Surgpath and Hemapath

[pathresident2]

I am applying for surg and heme for 2012. I applied in mid nov. So far I am not getting any iv. Anybody on the same boat?

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[Entgegen]

I'm not a resident, but do surg path and heme path fellowships need applications 20 months ahead of time? I would've figured you'd apply to the 2012 spots for those fields around summer of 2011 or so...correct me if I'm wrong, but it just seems like you're jumping the gun a bit early. Perhaps that's why you're not getting interviews yet?

 

[icpshootyz]

I don't think most programs wait until only 12 months in advance. I'm doing a SurgPath fellowship at my program and we definitely had all of our internal spots chosen 18 months in advance. And every spot was filled more than 12 months in advance. I've only seen spots that fell through (resident took a job instead, or decided on a different fellowship) become available less than 12 months in advance. But maybe that's just my place.

 

[Tiki]

I've applied to surg path and have been invited to three interviews with one offer, so it is definitely not too early to apply. I will say a few of the places I'm interested in said they won't even screen the applications until after January, so invites may still be coming for you.

 

[KCShaw]

There have been a number of recent discussions on here regarding the fellowship application process -- I'd encourage you to look around and read them. In short, there is no process. It's currently a free-for-all in which programs generally prefer to fill early, while some refuse applications until much later. Applicants are thrown into the chaos and told they better succeed, but for the most part are left to drown.

In the wake of this there has been a push for a fellowship match as one solution, which appears to have gained at least temporary traction. But until a system actually goes into effect, the only time you're applying too early is if you can't back up the application as a good candidate (1st year with no experience in the fellowship subspecialty being applied for, no research, no contacts at the fellow program, etc.). This roughly translates into doing a couple years of training then applying on the order of 2 years prior to fellowship, especially for competitive places which are known to take apps that early (most seem to be).

Unfortunately it's very difficult to gauge why some programs don't reply or don't offer interviews even ~2 years out, because there are no real pressures for them to accurately declare/publish the number of available positions, what their application/interview season is (if they have one), when they fill, what year(s) they fill for, etc. Many will make some of that information available simply to control the flow of applications, but others aren't so on top of things. Even within the same institution, fellowship programs may be managed completely differently, and one may not know what the other is doing -- or care. The only up side, I suppose, is that this is more like the job market.. no-one is guaranteed an equitable shake, there are no rules, and there is no pre-defined schedule everyone follows.

 

[zao275]

Unfortunately it's very difficult to gauge why some programs don't reply or don't offer interviews even ~2 years out, because there are no real pressures for them to accurately declare/publish the number of available positions, what their application/interview season is (if they have one), when they fill, what year(s) they fill for, etc. Many will make some of that information available simply to control the flow of applications, but others aren't so on top of things. Even within the same institution, fellowship programs may be managed completely differently, and one may not know what the other is doing -- or care. The only up side, I suppose, is that this is more like the job market.. no-one is guaranteed an equitable shake, there are no rules, and there is no pre-defined schedule everyone follows.

This is the reason that I started the Pathology Wiki, as a place for residents and fellows to "self report" this kind of insider info to help out their colleagues.

 

[pathresident2]

It seems that this year Heme is very competitive for some unknown reason.