Our group will be contracting with upcoming retirements. Our margins can not take it anymore. Academia needs to cut off the trainee mill! We have ZERO leverage thanks to the oversupply. Try telling surgeons you are slicing a critical component of revenue in half!
Flee Pathology Now!!!
- Thread starter Thrombus
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Pathology won't change. There are always FMGs and Caribbean grads willing to take any spot they can get, and pathology tends to have low standards.
Pathology may stop being a medical specialty and become something PhDs will do.
Pathology may stop being a medical specialty and become something PhDs will do.
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Agree 100% with this. Path unfortunately has not been viewed as a popular field by many AMGs. Thus, most spots are open for FMGs.
Flee Pathology now...and do what?
Do you mean "Flee Pathology now!", because I might "only" make $150,000/year and will have to live in a less than ideal location? Because I will take that any day over making $200,000 as a Family doc in the best place in the world, or even $500K as an Orthopedic Surgeon.
On the other hand if you mean "Flee Pathology Now!" because I will make $50,000/year working 60+ hours a week after being without a job for a year post residency. Then you might have a point. I mean, you have to draw the line somewhere.
I love Pathology and do not want to do anything else. It was the specialty that as soon as I was exposed to it I felt at home. It took me a little time to get over the fear of the job market and giving up seeing patients. But after doing rotations I KNEW this is what I wanted to do. I haven't looked back. I'm willing to make less money than the average Pathologist does today and work in a less than ideal location as long as I get to do what, so far, I love doing. Pathology has been the only rotation I have had that i LOVE going to! I mean I wake up in the morning looking forward to it.
I know before you get into something there is a tendency to wear "rose colored glasses." Med school was like that. I thought being a doc was going to be WAY different before medical school. Pathology may be like that too. In fact I expect to have a somewhat more sober and less enthusiastic view as a 3rd year resident or an attending with 10 years under me. Certain realities that I am unaware of will no doubt rear their ugly head.
On the flipside, however...what is my alternative? I actually love pathology. I wish I would have known about it earlier. I feel no hesitation at all about becoming a Pathologist. In the end, I'm still doing Path no matter what. My priorities aren't money, location, etc. I'm going into what I love.
Maybe that is naive, but what is the alternative? I think it would be stupid to going into something I know I don't enjoy just to have a little better job security and make more money.
Do you mean "Flee Pathology now!", because I might "only" make $150,000/year and will have to live in a less than ideal location? Because I will take that any day over making $200,000 as a Family doc in the best place in the world, or even $500K as an Orthopedic Surgeon.
On the other hand if you mean "Flee Pathology Now!" because I will make $50,000/year working 60+ hours a week after being without a job for a year post residency. Then you might have a point. I mean, you have to draw the line somewhere.
I love Pathology and do not want to do anything else. It was the specialty that as soon as I was exposed to it I felt at home. It took me a little time to get over the fear of the job market and giving up seeing patients. But after doing rotations I KNEW this is what I wanted to do. I haven't looked back. I'm willing to make less money than the average Pathologist does today and work in a less than ideal location as long as I get to do what, so far, I love doing. Pathology has been the only rotation I have had that i LOVE going to! I mean I wake up in the morning looking forward to it.
I know before you get into something there is a tendency to wear "rose colored glasses." Med school was like that. I thought being a doc was going to be WAY different before medical school. Pathology may be like that too. In fact I expect to have a somewhat more sober and less enthusiastic view as a 3rd year resident or an attending with 10 years under me. Certain realities that I am unaware of will no doubt rear their ugly head.
On the flipside, however...what is my alternative? I actually love pathology. I wish I would have known about it earlier. I feel no hesitation at all about becoming a Pathologist. In the end, I'm still doing Path no matter what. My priorities aren't money, location, etc. I'm going into what I love.
Maybe that is naive, but what is the alternative? I think it would be stupid to going into something I know I don't enjoy just to have a little better job security and make more money.
