Top 10 Peds program? What are my chances

[novacek88]

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Sorry for another one of these threads but I want your honest opinion about my chances

- 243 Step I score
- Top 30 class rank ( 88 % overall in the class but not in top 15% of class)
- Amazing Research was awarded a grant by the NIH
- DO
-Great LOR's from well known names

I'm afraid my class rank isn't high enough for the top 10 programs. What's is your take?

 

[mhdousa]

I'm a current peds resident at a top 10 program. Here's my opinion of your credentials:

- 243 Step I score -- Definitely helps. A lot of programs look favorably upon a high Step I score

- Top 30 class rank ( 88 % overall in the class but not in top 15% of class) -- This hurts. Most top 10 programs will be concerned about your inability to do simple math.

- Amazing Research was awarded a grant by the NIH -- This is an area in which you could improve. A lot of places will only accept Really Really Good Research

- DO -- Homer Simpson said it best.

-Great LOR's from well known names -- Are these well known names in the field of Kissing Your Own Ass? If so, I think you've got a good shot.

I'm afraid my class rank isn't high enough for the top 10 programs. What's is your take?[/QUOTE]

Your credentials aren't great, but I have a feeling your personality will win over lots of programs. Good luck!

 

[novacek88]

I'm a current peds resident at a top 10 program. Here's my opinion of your credentials:

- 243 Step I score -- Definitely helps. A lot of programs look favorably upon a high Step I score

- Top 30 class rank ( 88 % overall in the class but not in top 15% of class) -- This hurts. Most top 10 programs will be concerned about your inability to do simple math.

- Amazing Research was awarded a grant by the NIH -- This is an area in which you could improve. A lot of places will only accept Really Really Good Research

- DO -- Homer Simpson said it best.

-Great LOR's from well known names -- Are these well known names in the field of Kissing Your Own Ass? If so, I think you've got a good shot.

I'm afraid my class rank isn't high enough for the top 10 programs. What's is your take?


Your credentials aren't great, but I have a feeling your personality will win over lots of programs. Good luck!

I would be careful about spouting that you are in a top "10 program." Many people don't consider Denver to be a top 10 program regardless if it broke the top 10 one year in U.S. News and World Report. There have been several years where Denver was out of the top 10 and some journals don't even rank it in the top 20. There are many programs ranked below Denver that are far more competitive and reputable such as Duke, Mayo, MGH, UCSF, UCLA, Northwestern and Stanford to name a few. Like Denver, Pitt is also in the top 10 but most people don't wouldn't consider Pitt a top 10 program just like Denver. If I was concerned about getting into Denver, I wouldn't have written this post. And personally, there are 20 other programs I would consider before I considered Denver. Denver is a fine program and ultimately the program and not the rank or reputation is the most important. But still, I find it amusing that someone from Denver is quick to chime in that he is in a "top 10 program."

Also before you accuse others of not being able to do math, some schools such as mine have grade inflation. You can have an overall percentage of 88% and still not be ranked in the top 15% of your class if several people have higher overalll percentages which they do. Many people in my class are tied with having a 90% overall for example. Perhaps, you shoud give on the benefit of the doubt or spend an extra minute actually thinking about what you write instead of doing your usual and spouting off about something you don't know ie "CHOP won't interview DO's." Might I remind you that this is the second time you have put your foot in your mouth.

To the others reading, I apologize if I sound arrogant in my response to the poster above. It is annoying to receive a troll-like response and I suppose I wasn't much better. It just bothers me to receive a response like his when one is genuinely seeking advice. Can anyone else provide any feedback? I'm concerned because of my DO title and ranking being outside the top 15% of my class. Is this something I should be concerned about when targeting top 10 pediatric programs? I don't mind negative feedback as long as it's constructive. Am I approaching this wrong?


Thanks

 

[michigangirl]

hi,

I think your credentials are definitely an in to any top ten program, as long as you impress at the interview. Peds is such that the smartest people will sometimes not have a flying chance getting in to a program simply because on their interview day and/or audition rotation they didn't impress, whether it was their interpersonal skills, integrity, whatever.

I had a much lower board score than you, and no amazing research, only top 25% of my class. But I'm at a "top three" program.

Now the only issue is DO. I'm not sure which top ten programs interview DOs. My program (a top three), has not had any DOs in any of the classes for whatever reason, but there are plenty of DO fellows, who knows why. So as long as you target those top ten programs that are known to interview DOs, I think you have a great chance at ending up where you want to be. Best of luck!

