seeking advice about derm

[snurpy]

I'm a 4th year student and started applying for pathology residencies, with the intention of doing dermpath as a fellowship. I always thought about derm, but didn't think I was competitive enough. However, I am very attracted to the idea of being able to still be a clinician and have path as a future fellowship. I haven't completed a derm rotation yet, but I think I can wrangle a last-minute rotation.

Stats: Step 1 259, AOA, undergrad pub, good grades, and some extracurriculars

Given my statistics, do you think I have a real chance at derm, or should I not bother?

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[sore eye asses]

not sure why you're doubting those stats. looking at charting outcomes, you stack up very well. looking for some adulation? of course you have a shot.

 

[sweatybrain]

Your stats certainly won't screen you out. As long as the intangibles - school(s) you attended, LOR, connection - are there, you will probably do very well. Congrat and good luck.d

 

[asmallchild]

Your stats certainly won't screen you out. As long as the intangibles - school(s) you attended, LOR, connection - are there, you will probably do very well. Congrat and good luck.d

Therein lies the problem though.

How are you going to get meaningful LORs in a 1 month rotation? (With ERAS well under way already)

Connections? In 1 month? Some people spend their entire medical school career trying to foster those.

With those stats, the OP has a chance but I'm not sure it's a walk in the park without research, without connections, and without someone to bat for you in the small field of derm. That being said, those stats are more than enough to get your foot in the door for an interview at many places. From there, it's all about wowing them, conveying a genuine interest in the field (even with the late decision), and maybe those other things just aren't needed.

The best person to ask probably would be the derm PD and/or chairperson at your school. Speaking with the dean would also be a good idea. This may be one case where double-applying may not hurt (since I'm assuming you already have your path application all lined up). I would broach the topic of double-applying with your dean but NOT anyone in the derm department.

 

[snurpy]

Therein lies the problem though.

How are you going to get meaningful LORs in a 1 month rotation? (With ERAS well under way already)

Connections? In 1 month? Some people spend their entire medical school career trying to foster those.

With those stats, the OP has a chance but I'm not sure it's a walk in the park without research, without connections, and without someone to bat for you in the small field of derm. That being said, those stats are more than enough to get your foot in the door for an interview at many places. From there, it's all about wowing them, conveying a genuine interest in the field (even with the late decision), and maybe those other things just aren't needed.

The best person to ask probably would be the derm PD and/or chairperson at your school. Speaking with the dean would also be a good idea. This may be one case where double-applying may not hurt (since I'm assuming you already have your path application all lined up). I would broach the topic of double-applying with your dean but NOT anyone in the derm department.

Thank you very much for your advice. I wasn't looking for adulation, but was worried that I was simply too late to apply with a strong application with rotations, LORs, etc, or even have it reflect poorly on me. The AOA status was only granted fairly recently to me, and it made a lot of friends/family suddenly take a big interest in me being derm and made me waver. Because I was interested in being dermpath, it would have been easier for me to get that fellowship as a derm instead of a pathologist, but I think I can still work hard and make it there as a path. I will meet with my dean and take it from there. Thanks again.

 

[mohderm]

Thank you very much for your advice. I wasn't looking for adulation, but was worried that I was simply too late to apply with a strong application with rotations, LORs, etc, or even have it reflect poorly on me. The AOA status was only granted fairly recently to me, and it made a lot of friends/family suddenly take a big interest in me being derm and made me waver. Because I was interested in being dermpath, it would have been easier for me to get that fellowship as a derm instead of a pathologist, but I think I can still work hard and make it there as a path. I will meet with my dean and take it from there. Thanks again.

I have heard of some dermpath residencies that have taken almost exclusively path trained residents. I am not sure what the overall trend is though.

 

[dermRus]

you'll get interviews but numbers aren't good enough to match because you need something to talk about at the interviews. I'll be honest...you will have an uphill battle but I'll never say that you won't match because you never know. Connections are huge in this field and so is research. Derm is a funny field because people tend to count the number of pubs that you have without really looking at what you have been publishing (no matter what they tell you). If you don't have any publications recently it will be harder. Your personality is another X factor since this is huge in connecting during the interviews...don't expect to get a bunch just off the step 1 though....and I hope that "good grades" means majority honors if not all honors since that will stack the cards more in your direction.

To be frank, if you were stacked up against a person with a lower step 1, who also had good grades, had done a research and published, and has been working over the past two to four years with a mentor....you won't stack up well against them and it will come down to your personality.

If AOA and the interest of family/friends are the reasons that tipped you toward derm you had better come up with a better reason than that on the inside if you are going to convince people that you like the clinical aspects of derm (absolutely not trying to be harsh but I just want you to be prepared for the reality of what you might be up against in interviews).

A word to the wise would be don't get too specific pre-match about yourself on this forum...people track this forum more than you would think...it won't matter so much after you match.

I agree with asmallchild on this one, it's going to be a tough match for you but you do have a chance of matching. Double applying might be the best option if you are bent on applying this year.