What Does a Typical Workday Look Like?
Important Qualities and Traits
Qualities recognized as important to pathology include:
- Good microscopic technique
- Excellent communication with other physicians
- Intelligence and strong problem solving skills
To learn more about research opportunities in pathology, see the Pathology Research Page.
Additionally, students may want to pursue research opportunities through the DeBakey Scholars Program. This program offers medical students the opportunity to pursue and complete a longitudinal, structured, closely supervised research experience culminating in a capstone presentation prior to graduation. For more information, contact Dr. Derek Pociask.
Recommended T3 & T4 Coursework
One of the most common questions we get asked is “How do I know if I’m competitive for this specialty?” There are a lot of metrics that are provided by sources like the NRMP’s Charting Outcomes report that can help you gauge whether you are a competitive applicant, and help guide your choices of activities.
The table below shows the 25th percentile, the median and the 75th percentile for a number of the more regularly used metrics to gauge competitiveness. It’s important for you to understand what these numbers represent, and why they may be different from the averages you might see elsewhere.
- The 25th percentile represents the lower range of “normal” for a successful applicant in this specialty.
- The median represents an average for successful applicants in this specialty.
- The 75th percentile represents the higher range of “normal” for a successful applicant in this specialty.
Medical students are usually over-achievers, who have exceeded expectations throughout their educational years. However, it’s important to realize that overachievement is not always a good thing when it comes to match. Instead, you should aim for “fit.” This means that you should fall somewhere between the 25th and 75th percentile on these metrics. Below the 25th percentile, and you have a relatively low chance of match (25% chance, to be specific). Above the 75th percentile, and you also have a lower chance of matching (again, 25% chance), as program directors are typically looking for candidates who “fit” their profiles more so than those who exceed those profiles.
Between the 25th and 75th percentiles is the sweet spot. This range spans 50% of successful applicants, with only 25% of successful applicants falling above the 75th percentile and 25% of successful applicants falling below the 25th percentile. The closer you fall to the median (i.e., the 50th percentile), the better! This doesn’t mean you’re average, but rather that you are fitting the demands of this specialty!
A note about medians vs. means as a measure of “average”: We use medians to determine competitiveness rather than means for a simple reason. Medians are not as warped as means by outliers, or those successful candidates who fall very much outside the average on a particular measure. You may have heard that the “average” Step 2 score or number of publications for a specialty are incredibly high (or low), and you may wonder how it’s even possible to hit this “average.” These unrealistic “averages” are typically means that have been influenced by just a very small number of people who have incredibly high (or low) scores or numbers of publications, and often those high numbers of publications in particular, are the result of having earned a research Ph.D. or having spent years in a research career! This is NOT the expectation, but rather an exception!
| PATH | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile | |
| Step 1 First Time Pass Rate | 97.40% | |||
| National Step 2 CK | 240 | 247 | 258 | |
| Successful Tulane Step 2 CK (2022-2026) | 234 | 236 | 252 | |
| Research Experiences | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
| Abstracts | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| Presentations | 2 | 4 | 7 | |
| Publications | 1 | 3 | 6 | |
| Volunteer | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
| Work | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Special Considerations When Applying for Residency
Figure out which program will be the best fit for you. There’s nothing as important as fit.
Scores on Step 1 and Step 2 are important aspects on which residents are matched. Make sure your scores are as competitive as possible.
Consider doing away rotations at programs in which you have interest.
Use all the resources available to you during your medical school years. These resources are here to help you!
Where Past Tulane Students Have Matched
| U Miami/Jackson Health System-FL | MIAMI | FL | 2023 |
| Tulane Univ SOM-LA | NEW ORLEANS | LA | 2023 |
| Tulane Univ SOM-LA | NEW ORLEANS | LA | 2024 |
| University of Utah Health | SALT LAKE CITY | UT | 2024 |
| Tulane Univ SOM-LA | NEW ORLEANS | LA | 2025 |
| NYP Hosp-Weill Cornell Med Ctr-NY | NEW YORK | NY | 2025 |
| Houston Methodist Hospital-TX | HOUSTON | TX | 2026 |
| Duke Univ Med Ctr-NC | DURHAM | NC | 2026 |
How Many Programs Should I Apply To?