Yes you are naive. I like playing golf and basketball but instead of pursuing those endeavors I studied during college and went to med school. Many will not find jobs due to this as the only way to make up margins is to increase volume. Maybe you can be a PA although their market is tight too (we had 3 Pathologists apply for a PA job in our latest recruiting expedition. We will not hire another pathologist in our group for at least 10 years now.
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Getting rid of "client billing" HAS to happen NOW. It is the only way the field has any chance of surviving. This should be the reaction to this latest cut. A full court press to eliminate the practice across the nation. If that were to happen, at least the money lost from medicare could be recouped by actually getting the full reimbursement from payers.
God, I cant even imagine having to deal with this cut while still engaging in client billing. Would be impossible to keep the doors open.
God, I cant even imagine having to deal with this cut while still engaging in client billing. Would be impossible to keep the doors open.
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Pathologists will still make more than pediatricians, would you advise everyone to flee pediatrics as well? As for the job market, an increase in volume is already on the horizon with obamacare. The effects of all of these things on the job market are still unclear, people on this forum think the market is tanking, but the official forecast that CAP is apparently using predicts a growing job market. Lets see what happens in 2014 before we resign ourselves to become psychiatrists or surgeons.
Don't say you were not warned. Go talk to people in groups and see if they will hire. Path and Peds may make the same $ but you are talking 3 years extra training and dismal job prospects with minimal chance of autonomy in path. LOL
I'll be happy to hire DaSein for 70,000 a year....haha. No one around here is hiring. I am curious to see how long until the young pathologists are let go around here thanks to the tc cut.
CAP and upcoming shortage...just sad people still believe that.
Obamacare....increase in specimens?...more surgeries, biopsies performed by who? The magic extra docs that practice in 2014. Any slight increase will just increase the workload for current pathologists. You get to signout a couple more cases a day..no big deal.
The smart doc does flee a sinking ship.
CAP and upcoming shortage...just sad people still believe that.
Obamacare....increase in specimens?...more surgeries, biopsies performed by who? The magic extra docs that practice in 2014. Any slight increase will just increase the workload for current pathologists. You get to signout a couple more cases a day..no big deal.
The smart doc does flee a sinking ship.
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I agree and think you even understate how bad the difference is between the two specialties:
1.) Pediatricians make more than pathologists in private practice after the first year.
2.) Pediatricians can get a job in any city at any time unlike pathologists.
3.) Pediatricians have significant job security unlike pathologists.
4.) A group of pediatricians can change the minds of hospital administrators which a group of pathologists can't do.
5.) Good pediatricians are always in demand. Good pathologists are frequently under-employed.
There must be one hundred similar threads just like this one on this pathology board. It constantly amazes me how medical students say one thing and a few grumpy private attendings (=me) say the exact opposite about the business of medicine. The best posts are by Raider, who stopped posting maybe 18 months ago. If you are a medical student and can't figure the truth out.. read his posts.
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The problem is that the grumpy attendings on this forum are extremely vocal, but their warnings and predictions don't seem to reflect the reality of any member of this forum, who are all gainfully employed and presumably financially healthy. In fact, if anything distinguishes the naysayers on this forum, it's that they are all wealthy conservatives who have already made their millions in private practice and apparently can't imagine that people may have different career goals. Except for you, since you're not even a pathologist.
Tell me some anecdotes relevant to academic pathology income and/or lifestyle that suggest that I won't be able to support my family with an interesting job, and I may be more impressed with the gravity of the situation. I've otherwise already given up my interests in making millions of dollars in private practice by selling out to Ameripath.
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The (pretty much) most viable and/or only option for most all young folks who aspire to be a physician and most certainly a pathologist is the military. Sign up for the scholarship program, let them put you thru med school, have no debt, do residency with officer (army captain) pay, put in your 20 years active duty, make the equivalent of about $175,000 when you are done (without breaking your ass in ANY specialty---after all, it is the gov't), retire as a Navy Captain or army Colonel (unless you are obese or a jackass), get out at age 50 with 20 years post residency/fellowship experience, collect 50% of a full Colonel's pay with COLA and medical for the rest of your life, start a second career if you choose and work 15 more years and done at 65 if you choose.
