Please Help: DOs and Patholgy Residency

[Flintstone]

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I am attending DO school next year and plan to either get into Family Medicine or Pathology. My heart is more towards Pathology though. I understand that Path is an allopathic residency and I wonder if there is anything thing that I can plan ahead or do at med school to increase the chance of matching into a Path program......

Someone mentioned a "post-sophomore Path fellowship". What is it? Do you know if these fellowships are open to osteopathic medical students? Do you apply through your med school? Where can I get more information?

I am choosing between Michigan State U, Coll of Osteo Med and Midwestern U Coll of Osteo Med in Arizona. If my goal is to get into a Path residency, which school should I choose?

Any idea and insight will help!

Thanks.

 

[H&E]

1) I would not worry too much about osteopathic prejudice in pathology. I am a 3rd year D.O. student and had some of the same reservations that you're expressing. After speaking with pathologists it really has become a lesser issue. Very few medical students ( MD or DO) are interested in pathology. Therefore, I think as long as you are a good student with decent grades and board scores as well as enthusiasm and interest you would not have difficulty matching into an allopathic residency. This is not to say that there is no prejudice against DO's; I'm sure there is some especially in geographic areas where there a very few osteopaths. But IMHO such sentiments are not powerful enough to hold you back in your career. I feel if you are bright and hard working that you will easily overcome any prejudgement.

2) As for which school to attend I would go to the school that you feel you'll be most happy at and where you feel you'll be most academically sucessful. You may also want to go to the school where you will accumulate the lowest debt as the burden can be large later in life. Once at the school of your choice, your best bet would be to study hard and gain a solid background in your basic sciences during the first 2 years. You may want to speak to the pathologists on faculty about shadowing one of them. This is a good way to solidify your decision to enter path and also to build a nice rapport with the pathology attendings who would then be more than happy to provide you a strong recommendation when you apply to residency programs. Lastly, I would recommend that you take USMLE Step 1 so that programs have a standardized way to compare you with more numerous allopathic applicant pool.

 

[Mindy]

Welcome Flintstone!

One word of caution: This year ERAS has seen a 50% increase in applications to pathology according to data given by the AAMC to program directors. There are almost 400 pathology positions, but now at least 300 (v. 200 last year) are applying through ERAS. This generally excludes foreign grads and people coming into pathology from other specialties, and may represent the base of U.S. trained grads. I am not sure if Osteopathic schools use ERAS also. In short, there is a real increase in pathology applicants this year keeping with what members of this forum speculated. My guess is that this will continue on for the next few years at least.

So. I think that the post-sophomore fellowship is a wonderful tool (albeit it will not receive post-grad. credit anymore) for anyone who may not come from traditional allopathic training to gain entry into a pathology program. I also think it is a wonderful program for anyone considering pathology (who can spare a cheap labor year) in general, particularly if you are uncertain about your career choice.

But. Flinstone, if your heart is to be a pathologist I would work hard in school and explore the field thoroughly. I would develop connections with a pathology program either through a PSF or other means. I would try to publish something. But also, make sure you keep your mind open...you never know what will strike your fancy in school!

I am sure you will be able to do whatever you want to in the end.

Mindy

 

[Flintstone]

Thank you H&E!
Thank you Mindy!

You have allied my fears. Shadowing and networking with Pathologists at med school sound like something I can do......Thanks!