🙂

 

[novacek88]

hi,

I think your credentials are definitely an in to any top ten program, as long as you impress at the interview. Peds is such that the smartest people will sometimes not have a flying chance getting in to a program simply because on their interview day and/or audition rotation they didn't impress, whether it was their interpersonal skills, integrity, whatever.

I had a much lower board score than you, and no amazing research, only top 25% of my class. But I'm at a "top three" program.

Now the only issue is DO. I'm not sure which top ten programs interview DOs. My program (a top three), has not had any DOs in any of the classes for whatever reason, but there are plenty of DO fellows, who knows why. So as long as you target those top ten programs that are known to interview DOs, I think you have a great chance at ending up where you want to be. Best of luck!

🙂

Michigangirl

Thank you so much for the response. It is nice to know that Peds weighs other things more such as an audition rotation and interview skills. I think I will target some "DO friendly" hospitals for the most part by doing some research.

What is more important to me than rank is the nature of the program. I want to go to a place where the residents are happy for the most part. I only considered a top program because I was told that it dramatically improves your chance of acquiring a fellowship. But I'm going to try to avoid a malignant program regardless if it has a great name.

Thanks again for the feedback I guess I should try to compile and find out which top programs are DO friendly. Thus far, I know that CHOP and Stanfrod have taken DO's. If any other DO's can contribute to this list that would be great.

BTW- Hopkins is an amazing program. Congratulations 🙂 I have heard mixed reviews about it's DO friendliness.

 

[docmartin]

Keep your head up DO! Like the previous poster said, you just have to impress if you are doing a rotation there, and if you get to know the residents, they can vouch for your abilities. Your stats sound great! I am a DO too, not as high a Step 1 as yours, but I have lots of other stuff going for me. Just impress impress impress during your interview.

One more thing, don't be too eager to go to a top 10 place just cuz they are in the top 10, you need to go somewhere that you are going to make the best fit and be happy.

Good luck 😀

 

[Chesney]

Everyone keeps talking about top ten and top twenty, etc. Anyone think they could list what is considered top ten and twenty? I know there's a lot more to do with it than rank, but it might be helpful for making some decisions on what schools are "reach", etc....

Thanks!

 

[kas23]

I think they mean by U.S. News standards because there really is nothing else out there, except for Child's Magazine.

Or, they could be refering to Good Housekeeping and Woman's Day, which are revolutionizing the children's hospitals ranking system via door-to-door surveys, questioning pertaining to cafeteria prices, and the number of fish tanks in the hospital's lobby. And Cosmo Girl just came out with a ranking of the best Children's hospitals to be hospitalized in for anorexia nervosa.

 

[notstudying]

Michigangirl


What is more important to me than rank is the nature of the program. I want to go to a place where the residents are happy for the most part. I only considered a top program because I was told that it dramatically improves your chance of acquiring a fellowship. But I'm going to try to avoid a malignant program regardless if it has a great name.

I'm not sure I'd agree that your chances are that much better getting a fellowship from a top 10 school. First, as many have mentioned, there's no real science to what a top 10 school is. My program wouldn't be considered top 10, but it is great-strong academics, a good combination of zebra cases and "bread-and-butter" peds, and not malignant, and every year we have a least one or two people who rank it above programs like the BCRP. About 50% of the grads go on to fellowships or academics, and over the past 5 years the second most common place to go for fellowships (outside of our own institution, with the vast majority) was Boston Children's. When we go to the pediatric academic national meetings, the reception for our department (people who've come through in one way or another-whether as residents, fellows, or faculty) is a who's who of pediatrics. Check out some of the less well-known programs!

 

[kristing]

Sorry for another one of these threads but I want your honest opinion about my chances

- 243 Step I score
- Top 30 class rank ( 88 % overall in the class but not in top 15% of class)
- Amazing Research was awarded a grant by the NIH
- DO
-Great LOR's from well known names

I'm afraid my class rank isn't high enough for the top 10 programs. What's is your take?

Ha! I figured out who you were. Took me a little while. sneaky sneaky.

I am looking at not top 10 programs. And I have no desire to do fellowship, but if you look at pretty much all programs, they put people into fellowships (like all of the community ones I am applying to). So I don't think it matters too much if you are a strong candidate.