The most fortunate pathway i was able to choose is now effectively shut. Hell, even if you are a partner in a big group with your own lab and lots of hospitals and out patienst you will NEVER sell that business.
The most fortunate pathway i was able to choose is now effectively shut. Hell, even if you are a partner in a big group with your own lab and lots of hospitals and out patienst you will NEVER sell that business.
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I've been away from this forum for 4 months, primarily because I got tired of all the "the END IS NIGH!!" threads and posts, which certainly have not reflected any reality I have witnessed. So here I come back, and again see nothing but these posts.
I'll check back in a few months and see if there are any posts of substance. Yes, the TC cut IS a big deal, but it will not be the end of the world. Perhaps some good can come from it, like forcing the in-office labs out of business. If there is a silver lining it is the 2% increase in PC. Let's see how all other specialties got slashed before talking about how sh*tty we have it....
BTW if you think peds pays more out of residency you are insane. I have friends who went right into private practice in peds out of training from a top institution, and started at a base salary of $80K. Academic path is paying significantly more that this in the same city.
I'll check back in a few months and see if there are any posts of substance. Yes, the TC cut IS a big deal, but it will not be the end of the world. Perhaps some good can come from it, like forcing the in-office labs out of business. If there is a silver lining it is the 2% increase in PC. Let's see how all other specialties got slashed before talking about how sh*tty we have it....
BTW if you think peds pays more out of residency you are insane. I have friends who went right into private practice in peds out of training from a top institution, and started at a base salary of $80K. Academic path is paying significantly more that this in the same city.
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Ouch!
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National median general pediatric salary is $172K for 2011 but remember this includes all the part-timers and academic positions. As I have seen it, general full time private practice pediatricians take home a gross of $220 to 260K. This is private, full-time(this means no 1/5 afternoons off), multi-year, not in a large city, high commercial to Medicare ratios, with added ancillaries, and with zero medicaid/self-pay but not with a rural zoning bonus.
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Why don't I ever hear any of this stuff in the real world? I may be naive, but I have had contact with a lot of Pathologists in person who have never given much weight to any of this. The job market Is usually treated with as a minor annoyance rather than a desparate search. Moreover, many of them think I am fortunate to be going into Path now and not after switching during residency or after years as an attending in another specialty.
Would anyone be willing to bet money that I, an AMG, who works hard, is an above average applicant with a genuine interest in Pathology will not be able to find a job in 5-6 years with an avg physician starting salary? Because thats all I'm expecting. The real world tells me one thing, this message board says another.
Would anyone be willing to bet money that I, an AMG, who works hard, is an above average applicant with a genuine interest in Pathology will not be able to find a job in 5-6 years with an avg physician starting salary? Because thats all I'm expecting. The real world tells me one thing, this message board says another.
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I'm a newly graduated peds attending. Peds is definitely lower paying than path, in fact peds is teh lowest paid of all specialties. However, I call BS on somebody making 80k in private practice peds. Private is minimum 120k, in rural areas you can get 200k. It is still lower than path, but 80k is absurd. The only 80k jobs are crappy academic programs.
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220k to 260k is definitely high for peds. Yes, you can get that if you are fortunate enough to set up a clinic is a high upscale part of town where the median income is six figures, but those parts of the country are already saturated and dont have room for new peds docs.
I'd say a typical peds salary straight out of residency is 130-140k; after 10 years in practice you can expect 160-180k. Rural areas 180-230k
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I see all this doom and gloom, and obviously I'm not in there doing what most of you all do. But I'm not seeing any mention of the fact that at the end of the day, pathology provides an essential service. Clinicians cannot treat without accurate diagnostic and staging info, and that's what pathologists provide, no? If it truly is as bad as folks are saying, won't the market take care of it within a few years?
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Wait. You haven't even started residency yet and you are discounting what people who have already landed jobs or are searching for a job say about the job search? Here is a word of advice - when you are a residency applicant everyone blows smoke up your ass to recruit you. Academic attendings will tell a medical student anything. They say you are lucky to not have done another residency yet? And that is what you hear in the "real world"? LOL. Sure.
