Applying to path with red flags

[pathho]

Hello everyone,

I am a 4th year DO student applying to pathology this cycle. I have a few red flags and wondering if I can match into path. I failed 2 courses in 2nd year which I remediated and passed. I also failed COMLEX level II recently. I have my retake scheduled In a few weeks. My Step 1 is 205 and my level 1 is 460.

I am doing two audition rotations in the city I want to be in. I am not that confident of matching at these places though because of my scores. I‘d be willing to go anywhere in order to match though. I really like the field and think its the best fit for my personality.

Does anyone have any advice? Can I match into path? Should I mostly apply to community and low tier academic programs? Thanks.

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[Med Director New England]

Yes you can match into path
but you really should make sure that you want to spend the next 35 yrs in path residency + career.

 

[KeratinPearls]

Hello everyone,

I am a 4th year DO student applying to pathology this cycle. I have a few red flags and wondering if I can match into path. I failed 2 courses in 2nd year which I remediated and passed. I also failed COMLEX level II recently. I have my retake scheduled In a few weeks. My Step 1 is 205 and my level 1 is 460.

I am doing two audition rotations in the city I want to be in. I am not that confident of matching at these places though because of my scores. I‘d be willing to go anywhere in order to match though. I really like the field and think its the best fit for my personality.

Does anyone have any advice? Can I match into path? Should I mostly apply to community and low tier academic programs? Thanks.

Yes you can match. The bar is set low in path. Hate to be a Debbie downer but just being honest based on my personal observations.

Doing rotations is a good start. You just have to show sincere interest in pathology and your past failures can be overlooked. You have to give program directors a good answer to “so why Pathology?”

Apply broadly to some mid tier and lower tier programs. See what you can get.

 

[pathho]

Yes you can match. The bar is set low in path. Hate to be a Debbie downer but just being honest based on my personal observations.

Doing rotations is a good start. You just have to show sincere interest in pathology and your past failures can be overlooked. You have to give program directors a good answer to “so why Pathology?”

Apply broadly to some mid tier and lower tier programs. See what you can get.

How many programs do you think would be a safe number? 50?

 

[KeratinPearls]

How many programs do you think would be a safe number? 50?

As many as you can afford in my opinion. Don’t apply to top tier or top mid programs in my opinion but you have to decide for yourself what’s best for you.

 

[Napoleon1801]

How many programs do you think would be a safe number? 50?

The bar is definitely low right now. However, hedge your bets and work your ass off at your away rotations. If you can impress them by being a dependable and engaged person, you'll likely get a spot. Embrace your past failure, but prove that they don't hold you back from being an excellent physician.

 

[mark-ER]

Wow a DO with those stats and red flags? Besides path and family medicine, what else does he/she have a chance to match into? Peds? Maybe physiatry? But probably nothing else... Again for anyone else among med students reading this forum, further evidence about the dismal state of training in this field is not needed.

 

[deleted314957]

Wow a DO with those stats and red flags? Besides path and family medicine, what else does he/she have a chance to match into? Peds? Maybe physiatry? But probably nothing else... Again for anyone else among med students reading this forum, further evidence about the dismal state of training in this field is not needed.

PM&R ain’t a gimme anymore.

 

[Caffeine Infusion]

PM&R ain’t a gimme anymore.

Psych and PMR were experiencing that change around the same timeframe, per friends in both.

 

[KeratinPearls]

Yeah just get a residency and go work for the VA. Pretty cush job.

Medicine can burn you out especially if you don’t like or enjoy what you do. I have a cush job but you can’t have it lol. I thank God for this job.

 

[deleted314957]

I don’t see how you can make a financial or professional decision to do this. By your own statement, you are not a great student, hate medicine will probably be forced into a s****y lower tier residency. You will need to do a fellowship in something. If you have any desire to be a “good” pathologist it will require lots of intellectual rigor( for those who are winners) and years of resident/fellow income. Sadly, path has become the fall- back option for marginal folks. No disrespect to you but I think path would be a major mistake. You are setting yourself up to get s*** on. You DO NOT want to be at the bottom of the barrel in this field.

 

[KeratinPearls]

I don’t see how you can make a financial or professional decision to do this. By your own statement, you are not a great student, hate medicine will probably be forced into a s****y lower tier residency. You will need to do a fellowship in something. If you have any desire to be a “good” pathologist it will require lots of intellectual rigor( for those who are winners) and years of resident/fellow income. Sadly, path has become the fall- back option for marginal folks. No disrespect to you but I think path would be a major mistake. You are setting yourself up to get s*** on. You DO NOT want to be at the bottom of the barrel in this field.

Marginal candidates have been getting into pathology for years. I’ve known people who attendings with a “s” would not even write a recommendation for fellowship or a job.

 

[Drifter76]

Marginal candidates have been getting into pathology for years. I’ve known people who attendings with a “s” would not even write a recommendation for fellowship or a job.

A marginal candidate for a marginal field…
Which is more marginal - the candidate or the field?