Probability of Pathology Residency Matching with less clinical experience

[uranumo]

Hi there!

I have a question regarding the chances of getting into a Pathology residency as a foreign medical graduate. I am 36 years old and work as a medical advisor at a digital health company in Germany. I have less than a year of clinical experience some 7 years back. Hypothetically speaking, if I was to attain high scores in the USMLE steps, would I stand a chance to match to a path speciality training?

I'd be very grateful for your answers! Thanks!

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[KeratinPearls]

You need high scores. Even with high scores I think program directors would like to see that you have exposure to pathology so that they are assured you know what you’re getting into.

Program directors don’t want someone who matches then bails into another specialty leaving the program short handed.

My friend told me a resident just quit and disappeared out of nowhere a few weeks into residency.

 

[HeyDalaron]

Did you do medical school in Germany?

 

[TrojanRaggy]

Hi there!

I have a question regarding the chances of getting into a Pathology residency as a foreign medical graduate. I am 36 years old and work as a medical advisor at a digital health company in Germany. I have less than a year of clinical experience some 7 years back. Hypothetically speaking, if I was to attain high scores in the USMLE steps, would I stand a chance to match to a path speciality training?

I'd be very grateful for your answers! Thanks!

Score high in steps and do some virtual pathology rotations (handful places providing such experiences through out COVID, 2020-2023) if you can't afford to travel for in-person (preferable). Few places are opening up in-person pathology rotations.

If you can tailor your digital experience to include digital pathology in some way and write a good story using chatgpt, people would love to listen to that story. People love listening to stories here (doesn't matter true or false )

 

[DoctorInQuotations]

As a recent grad, I unfortunately have a hard time believing you have a chance, even at bottom tier residencies. Even with recent high step scores and path rotations. Most other IMGs have significant US research experience if they don't have recent clinical experience.

If I imagine myself as a program director, why take a chance on you when there are dozens of other IMGs who have proven that they can put together an abstract or paper together and haven't completely lost their clinical knowledge 7 years out of practice?

 

[KeratinPearls]

As a recent grad, I unfortunately have a hard time believing you have a chance, even at bottom tier residencies. Even with recent high step scores and path rotations. Most other IMGs have significant US research experience if they don't have recent clinical experience.

If I imagine myself as a program director, why take a chance on you when there are dozens of other IMGs who have proven that they can put together an abstract or paper together and haven't completely lost their clinical knowledge 7 years out of practice?

Agree. Less than a year of clinical experience 7 years ago and I’m assuming you have no path experience, the chips are stacked against you. Even with high scores and no path related clinical experience, you are at a disadvantage.

Research doesn’t mean much to non academic lower tier programs. Lower tier programs just want someone who will be a good resident, sincerely interested in pathology and can pass boards on first attempt. Research doesn’t hurt but, in my opinion, it’s not a big deal if you don’t have any in regards to lower tier programs.

 

[uranumo]

Thanks @KeratinPearls @TrojanRaggy @DoctorInQuotations for your valuable opinions!

I shall look into such rotations. I find these virtual rotations very interesting. Would observerships at Pathology departments in the US be of any value? Or are rotations and observerships one and the same?