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Yeah, the docs I'm referring to have all been in private practices. Multiple different ones. I havent discussed this with anyone in academics, let alone on interviews. Maybe people blew smoke your way, but I've had straight forward conversations across the board. Likely it is because you are just so much more awesome than me that residencies were drooling over you.
So you suggest I trust some handful of anonymous people posting on a message board? That sounds a lot more intelligent. I may not be an attending, but I have been around medicine my whole life and I do know a lot of people in medicine are little cry babies who whine because they don't drive an M3 and have to actually work hard. Fact is, I have yet to find a pathologist outside of this message board that hates their job or gets all histrionic about the job market. I'm not saying there arent problems, or the situation is less than ideal and likely to get more less than ideal. I'm only saying that I havent seen anything outside this message board that paints the doom and gloom picture.
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There is certainly some hyperbole in this forum, that is a function of the online medium. But there is some truth underlying it. Private jobs are hard to find, particularly in popular geographic areas. People are working harder than before and seeing reimbursements decrease. Increasingly pathologists are forced to split fees or working as employees of urology or gi groups or mega labs. These changes all seem to be heading in a direction that points to a future of lower pay and less power and autonomy. this is of course true in some other specialties as well. I wouldn't discount this forum if I were you, just realize that it is prone to overstatement.
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This was in 2006, in Houston. The Base was $80K for FULL TIME work. Bonuses were expected every year, and she ended up getting about $20K her first year. She stayed at that job only until her husband landed a rad onc residency a few years later.
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This forum is so morose that it's actually beginning to seem funny to me.
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hmm so pathologists are making less than Chicago public school teachers now?
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When I was a medical student, every path attending told me how easy it would be to get a great job. Every resident/fellow told me differently, many of them 7 (!) years post medical school and still a fellow looking for a job that was not in a rural area. Several told me don't do path, the ones who said to do path made it clear that there were challenges.
Listen, everyone thinks "it won't happen to me". That is human nature. Just remember that path residencies are desperate for AMGs and they will tell you ANYTHING to recruit you. Your job is to see through the crap and do what is best for you and your family. Im not saying dont do path. After all, it worked out for me so far since i have a good job that I am happy with. Good luck in your future endeavors.
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I don't think so, but they are getting closer
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You will be able to find a job somewhere in path. There are issues facing pathologists as you have read here just like in any other field. If you like path, go for it. If you like other things equally, you may reconsider if that other option may provide you with a better living or better opportunities. In the end, go for what you like the most.
I have never met a pathology resident who did not have a job.
I agree with Keratin Pearls. Yes, the job market is tough, but you will find something. It may not be your absolute dream job or location, but as long as you are happy and not getting screwed over, it's okay. I would much rather be getting paid less than going into any other field. I chose pathology for a reason and I am sticking it through irregardless. My husband is a general surgeon and has recruiters from all over the country constantly emailing and calling him, but would I want this job? Hell no!
Here are some statistics from the past years from my residency training program. I came from an academic center in a large northeast city. I hope it will make you think more optimistically.
Class of 2007: 1 did cyto & surgpath fellowships at an academic institution that later kept her as faculty; 1 did surgpath & breast fellowships and went into private practice at an undesirable location, but found a better gig in a better place 2 years later; 1 did a surgpath fellowship and went into private practice for 2 years before moving to a more desirable private practice locale.
Class of 2008: 1 did a surgpath fellowship with GI concentration and works for a corporate lab and the other did forensics and is in private practice. These are both their first jobs and they are happy with the locations.
Class of 2009: 1 did heme & blood bank and is in academia at the location of choice; 1 did dermpath and is in private practice back in her hometown; 1 did surgpath & GI fellowships and works for the government; 1 did surgpath & breast fellowships and started out in academia but is now is private/university affiliated at the desired location.
Class of 2010: 1 did surgpath fellowship and is in private practice; 1 did surgpath & GI fellowships and is in private practice; 1 did surgpath & dermpath and will be in private practice. These are all our first jobs and in the location we wanted.
