UW Pathology

[Enkidu]

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I've noticed that people on this forum tend not to be interested in ranking programs, but I'm curious about the University of Washington. I'm not applying for residency anytime soon, but I have some strong personal and family-related reasons to go back to Seattle, and I'd like to know if the program is in the same league as BIDMC, MGH, Penn... those kind of schools. My interest is to have an academic career and focus on basic science, but still spend a portion of my time signing out cases.

 

[pathstudent]

I've noticed that people on this forum tend not to be interested in ranking programs, but I'm curious about the University of Washington. I'm not applying for residency anytime soon, but I have some strong personal and family-related reasons to go back to Seattle, and I'd like to know if the program is in the same league as BIDMC, MGH, Penn... those kind of schools. My interest is to have an academic career and focus on basic science, but still spend a portion of my time signing out cases.

Great choice as strong as any coastal elite program except for jhu and bwh. You will be set up for any type of career coming out of there

And please bidmc is third tier. If you are elite and you go to Boston you go to bwh and then mgh. If you have to be in Boston and can't match at bwh or mgh then u consider one of the myriad of other programs there

 

[Enkidu]

Great choice as strong as any coastal elite program except for jhu and bwh. You will be set up for any type of career coming out of there

And please bidmc is third tier. If you are elite and you go to Boston you go to bwh and then mgh. If you have to be in Boston and can't match at bwh or mgh then u consider one of the myriad of other programs there

Okay. I'll keep that in mind. I'm hoping to stay away from Boston and Baltimore, since I have a family and want to... live, and own a house.

 

[malchik]

You sure Seattle's cheaper than Baltimore?
UW pathology is good with lots of research money and particularly strong in CP (or so I hear).

 

[Enkidu]

You sure Seattle's cheaper than Baltimore?
UW pathology is good with lots of research money and particularly strong in CP (or so I hear).

No, Seattle is cheaper than Boston. I meant that physical survival may be an issue in Baltimore. That didn't come out too clearly.

In any case, going to Seattle has more to do with homesickness than anything else. If I think that the training is significantly inferior to the training I would get somewhere else, then I may have to readjust my plans.

Of course, if UW is so great because of CP, I wonder if I should re-evaluate my plan to do AP/NP. Maybe I shouldn't pass up that great UW CP training... dunno.

 

[HRantz]

I'd put UW about the level of U Michigan. Maybe upper mid-tier?

 

[gbwillner]

I've noticed that people on this forum tend not to be interested in ranking programs, but I'm curious about the University of Washington. I'm not applying for residency anytime soon, but I have some strong personal and family-related reasons to go back to Seattle, and I'd like to know if the program is in the same league as BIDMC, MGH, Penn... those kind of schools. My interest is to have an academic career and focus on basic science, but still spend a portion of my time signing out cases.

From my visit I don't think it's the same "league"... but you really need to go and see things for yourself. It really depends on what you are looking for in a training program. It depends on what subspecialty training (if any) you want... It depends on what type of research you want to do... There are so many variables, and even the strongest of programs will have weaknesses. Trust me. I went into the interview season with 2-3 programs in mind, and quickly realized the best one for me wasn't necessarily one of those. I will also add that if you plan on living in a certain area for the rest of your life that is also an important consideration. And I don't think anyone will tell you WU is a bad program.

 

[Enkidu]

Interesting, it seems like there's not quite a consensus on this. What are the things that differentiate a good program from a bad program? UW is certainly among the best in terms of funding, what other factors should be considered? Is there an easy way to gauge the education that the residents are getting?

 

[malchik]

You will get the same variation of opinion about almost any program you ask on here about. Most opinions are based on a one day interview and stuff people hear, which is to say they are not well founded for the most part. Often people think [high number of world-famous people] = [high quality training]. The fame thing can help you but in ways that don't necessarily reflect how well you are trained. Read gbwillner's post again for what kinds of things make a good program: it depends on what you want, what fellowship you're likely to apply for, where you want to settle down, etc. Find someone who is there and actually knows what they're talking about, and try to spend some time there on an elective or something.

 

[sirenomelia]

I was told the AP side of U-dub was rather malignant and the residents were dogged and dissatisfied. That was 2 or so years ago and 2nd hand info so take it with a grain of salt obviously.

 

[Enkidu]

I will also add that if you plan on living in a certain area for the rest of your life that is also an important consideration. And I don't think anyone will tell you UW is a bad program.

Thanks for the advice. Does this apply if I'm planning on staying in academics? It'd be nice to stay on as faculty at UW, but isn't that kind of a long shot? Maybe it's better to go to BWH if I want to end up at UW?

 

[KCShaw]

You will get the same variation of opinion about almost any program you ask on here about. Most opinions are based on a one day interview and stuff people hear, which is to say they are not well founded for the most part. Often people think [high number of world-famous people] = [high quality training]. The fame thing can help you but in ways that don't necessarily reflect how well you are trained. Read gbwillner's post again for what kinds of things make a good program: it depends on what you want, what fellowship you're likely to apply for, where you want to settle down, etc. Find someone who is there and actually knows what they're talking about, and try to spend some time there on an elective or something.

👍

As for jobs, I think it's a long shot to pick a specific institution you want to work at and have any reasonable expectation of getting a job there period, no matter where you train or how slick you are. It's probably a long shot to pick a specific city and expect to get a job there. Depending on subspecialty training and the kind of job you end up looking for, and what you're willing to take for doing it, of course, you have to realize the market may not let you "pick" beyond a broad regional location or location type.