USCAP - Which is better?

[scurred]

Stowell-Orbison award or a platform?

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[Pathologee]

For a trainee? Stowell Orbison. The way they choose winners are so random. One could be siRNA assay in Xp11 translocation RCC, and the another winner could be original Star Wars action figures still in the factory packaging. If you win the SO it is on your CV for life. Platforms are a better way for you to get seen by peers in your field.

Also if your institution as a whack travel policy where you can only travel the day before and day after, always choose SO so you can go to the weekend stuff since that is when all the fun is.

 

[scurred]

I think I screwed up when I chose the award nomination, because I think that means you cannot get a platform and you are committed to the poster session. I think my faculty would have liked me to have done a presentation instead.

 

[Pathologee]

Platform schmatform. You work hard on the presentation, you do your thing for 15 minutes then you walk away. If you happen to give your presentatino before lunch people are heading out the door before you are even done. With a poster you can make copies of your abstract put your contact info on it and make some connections that way. Yes platforms have more "prestige" but not as much prestige if you win the SO, or even get an honorable mention. So there are good and bad to both. If your attending allows you to submit the award for stowell orbison award you do it everytime because you only have X amount of years to win it.

 

[pathstudent]

Winning the SO award is huge and greases the wheels for fellowship positions and asst professorship faculty positions.

 

[yaah]

The award is an award that you can list on your CV, which is always good. The platform looks equivalent to a poster on your CV, because both are "abstracts." Platforms are good for getting your name out there though.

 

[BierstiefelAndy]

Platform is fine, poster is fine, Stowell-Orbison award...even better.

An abstract that is accepted as a poster is not necessarily inferior to one that is accepted for a platform. Sure, a platform presentation is typically seen as an honor but keep in mind that platform presentations are usually centered around a theme based on recently interesting and/or controversial issues in a particular specialty in pathology. It is difficult to predict what themes would be "sexy" enough for a series of platform presentations at any particular meeting.

Regardless of which avenue you will present your research, the quality of the project is ultimately judged when it is published in a peer-reviewed journal and is available to the general readership.

 

[pathstudent]

Platform is fine, poster is fine, Stowell-Orbison award...even better.

An abstract that is accepted as a poster is not necessarily inferior to one that is accepted for a platform. Sure, a platform presentation is typically seen as an honor but keep in mind that platform presentations are usually centered around a theme based on recently interesting and/or controversial issues in a particular specialty in pathology. It is difficult to predict what themes would be "sexy" enough for a series of platform presentations at any particular meeting.

Regardless of which avenue you will present your research, the quality of the project is ultimately judged when it is published in a peer-reviewed journal and is available to the general readership.

A don't forget a poster without a publication is a job left undone

 

[gottamatch]

Notification is out!
Can someone get both a platform and an entry to Stowell-Orbison (for the same abstract I mean)?

 

[gbwillner]

Notification is out!
Can someone get both a platform and an entry to Stowell-Orbison (for the same abstract I mean)?

No. The SO is only for poster presentations. If you are accepted to compete for the SO, you will give a poster.

 

[gbwillner]

Stowell-Orbison award or a platform?

IMHO, a poster presentation is MUCH better than a platform presentation at the USCAP. Now, if you had a great project, and you got to speak for 30 min-1 hr about it, AND you were surrounded by people who were actually interested in your work, a platform would be much better.

Alas, the USCAP set-up sucks for these talks- you are limited to 10 minutes. You can't even get enough background information out in 10 minutes for anyone to make sense of your talk. Not only that- most residents/junior faculty who give such talks do a terrible job at putting a short talk together. This means many people (like myself) would rather cruise the vendor booths for free candy than suffer 5 minutes at those talks.

A poster, on the other hand, enables you to explain your project at length and in detail to those that are interested. If you really are excited about your work, and think others will be as well, you can really get your name and word out to the right people (the ones who came specifically to see what you did).

On the other hand, if you don't really want to work for more than 10 minutes during USCAP and want to get out with only a few moments of akwardly answering questions, then you'd be set with the platform talk.