Class of 2011: 1 did surgpath fellowship and is in private/university affiliated at the location of choice; 1 did surgpath and is private practice in location of choice; 1 did surgpath & is currently doing cyto at the same academic institution; 1 did molecular & is currently doing surgpath; 1 is doing dermpath now & pediatric pathology next year.
As you can see from the trend, most folks do two fellowships (surgpath + X). Almost everyone got their location of choice, either the first or second time around. Most were geographically restricted, but it didn't seem to be a problem in the end. Also, most found their jobs through networking and word of mouth, not the forums or on-line advertisements. Salaries first year out ranged from $185-225, not including bonuses. Most folks are pretty happy with their jobs and felt as though our training program prepared us well.
Here are some statistics from the past years from my residency training program. I came from an academic center in a large northeast city. I hope it will make you think more optimistically.
Class of 2007: 1 did cyto & surgpath fellowships at an academic institution that later kept her as faculty; 1 did surgpath & breast fellowships and went into private practice at an undesirable location, but found a better gig in a better place 2 years later; 1 did a surgpath fellowship and went into private practice for 2 years before moving to a more desirable private practice locale.
Class of 2008: 1 did a surgpath fellowship with GI concentration and works for a corporate lab and the other did forensics and is in private practice. These are both their first jobs and they are happy with the locations.
Class of 2009: 1 did heme & blood bank and is in academia at the location of choice; 1 did dermpath and is in private practice back in her hometown; 1 did surgpath & GI fellowships and works for the government; 1 did surgpath & breast fellowships and started out in academia but is now is private/university affiliated at the desired location.
Class of 2010: 1 did surgpath fellowship and is in private practice; 1 did surgpath & GI fellowships and is in private practice; 1 did surgpath & dermpath and will be in private practice. These are all our first jobs and in the location we wanted.
Class of 2011: 1 did surgpath fellowship and is in private/university affiliated at the location of choice; 1 did surgpath and is private practice in location of choice; 1 did surgpath & is currently doing cyto at the same academic institution; 1 did molecular & is currently doing surgpath; 1 is doing dermpath now & pediatric pathology next year.
As you can see from the trend, most folks do two fellowships (surgpath + X). Almost everyone got their location of choice, either the first or second time around. Most were geographically restricted, but it didn't seem to be a problem in the end. Also, most found their jobs through networking and word of mouth, not the forums or on-line advertisements. Salaries first year out ranged from $185-225, not including bonuses. Most folks are pretty happy with their jobs and felt as though our training program prepared us well.
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Thanks for the response.
SDN is filled with cynical ppl, myself included at times. I myself feel like I have become cynical after reading all the doom and gloom posts. It really makes you feel like crap.
In reality, life is not as bad as some posters make it out to be. I wouldn't recommend anyone to come to SDN just from all the cynical posts but I have to admit I have learned alot about the business side of medicine from here and talking to a few of the ppl here (getting all sorts of great advice from practicing pathologists). The posts here really make you feel like you wont have a job after residency although that is not true.
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I would propose two noteworthy options:
(1) Open you're own "Blood Smear Fortune-telling" company -- offer to tell people their future based on a peripheral smear. Open shop next to your local psychic. Be prepared with easy finds (Sickle Cell: "There is much pain in your future.", etc.)
(2) Card-board box Pathology Lab: The days of getting your own pathology laboratory are long past...and if you can't trust a guy reading biopsy specimens from a home-made 'scope (fashioned from binoculars, duct tape and soup cans) under several large Maytag boxes, who can you trust?
Hyperbole (and my sarcasm) aside, the day we remember that we offer a valuable service that - frankly speaking, no one else can do - is the day that we'll be back on top. There isn't a non-psychiatric physician in practice who doesn't depend in some way/shape/form on the services we provide. Rather than the "cut-and-run" approach, perhaps we should simply find better representation higher up...mind you, I'm speaking as a soon-to-be-path-resident here.
