What does it take to get into the top path programs?

[ziadp]

I am wondering what is considered highly competitive for path. What kind of grades/step scores will make a candidate competitive for the top 5 programs (what ever the may be.) Thanks for you help!

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[yaah]

You have to be able to bench press >200 lbs, do 100 consecutive chinups, and look good shirtless (for men) or in a bikini (for women). Alternatively, you may present yourself as a "sensitive" alternative and perform an acapella Puccini aria (May I suggest Un Bel Di for the ladies and Nessun Dorma! for the gents?). Of course, you can get around all of this if you show up with a suitcase full of 100 dollar bills as a "research grant."

Please don't ask which programs are top 5. Make up your own list. There are 15-20 that are very good and fairly tough to match at. Depending on what areas of the country you are looking at, you may look at some of these.

Path is a bit of a different specialty, I don't think there are ever any standard qualifying numbers. In general, the best candidates are well rounded. But other good candidates are those who have either a stellar academic record or significant research experience (preferably in a pathology related area). Good LORs help also. A strong enough extracurricular background (research, publications, blah blah blah) may render grades and board scores a bit irrelevant (I said a bit, not totally!).

Truthfully, if you are a highly competitive applicant, programs will tell you this. It never hurts to apply to a bunch of programs, even if some are what you consider a reach. I thought I was reaching by applying to some of the programs I did, and some of these were very nice to me. At one, they sent me out to dinner with a blonde bombshell they said was an "assistant professor" who kept handing me martinis, and the next morning I woke up with a tattoo of the chairman on my bicep and a signed agreement to rank them #1 on my nightstand!

Since I am not on a selection committee I can't really tell you real numbers. I wouldn't be surprised if some people get into top programs with "average" board scores (and I think average is around 215, right?) if they are qualified in other areas. Now, can you match at a top program with a 190? I don't know.

Grades are kind of a gray area. I think most places look at them in the context of the rest of your application. If they are great, they look at them closely. If they aren't so great, they might overlook them a little if you have other strong credentials.

In general though, AOA grades and board scores >250 are looked on quite well by almost all residency programs, regardless of specialty. You would be highly competitive almost anywhere with AOA and Step I and II >250, but again, that doesn't guarantee anything. Apply and see!

 

[ziadp]

Thanks for the reply, it has helped place things in perspective. I agree, one of the things I figured out is that the most important top 5 list would be my own. Each individual has a different set of criteria, so I will judge each program based on mine. But, I will be applying soon, and wanted some perspective as to prospects. Anyhow, thanks!

 

[Doctor B.]

You have to be able to bench press >200 lbs, do 100 consecutive chinups, and look good shirtless (for men)

I wondered how I got in! Now I know .

 

[yaah]

I wondered how I got in! Now I know .

It's too bad we could have bypassed everything just by whipping out the secret handshake.

But yes, as I have said before, pathologists are studly.