websites which post MD jobs, there seem to be very few path jobs and a lot of jobs in related fields. Perhaps, when I learn more about it I'll change my mind. It's just scary, given the fact that I have so many loans.

 

[106174]

To MD Dreams - If you are applying to a specialty other than Path that you feel and stongly believe you will be happy doing for the rest of your life, then good, end of discussion. But if Path is what fits you the most and the only reason why you are not applying is because of the job market, then I think you are making a big mistake. DO NOT base your decision on advertisements you see online. A lot of the jobs in Path are not advertised. And, if you have been following this forum, you probably would have already figured out that jobs in Path are not hard to come by if you are an American school grad (and I am assuming you are).

 

[yaah]

I can't say I have. But I do have a path elective coming up, which will give me a chance to talk to the pathologists. However, when I look at websites which post MD jobs, there seem to be very few path jobs and a lot of jobs in related fields. Perhaps, when I learn more about it I'll change my mind. It's just scary, given the fact that I have so many loans.

Just because jobs aren't advertised doesn't mean they aren't there...Perhaps people looking to hire pathologists aren't as desperate as those in some other fields, and they likely (as is obvious here) have more success talking to program directors and faculty than posting in recruitment sites.

 

[rirriri]

To MD Dreams - If you are applying to a specialty other than Path that you feel and stongly believe you will be happy doing for the rest of your life, then good, end of discussion. But if Path is what fits you the most and the only reason why you are not applying is because of the job market, then I think you are making a big mistake. DO NOT base your decision on advertisements you see online. A lot of the jobs in Path are not advertised. And, if you have been following this forum, you probably would have already figured out that jobs in Path are not hard to come by if you are an American school grad (and I am assuming you are).

exactly....i dunno if any of you were in attendance for the CAP Teleconference a few weeks back related to post-residency choices and career paths.

they specifically mentioned that in Pathology, a HUGE number of jobs are open and filled through networking and inter-hospital recruitment. Most of the Pathology jobs are not listed in a public domain.

cheers!

 

[sapience8x]

They may just have an automatic type of system. I wouldn't read too much into whether or not programs download stuff.

But it's just so much fun! LOL! and you mean to tell me that downloading does not= a spot in their program? j/k

 

[djmd]

I can't say I have. But I do have a path elective coming up, which will give me a chance to talk to the pathologists. However, when I look at websites which post MD jobs, there seem to be very few path jobs and a lot of jobs in related fields. Perhaps, when I learn more about it I'll change my mind. It's just scary, given the fact that I have so many loans.

That is a issue of volume. If pathology trains 400 residents a year and IM trains 10,000. What do you think the job posting lists will look like...

Pathology tends to advertise in pathology journals and sites...
Not many pathologist read NEJM.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I can't say I have. But I do have a path elective coming up, which will give me a chance to talk to the pathologists. However, when I look at websites which post MD jobs, there seem to be very few path jobs and a lot of jobs in related fields. Perhaps, when I learn more about it I'll change my mind. It's just scary, given the fact that I have so many loans.

I felt the same way when I was a baby in medical school in the late 90's. Then I picked pathology by a process of elimination (sorta) during late 3rd year as advisers at my school were hounding us to make up our minds as to our fields of interest. Yeah, some folks were telling me, "Oh the job situation has gotten better" or "Oh the job situation isn't that bad." I wasn't inclined to believe them because if the job situation was so great, nobody would be even talking about this topic to begin with. But anyways, I picked path cuz I thought it agreed most with my personality. Of course, there were other peripheral reasons too. But now, after having experience 1.25 years of path residency, I don't regret the decision. It was the best fit for me (and it's short too, which definitely helps). So, if you feel that path is the best fit for you, just go for it. Nothing is worse than picking a field you won't be happy with for the rest of your life.

 

[sapience8x]

Would it be poor form to contact the programs that I applied to and see what their application/ interview process is? MUSC's letter was so helpful in outlining their process that I wonder why I havent' received something similar from other places? Also does lack of such a letter mean lack of interest?