 

[gbwillner]

I think I screwed up when I chose the award nomination, because I think that means you cannot get a platform and you are committed to the poster session. I think my faculty would have liked me to have done a presentation instead.

Your facutly would rather you win the OS. Trust me- it would look great for your CV, but also as great for their training program.

Unfortunately your odds of winning are about 1:1000.

 

[yaah]

The 10-12 minute abstract talk is pretty standard, that isn't just USCAP. It's a good time limit too. If you go to the talks you will most likely agree. It is longer than you think, and you have to work at organizing it appropriately. It's an abstract, so 30 minutes is inappropriate.

 

[Tiki]

IMHO, a poster presentation is MUCH better than a platform presentation at the USCAP. Now, if you had a great project, and you got to speak for 30 min-1 hr about it, AND you were surrounded by people who were actually interested in your work, a platform would be much better.

Alas, the USCAP set-up sucks for these talks- you are limited to 10 minutes. You can't even get enough background information out in 10 minutes for anyone to make sense of your talk. Not only that- most residents/junior faculty who give such talks do a terrible job at putting a short talk together. This means many people (like myself) would rather cruise the vendor booths for free candy than suffer 5 minutes at those talks.

A poster, on the other hand, enables you to explain your project at length and in detail to those that are interested. If you really are excited about your work, and think others will be as well, you can really get your name and word out to the right people (the ones who came specifically to see what you did).

On the other hand, if you don't really want to work for more than 10 minutes during USCAP and want to get out with only a few moments of akwardly answering questions, then you'd be set with the platform talk.

I disagree with the talks not being informative or interesting. I went to the bone and soft tissue platforms last year in San Antonio and I really enjoyed them. Learned a ton. Almost all of the presenters were good public speakers.

 

[KCShaw]

FWIW I don't think I've ever heard of any 'named' resident awards at annual meetings other than on this forum. With that in mind, anything like 'best resident presentation' at some meeting on a CV is nice but not that much better than simply presenting something. Of course, in my area of focus there aren't that many residents presenting at our meetings so the competition is sometimes for interest and style more than long term value to the field, and if one really wanted to there's a fair chance of winning one out of the 3-5 years you try as a resident or fellow. I'm sure in certain circles it holds more weight, but, just to put the concept in perspective...it's only one line on a CV (though every line helps!), and if you want to pad it there may be easier ways.

 

[gbwillner]

FWIW I don't think I've ever heard of any 'named' resident awards at annual meetings other than on this forum. With that in mind, anything like 'best resident presentation' at some meeting on a CV is nice but not that much better than simply presenting something. Of course, in my area of focus there aren't that many residents presenting at our meetings so the competition is sometimes for interest and style more than long term value to the field, and if one really wanted to there's a fair chance of winning one out of the 3-5 years you try as a resident or fellow. I'm sure in certain circles it holds more weight, but, just to put the concept in perspective...it's only one line on a CV (though every line helps!), and if you want to pad it there may be easier ways.

Nice thing about the SO award is that you can just put "recipient of the Stowell-Orbison award" on your CV and leave out the resident part to make it sound more impressive to those who don't know what it is. If you win "best poster in GYN path" award- it's less impressive because the title it too clear!

 

[gbwillner]

I disagree with the talks not being informative or interesting. I went to the bone and soft tissue platforms last year in San Antonio and I really enjoyed them. Learned a ton. Almost all of the presenters were good public speakers.

You were either lucky, or I'm just an easily-bored talk snob. Or both.

 

[mlw03]

Do most people in the surg path world know what this award is? I made it through 3 years of residency with no clue what it was, granted I abhored the brown stain research and avoided it like the plague. That is, is this award well-known enough that it will impress a potential employer for a community pathology job (obviously it'd be known in the academic pathology job).

Nice thing about the SO award is that you can just put "recipient of the Stowell-Orbison award" on your CV and leave out the resident part to make it sound more impressive to those who don't know what it is. If you win "best poster in GYN path" award- it's less impressive because the title it too clear!