(1) Open you're own "Blood Smear Fortune-telling" company -- offer to tell people their future based on a peripheral smear. Open shop next to your local psychic. Be prepared with easy finds (Sickle Cell: "There is much pain in your future.", etc.)
(2) Card-board box Pathology Lab: The days of getting your own pathology laboratory are long past...and if you can't trust a guy reading biopsy specimens from a home-made 'scope (fashioned from binoculars, duct tape and soup cans) under several large Maytag boxes, who can you trust?
Hyperbole (and my sarcasm) aside, the day we remember that we offer a valuable service that - frankly speaking, no one else can do - is the day that we'll be back on top. There isn't a non-psychiatric physician in practice who doesn't depend in some way/shape/form on the services we provide. Rather than the "cut-and-run" approach, perhaps we should simply find better representation higher up...mind you, I'm speaking as a soon-to-be-path-resident here.
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I've experienced the same. As a student and applying for residency, it seemed like a dream job opportunity. I did notice that I only was speaking to attendings and junior residents, but figured the seniors and fellows were too busy to bother talking to med students.
Once I got into it, all I noticed was the doom and gloom on the faces of the seniors and fellows, not necessarily at my program, but in general. Lots of very intelligent, personable and strong pathologists doing 2-3 fellowships. Not necessarily because they wanted to, but to buy time because they can't find permanent jobs.
When I heard that you basically "have" to do AP/CP and at least 1 fellowship (preferably 2) to even have an average chance at landing a job, I should have seen that for the huge red flag it was.
Now I'm knee-deep in applying for fellowships and/or jobs, and very disheartened by the whole process and the flimsy offerings. Even the part-time, hourly skimpy jobs that just want someone to crank through their appendices and hernia sacs are requiring AP/CP with 1-2 fellowships. The obvious reason is because the applicant supply is just too high. I agree we have to severely cut it down somehow. The "solution" of having people do more fellowships only keeps the excess people out of the job market for so long.
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If things are so bad in the diagnostic path world, why aren't there more people training and working in the few areas in path that are non-competitive and with decent job markets? Forensic and blood banking come to mind, but there's probably a few others.
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Oh, I wonder the same thing. In fact, I think it's proof that things can't be that bad. If there are so many unemployed pathologists, then why is there such a shortage of forensic pathologist? Presumably the answer is that every pathologist who's complaining about the job market already has a job that makes more than forensics, for the most part.
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Perhaps, although I think part of it is also just that most pathologists hate autopsies, and see FP the same as internal med or any other specialty they're not interested in doing. Although there's been pondering among our community if there'd be such a shortage if they paid $300K to start. There've been FP jobs posted in the last year up here (Canada) in that range in multiple provinces, and there's been plenty of applicants for those positions. Not sure if it'd be similar in the US, but you're certainly right that for all the negativity on here that's expressed, even the "sh*tty" diagnostic path jobs in the US start higher than what most new FPs make in the US (as low as barely over 100, up to high 100s in expensive parts of the country like Cali).
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So I know of this pathologist... She is a top notch AMG from a solid medical school who did a pathology residency and fellowship at a top university and became triple board certified (AP/CP/fellowship). She started out at one job that seemed ok but really was a slavery factory. Turned out the same factory was across the street at the other hospital system. Thinking that it was a fluke job, she fairly easily found another job in another city that offered partnership etc. Strange thing was once there, no one made partner and the younger people seemed to work about twice as hard as the partners. The other two groups in town were exactly the same also. She could not figure this out. So after about six years out of fellowship, she moved to another city. The market was worse now but she was a very solid applicant. She really critically looked at the jobs and picked the absolute best one in the country after a multi-month search.
Amazingly, after a few months, it become obvious that yet again the same situation existed in this third city. And again, the exact same slavery factories she discovered existed across town at the other systems. She was very social and watched all her friends from medical school and residency prospering in all sorts of other specialties. They were full partners in their respective groups with significant job security. Yet her pathology friends though mostly employed were almost all in the same situation as she was in. Moving from town to town every few years or so. Employed at two pod labs or an oppressive corporate lab or under a tyrant or two. A couple of lucky ones did find really good groups however. So after about 11 years of watching this nonsense, she was tired of being a slave. She cashed in her chips and started an internal medicine residency. At the end of the fourth month, now an intern as a PGY-17 she says... it is odd.. I get more respect as a medicine intern than I ever did as a private attending pathologist......
