Residency Advice

[jasper8989]

I'm an MS3 from an east coast US medical school and am wondering what my chances are at pathology residency on the west coast (Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado areas)? What are my chances at top-tier pathology programs around the rest of the country? I have completed a post-sophomore fellowship in pathology, have several publications and a step 1 score of 229. Any advice is appreciated!

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[Thrombus]

I'm an MS3 from an east coast US medical school and am wondering what my chances are at pathology residency on the west coast (Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado areas)? What are my chances at top-tier pathology programs around the rest of the country? I have completed a post-sophomore fellowship in pathology, have several publications and a step 1 score of 229. Any advice is appreciated!

My advice: do NOT go into pathology. We do NOT need any more help. We are oversupplied and if you want to help pathologists, go into a field that gets us work!

 

[WillieTrill]

I'm an MS3 from an east coast US medical school and am wondering what my chances are at pathology residency on the west coast (Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado areas)? What are my chances at top-tier pathology programs around the rest of the country? I have completed a post-sophomore fellowship in pathology, have several publications and a step 1 score of 229. Any advice is appreciated!

You will be able to hand pick which residency you want to attend

 

[deleted314957]

It is NOT a competitive field. That is something you should seriously consider.

 

[DoctorInQuotations]

I'm an MS3 from an east coast US medical school and am wondering what my chances are at pathology residency on the west coast (Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado areas)? What are my chances at top-tier pathology programs around the rest of the country? I have completed a post-sophomore fellowship in pathology, have several publications and a step 1 score of 229. Any advice is appreciated!

Agree with WillieTrill, it should basically be your choice. For reference: I am an AMG MD, had exactly your step 1 score without the sophomore fellowship and without any publications, and got interviews from many (but not all) top programs. Just be friendly and not weird on your interviews.

 

[tiredguy]

I sort of disagree with the above. The California programs, even the "lower tier" ones, are more competitive due to there being less programs (vs. east coast) and it being more likely that people will want to go west than east. Some west coast people get stuck on the east coast for medical school and want to go back. If you've never lived on the west coast and/or have no connections there, programs might rank you lower because you are more of a risk to drop out or think you aren't truly interested. Your step score is not very high and we have no idea about the pedigree of your medical school or your class rank. UCSF, Stanford, UW, and UCLA might be out of reach, esp. if they don't need to match many people your year. I think if you apply broadly and interview at most west coast programs, you will get into one of them, perhaps even your top choice, but I'm not sure picking geography over quality is a smart idea when it comes to pathology training.

Bottom line: Pathology may be less competitive than other specialties, but you absolutely should not expect to get into your top choice. Fortunately for you, it doesn't sound like you have your heart set on one particular place.

 

[CoffeeDreamer]

I did a psf year, had a mediocre step 1, no publications and interviewed at a lot of top tier places. I didn't apply anywhere in California though. I was applying AP/NP which made it a little harder. But I still matched AP/NP at a good program.

I'm sure you have a pretty good shot at getting interviews most places you apply. And you won't be grilled as much about why you're interested in pathology since you did a psf. Just based on my anecdotal experience from last year.

 

[Pathbusiness]

No one wants to move out of California!

 

[Zarniwoop]

Statistically, your job prospects are better finishing internal med at Tupelo Community Hospital than a pathology residency at Harvard or Stanford.
However, if you do end up joining our ranks, welcome. There is an oversupply of us already, so WTF if there's one more.
Good luck.

 

[LADoc00]

Statistically, your job prospects are better finishing internal med at Tupelo Community Hospital than a pathology residency at Harvard or Stanford.
However, if you do end up joining our ranks, welcome. There is an oversupply of us already, so WTF if there's one more.
Good luck.

Haha this is hitting a bit close to home now guys..there is standard hyperbole and then there is "crazy talk"

The internal med folks where I am make exactly 13.2% of what I make annually. They work on average 10 hours MORE per week than me as well. 520 hours per year on average and are pulling down an annual nut the size of my nut every 6 weeks. Let that sink in.

My reduced hours have all sorts of knock on benefits as well. I waited until I completely maxxed out my SMV aka sexual market value to get married to highest possible SMV spouse and even years later she still is in the type of shape that would destroy the 20-year old competition at the amateur night at the Spearmint Rhino. I doubt I could have done that working long hours, taking call and pulling down only int. med nuts.

 

[Zarniwoop]

Haha this is hitting a bit close to home now guys..there is standard hyperbole and then there is "crazy talk"

The internal med folks where I am make exactly 13.2% of what I make annually. They work on average 10 hours MORE per week than me as well. 520 hours per year on average and are pulling down an annual nut the size of my nut every 6 weeks. Let that sink in.

My reduced hours have all sorts of knock on benefits as well. I waited until I completely maxxed out my SMV aka sexual market value to get married to highest possible SMV spouse and even years later she still is in the type of shape that would destroy the 20-year old competition at the amateur night at the Spearmint Rhino. I doubt I could have done that working long hours, taking call and pulling down only int. med nuts.

Agreed for paths who have your outcome, but your outcome isn't the norm. The norm is working the Quest job for $250 and 6 weeks vacation, with no hope of advancement. Worse still is working as a non-partner for other pathologists, in the hope of becoming a partner and not making it. In that case your pay may be even lower (175-200), with a heavy caseload, with even less vacation. Plus all of the geographic restrictions. Plus if you go somewhere else you basically have to start over (path jobs as a generalization don't pay much of a premium for your previous experience outside of academia). I know several paths who were forced out of their partnership for financial reasons (culling the herd when the pot got smaller), and went from earning $900 to $175. The next group didn't give a F that they had 10 years experience and leadership skills. Those traits got them the job, but didn't earn them any extra money.
In IM, you could be a hospitalist in the city of your choosing, working 25 weeks per year, and making that same $250 as the Quest pathologist.
That is nothing in comparison to a lucrative partner practice in pathology, or what even the chiefs of academic pathology departments make, but it is a sure thing, while this best case scenario for pathologists is a gamble. Having a sure thing is pretty comforting.
That said, people can still ruin a sure thing. Did you see the FL orthopod who will be spending the rest of his life in prison for impersonating Walter White?
Life is what you make it, and from your postings it sounds like you have a great head on your shoulders, so your outcome is not what the rest of us can expect.

 

[LADoc00]

Zwoop-

Yah I 100% understand what you are saying about the expected average median outcome for Pathology but at some point in your life you have to step up and declare you aren't willing to settle for being just one of the masses of glass pushing monkeys.

Im not some 180 IQ genius freak whose success can be written off to pure genetics nor am I a golden ticket winner whose success boils down to simple casino luck.

Im an average Joe, from an average Joe town in an average Joe family.

At some point everyone has to ask themselves what is stopping THEM from being successful. If you bail Pathology for IM or Peds or whatever, you still wont be able hide from a myriad of excuses for failure that permeate every single profession of modern civilization.

One day you folks will wake up and realize, finally, the grass ISN'T greener anywhere else. You have to plant your flag where you are and die fighting if needed to become your vision of success. Wake up everyday and tell yourself no one on this Earth has the power to stop you. Step 3. Profit.

 

[Nilf]

My reduced hours have all sorts of knock on benefits as well. I waited until I completely maxxed out my SMV aka sexual market value to get married to highest possible SMV spouse and even years later she still is in the type of shape that would destroy the 20-year old competition at the amateur night at the Spearmint Rhino. I doubt I could have done that working long hours, taking call and pulling down only int. med nuts.