 

[2121115]

USCAP's SO award is way more about connections than content. It is a major political "who you know" award. If your senior author is well known/well connected then you stand a good chance.

 

[Ruination]

USCAP's SO award is way more about connections than content. It is a major political "who you know" award. If your senior author is well known/well connected then you stand a good chance.

I saw this in play 3 years ago when I was in contention for the SO award. I thought the person's research was interesting, but not any more so than what others had done. Senior author on the project has a lot to do with the award, based on my n of 1.

 

[2121115]

I saw this in play 3 years ago when I was in contention for the SO award. I thought the person's research was interesting, but not any more so than what others had done. Senior author on the project has a lot to do with the award, based on my n of 1.

When the judges walk around to view the posters for SO competition, you should see all the political posturing and ooo-ing and ah-ing that follows them around. People are even playing the "Oh Dr. So-and-so, that shirt and tie combination looks so good on you" card. It is pretty funny/sad.

 

[mlw03]

When the judges walk around to view the posters for SO competition, you should see all the political posturing and ooo-ing and ah-ing that follows them around. People are even playing the "Oh Dr. So-and-so, that shirt and tie combination looks so good on you" card. It is pretty funny/sad.

So given all this BS, I'll repeat my question: does anybody outside of academia give a flying poop about this award (with respect to obtaining a private practice job specifically)?

 

[gbwillner]

So given all this BS, I'll repeat my question: does anybody outside of academia give a flying poop about this award (with respect to obtaining a private practice job specifically)?

Meh. It's not as politically motivated as it seems. I also "witnessed" what I thought was a political award 3 years ago (the winner told me they didn't think they deserved it, but was well connected).

Then I won it. And I don't know anyone. And the Senior Author isn't Rosai or Ackerman (although he is well-respected).

 

[deleted57552]

I saw this in play 3 years ago when I was in contention for the SO award. I thought the person's research was interesting, but not any more so than what others had done. Senior author on the project has a lot to do with the award, based on my n of 1.

I saw this too 4 or 5 years ago too. Furthermore, what was more obscene was that the guy who won the award wasn't a resident or a fellow in a training program. The guy was a full time postdoc in a well-known lab. It was unethical for him to accept the award.

 

[deleted57552]

So given all this BS, I'll repeat my question: does anybody outside of academia give a flying poop about this award (with respect to obtaining a private practice job specifically)?

Likely not. If you win a nice award like the Stowell-Orbison award but have a personality and diagnostic acumen of a dried tampon, I'm not hiring you.

 

[Adrian Cocot]

The SO award won't get you a private practice job. It can probably get you any fellowship you want, though, and THAT may lead to a good job.

But honestly, your time is better served kissing ass at the hotel bar. That's where the real hiring happens.

 

[2121115]

In short, no. No one in private practice cares about the SO award. Why would they?

 

[mlw03]

In short, no. No one in private practice cares about the SO award. Why would they?

I don't know. But if they don't care, and most path residents are looking at jobs in the private sector, then why do so many path residents care about these awards and abstracts, and all the other stuff that academics love but private practices seems to care not about.

 

[lipomas]

Well, to say I don't care (speaking for myself) is not correct. But I don't care that much. Having a SO award is extremely unlikely to push you over the edge to make you the person we hire. The thing is, people who win SO awards typically have great resumes in other ways also.

I really don't think there is a huge amount of politics in play for those awards. The people who pick the awards are already high-rollers in academics anyway, they aren't trying to kiss up to anyone. There is a pretty high percentage of USCAP abstracts that have a "respected" senior author anyway, so it stands to reason that there is a good chance the SO awards will have a respected senior author. And given that respected senior authors tend to produce more quality research, it might increase more. So I think where some see conspiracy most would just see normal business being done.

As far as awards not going to residents - that could be true. But doesn't it just say "pathologist in training?" That could mean anything, not necessarily an active current AP/CP resident, right?