Amazingly, after a few months, it become obvious that yet again the same situation existed in this third city. And again, the exact same slavery factories she discovered existed across town at the other systems. She was very social and watched all her friends from medical school and residency prospering in all sorts of other specialties. They were full partners in their respective groups with significant job security. Yet her pathology friends though mostly employed were almost all in the same situation as she was in. Moving from town to town every few years or so. Employed at two pod labs or an oppressive corporate lab or under a tyrant or two. A couple of lucky ones did find really good groups however. So after about 11 years of watching this nonsense, she was tired of being a slave. She cashed in her chips and started an internal medicine residency. At the end of the fourth month, now an intern as a PGY-17 she says... it is odd.. I get more respect as a medicine intern than I ever did as a private attending pathologist......
For the most part FP is public sector job with poor reimbursement. It has had a shortage for a decade or more. BB is nich markert that is probably is not much better.
The job markert in pathology has never been fanastic otherwise these abusive situations would not exist.
There have been times when no jobs could be found. The first time was in the mid 80s after the DRGs came in. The next time was the mid 90s as manage care hit. Reimbusement fell and jobs disappeared for about five.years. I think was the wall street journal said 10 percent unemployment for pathologists. I know I saw it happen. Groups fell apart and partners with 25 years expirence were thrown out with mergers etc. Why do you think everyone started doing two or more fellowships? It was the only way for a new BE/BC pathologist to earn a paycheck.
Now in office labs and cuts to 88305 TC are going have big impact. Not to mention ACOs. Hopefully, it won't be 1994 again. However, don't bet on it. How grads now and next year do with jobs will be telling.
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Can anyone contrast pathology with two other hospital based specialties, i.e., anesthesiology and radiology? They seem to flourish comparatively.
In my humble opinion, it is the oversupply of trainees driven by research oriented chairmen seeking cheaper labor and glory of "big" departments.
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This is the view from my perspective as well.
It's amazing to me how many of you think you have all the answers. Your experiences have essentially no reflection on how my life is as a pathologist. I don't know where you people all come from or why or where you have such trouble with the job market. The job market isn't wonderful but everyone I trained with is happy with their job (some think they work too hard). This does not mean things can't improve but for pete's sakes people who are currently in residency or interested in pathology need to weigh all of this with a HUGE amount of skepticism.
And when you top it all off with bull**** like "radiology is completely fluorishing" you lose all credibility. You clearly know of no radiologists currently looking for jobs or trying to hire. Their job market is nearly as tight as ours. I hear complaints ALL the time from them. The group at our hospital got about 150 applicants for their recent position, which is more than triple the offers that our group got for our last ad.
And when you top it all off with bull**** like "radiology is completely fluorishing" you lose all credibility. You clearly know of no radiologists currently looking for jobs or trying to hire. Their job market is nearly as tight as ours. I hear complaints ALL the time from them. The group at our hospital got about 150 applicants for their recent position, which is more than triple the offers that our group got for our last ad.
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Thanks lipomas for keeping things real. I think when ppl starting reading all the comments on here they take it as truth and start believing.
Radiology is under pressure do to large reimbursement reductions.
I guess we should think 50 to 1 ratio of applicants to positions is good?
Or, Perhaps your group mints gold bars too so everyone want to work there?
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I had said " They seem to flourish COMPARATIVELY." and NOT completely.
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This is absolutely true - I have seen and experienced this myself!!
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Hey, you can't outsource pathology!
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You're joking, right? There are plenty of areas in pathology that are extremely easy to outsource.
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I was thinking of when surgeons cut out a mass and pathologists have to section and read it immediately bc the surgery will be effected by the results.
What area is easy to outsource?
What area is easy to outsource?
