Pathology research residency application - advice, please?

[seashell12]

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Hi,
I am currently applying in path and am wondering if anyone out there might have some real insight (based on first-had experience) into what type of applicant I am - advising in path at my school is a little weak.

I am an MD/PhD student at a top 20 school.
My test scores are low - 200 on Step 1, just took Step 2 and think it went better, but don't have the score yet. Passed CS.
Passed 3rd year (good evaluations, but my shelf scores were low).
Good LORs including a couple from pretty high-powered folks.
Great publication record - multiple first authors in excellent journals.

Overall, the PhD part of my application is very strong and my med school record is, unfortunately, not so strong.

If anyone has been in a similar situation and can share their experience with residency applications, I would very much appreciate it.

 

[mlw03]

what are you asking specifically? are you trying to get into a "top" path residency at a research heavy program, or are you interested in programs that tend to train community-based pathologists? your mediocre step 1 score will not help, but the rest of your application sounds solid. unfortunately for you, score cut-offs exist, and without hitting > X on step 1, your app may never get seen by anyone beyond a program coordinator. the concern would be your ability to pass the boards, something programs do care about.

 

[seashell12]

Yes, sorry - Im asking whether the better/best research-based programs might be within reach. Thanks.

 

[mlw03]

Yes, sorry - Im asking whether the better/best research-based programs might be within reach. Thanks.

i speak now on a bit of conjecture, myself having gone to a mid-tier program (one i was very well-trained at, in my opinion). my guess is you're going to have problems getting past that score cutoff, which i would estimate is around 215 to 220 for big name places like jhu, mgh, ucsf, stanford, wash u, and others in that tier. there are just so many research-proven candidates who will have scores at that level and above, and step 1 score is an easy way to have an initial cutoff. i'm not trying to be mean, and if i were you i would still certainly apply. it's well worth the money to try. that's my opinion. let's see what others have to say.

 

[pathstudent]

Yes, sorry - Im asking whether the better/best research-based programs might be within reach. Thanks.

Only one way to find out

 

[seashell12]

Thanks - thats helpful. I was wondering just as a matter of having some sort of expectation going into the interview season - I think that for a research residency it is most important to choose a program based on accessible research mentors/science since the path training is likely to be excellent at most larger academic centers. I would be very happy to go to a mid-tier school in a good location.

 

[Maya Kennard]

I think you stand a good chance. I am in a similar situation (MD/PhD), but I have good scores and bad, bad publication record (who am I kidding-nonexistent). One thing I have heard is you will be weighed against other MD/PhDs, not so much with MDs. So, you ought to cheer up. If you have strong mentors to pull for you, any program will be ready to interview you.

BTW, don't look me up! My avatar name is not a real name-not my real name anyways

 

[KCShaw]

Research focused residency applicants I still think are a relatively low volume, nebulous bunch in pathology, meaning you may not have a "huge" number of individuals to compete with on the "research focus" front. However, I agree that a low'ish Step I score is highly likely to have an impact. But I'm also of a mind that it's always worth applying to places you think you really want to be at. In some views, having a PhD will somewhat pull up a lower Step I, but not every program will think that way -- fortunately, those with more research focus or desire are more likely to favor the PhD, which helps if that's the track you think you want to follow.