Do you mean you wish you knew how they were ranking you or you wish you could get more info? The former doesn't really matter since the match algorithm favors the applicants over the programs. The latter - does your school have a database of where recent alumni are? Any recent grads in the path residencies you're interested in that you could reach out to? Maybe faculty at your school have people they know at the programs who would be willing to answer questions? You could even see if you can find people who went to your undergrad who are at the programs you applied to and reach out to them.
2017 Pathology ERAS/NRMP Cycle
- Thread starter brbEightball
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Thank you for your kind reply! I think reaching out to recent grads is a great idea - thanks for the suggestions.
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No clue. Hasn't been mentioned at any of the places I've been. Might be worth emailing your programs to see what they say.
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Sorry I kind of flaked out and haven't posted anything for a while, got a bit overwhelmed with interviews, etc. I would like to provide an update though to help folks matching next year (@MSTP18) better know what to expect.
My application in a nutshell was: MD/PhD / Step 1 263 / ~8 pubs, 3 first-author, some high profile. Took Step 2 CK and CS kind of late, in November, and just found out I passed (not with shining colors, but hopefully this doesn't matter as much as Step 1). I applied to 14 programs, all the top ones, got interviews invites at all of them, will go on 13 total. I received advice here on SDN that I should have applied to more programs but I'm glad I didn't. In fact, when I have gone on interviews and told people I'm interviewing at >10 programs most PDs are shocked and say that is way to many. In hindsight, I agree with them since this is EXHAUSTING and likely unnecessary. After about 5 they all start to blend together, and since I was going back to back I haven't been able to follow up as well with each program as I probably should have.
Overall, it has been fun meeting famous people in the field and so on but I am definitely looking forward to spending some quality time at home. Just my two cents. Good luck to everyone! May we all find the best fit
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I have received not-so-subtle hints from several programs that it is critical to let the program I decide to rank #1 know that they are my first choice. Some have even said that, if I let them know they are my #1, they could provide a letter of intent for purposes of looking for housing, etc. I'm not sure how much to trust this, and have seen examples in other specialties where people where were told they were "ranked-to-match" and then didn't match at that program. Any thoughts from current or past applicants?
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I've definitely had a few PDs/APDs say to let them know if planning to rank them highly. I was probably planning to wait til I've settled on my list to let them know (just in case).
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From some of the comments I've heard my program director make during this interview season, I feel it is more important to send letters of interest to programs you intend to rank highly that may be outside your home state or region. For example, your medical school is in California and you really dig a program in Ohio (or anywhere in "fly over country"). That program might assume you want to stay coastal and rank you a bit lower because they don't like their chances of matching you and for pride's sake want to get matches as high on their ROL as possible.
Some programs will send a "ranked to match letter," meaning that if their program has 5 PGY-1 spots, you are anywhere from #1 to #5 on their list, and if you rank that program as your #1, will match there. My program did that, and as mentioned above, it gives you a good reason to start looking for places to live. It did not really give any peace of mind, as there is a bit of paranoia about being lied to. I think it is the candidates that lie though--we received 30 or so letters from candidates last year saying they were ranking us #1, but only ended up matching 3 of them out of 9 available spots.
So, by all means, butter those programs up. Just make sure you are only providing information about your intentions, and not asking for anything in return!
D
deleted642280
I don't know anything about Rochester, but I am a UVM alum and think they are amazing. Obviously, I am biased, but I thought Burlington is a great place to live especially if you have or want a family. The faculty are from and have good relationships with some of the top places in the country and the teaching is excellent.
Certified my match list yesterday! So excited to find out about my match. I'd be pretty excited to go anywhere on my list; but, obviously my top 3 would be my favorites. After Feb. 22, would anyone be willing to share their rank list?
You first
But seriously:
St Louis (wash u)
Nashville (Vanderbilt)
Baltimore (johns Hopkins)
Great choices for you as well! Best of luck.
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Good luck to everyone getting their assignments this Friday! I'm eager to get on with the next 4 years of residency (and then apparently endless fellowships because no jobs, lol).
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Almost there. I can't wait to find out my future destination. Good luck to all of you!
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You'll be the most educated bar tender in the world.
congrats to everyone who matched!
Question for you all though - what's the etiquette rescheduling and/or canceling aways? Would it be bad to start applying on VSAS and then either have to change because my schedule doesn't work out the way I wanted or potentially cancel because I decide to do medicine instead of path (I guess in that scenario does it matter at all since I'm no longer applying to path?) Thanks for the help!
Question for you all though - what's the etiquette rescheduling and/or canceling aways? Would it be bad to start applying on VSAS and then either have to change because my schedule doesn't work out the way I wanted or potentially cancel because I decide to do medicine instead of path (I guess in that scenario does it matter at all since I'm no longer applying to path?) Thanks for the help!
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Didn't match (had 7 interviews, ranked 6) but SOAPed and got a spot
I switched specialties after doing most of an intern year in EM, so definitely not a traditional applicant and I'm thrilled I get to start my new career this summer!
I switched specialties after doing most of an intern year in EM, so definitely not a traditional applicant and I'm thrilled I get to start my new career this summer!
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Congrats on the match everyone! Looking forward to eventually working with some of you.
Followed some of your posts in the SOAP thread, I imagine the SOAPing process is brutal, happy to hear you were able to get a spot!
Didn't match (had 7 interviews, ranked 6) but SOAPed and got a spot
I switched specialties after doing most of an intern year in EM, so definitely not a traditional applicant and I'm thrilled I get to start my new career this summer!
Followed some of your posts in the SOAP thread, I imagine the SOAPing process is brutal, happy to hear you were able to get a spot!
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From my experience (applying to 2 aways and ultimately taking one), most places have a central VSAS office which processes your application first, and which may not be in very good/close communication with the department in question especially in the early steps. Just because you cancel or reschedule one, doesn't necessarily mean you burn any bridges with the program. As a matter of fact, I matched into the program that I applied to and withdrew my VSAS app from (ironically, my #1). But of course, YMMV. I think in a worst-case scenario you irritate the program coordinator in a very superficial way.
EDIT: And by office, I mean probably a single office/admin person, lol
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Any chance you guys could post the actual days of your interviews? Trying to plan out electives and such and would like to have a sense as to when the actual interviews are happening at a bunch of these programs. Thanks!
