Help...is path right for me??

[KRR124]

I'm currently starting my second year in Family Practice residency and have been having doubts about my career choice. I do love my patients, and I enjoy the challenge of the broad field of knowledge, but I'm absolutely worn out by clinic, charts, insurers, phone-notes, paper-work and more paper-work. I occasionally have a good day, but overall I find myself dreading work, which I keep telling myself will get better once residency is over, but I am not so sure this is true.

Enter pathology. I used my elective this month to do a pathology rotation. (I always wanted to do one in medical school, but I didn't get placed and it was so far into my fourth year when I was already knee-deep in the primary care track that I'm not sure it would have made a difference.) So, I've been really enjoying it. Everyone seems to love their job, and though I don't always see what they are talking about, I am absolutely intrigued when looking at slides with attendings. I like hanging out in the gross lab with the PAs, and I just saw my first autopsy last night, which was quite an experience. I feel at peace in a laboratory, and I don't thrive in chaotic environments, like so often family medicine clinic can become.

I think, looking back, I felt most in my element second year of medical school. I, admittedly, did not honor histology and barely honored anatomy, but our second-year pathology, immunology, and microbiology courses were my favorite. They came easily to me and I really enjoyed them. However, I am not particularly interested in research. I did do well on all three parts of the boards, and I just really enjoy learning. I like having my nose in a book, and I enjoy finding answers and making diagnoses.

I am very torn and welcome any advice you all have to offer. Thanks so much!

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[KeratinPearls]

I'm currently starting my second year in Family Practice residency and have been having doubts about my career choice. I do love my patients, and I enjoy the challenge of the broad field of knowledge, but I'm absolutely worn out by clinic, charts, insurers, phone-notes, paper-work and more paper-work. I occasionally have a good day, but overall I find myself dreading work, which I keep telling myself will get better once residency is over, but I am not so sure this is true.

Enter pathology. I used my elective this month to do a pathology rotation. (I always wanted to do one in medical school, but I didn't get placed and it was so far into my fourth year when I was already knee-deep in the primary care track that I'm not sure it would have made a difference.) So, I've been really enjoying it. Everyone seems to love their job, and though I don't always see what they are talking about, I am absolutely intrigued when looking at slides with attendings. I like hanging out in the gross lab with the PAs, and I just saw my first autopsy last night, which was quite an experience. I feel at peace in a laboratory, and I don't thrive in chaotic environments, like so often family medicine clinic can become.

I think, looking back, I felt most in my element second year of medical school. I, admittedly, did not honor histology and barely honored anatomy, but our second-year pathology, immunology, and microbiology courses were my favorite. They came easily to me and I really enjoyed them. However, I am not particularly interested in research. I did do well on all three parts of the boards, and I just really enjoy learning. I like having my nose in a book, and I enjoy finding answers and making diagnoses.

I am very torn and welcome any advice you all have to offer. Thanks so much!

Go ahead and give pathology a try. Just as long as:

-you won't miss patient contact
-you don't mind looking in the scope for long periods of time - important
-you don't mind grossing (blood and guts don't gross you out)
-you enjoy reading Robbins, Rosai and other path texts (because you will be doing a lot of reading).

 

[gbwillner]

I'm currently starting my second year in Family Practice residency and have been having doubts about my career choice. I do love my patients, and I enjoy the challenge of the broad field of knowledge, but I'm absolutely worn out by clinic, charts, insurers, phone-notes, paper-work and more paper-work. I occasionally have a good day, but overall I find myself dreading work, which I keep telling myself will get better once residency is over, but I am not so sure this is true.

Enter pathology. I used my elective this month to do a pathology rotation. (I always wanted to do one in medical school, but I didn't get placed and it was so far into my fourth year when I was already knee-deep in the primary care track that I'm not sure it would have made a difference.) So, I've been really enjoying it. Everyone seems to love their job, and though I don't always see what they are talking about, I am absolutely intrigued when looking at slides with attendings. I like hanging out in the gross lab with the PAs, and I just saw my first autopsy last night, which was quite an experience. I feel at peace in a laboratory, and I don't thrive in chaotic environments, like so often family medicine clinic can become.

I think, looking back, I felt most in my element second year of medical school. I, admittedly, did not honor histology and barely honored anatomy, but our second-year pathology, immunology, and microbiology courses were my favorite. They came easily to me and I really enjoyed them. However, I am not particularly interested in research. I did do well on all three parts of the boards, and I just really enjoy learning. I like having my nose in a book, and I enjoy finding answers and making diagnoses.

I am very torn and welcome any advice you all have to offer. Thanks so much!

Well, I'm a first year Path resident. I also enjoyed patient care. We get plently of paperwork here, especially in autopsy.
I hated all of basic sciences. I also hate reading. Is pathology right for me?
/so far enjoying residency

 

[listeriaismfb]

Sorry to hear that you're feeling so conflicted. It stinks.... I've been there, I often fantasize about retraining in primary care.

Autopsy ppw consists of chart reviews and writing reports (something like a d/c summary). No admission ppw, no patient notes, no referrals, no result phone calls. Pathology ppw and FP ppw are two different animals.

Also, be certain you like tumors/cancer, since that is a significant proportion of what surgical pathologists sign-out.

 

[earmuff]

I'm currently starting my second year in Family Practice residency and have been having doubts about my career choice. I do love my patients, and I enjoy the challenge of the broad field of knowledge, but I'm absolutely worn out by clinic, charts, insurers, phone-notes, paper-work and more paper-work. I occasionally have a good day, but overall I find myself dreading work, which I keep telling myself will get better once residency is over, but I am not so sure this is true.

Enter pathology. I used my elective this month to do a pathology rotation. (I always wanted to do one in medical school, but I didn't get placed and it was so far into my fourth year when I was already knee-deep in the primary care track that I'm not sure it would have made a difference.) So, I've been really enjoying it. Everyone seems to love their job, and though I don't always see what they are talking about, I am absolutely intrigued when looking at slides with attendings. I like hanging out in the gross lab with the PAs, and I just saw my first autopsy last night, which was quite an experience. I feel at peace in a laboratory, and I don't thrive in chaotic environments, like so often family medicine clinic can become.

I think, looking back, I felt most in my element second year of medical school. I, admittedly, did not honor histology and barely honored anatomy, but our second-year pathology, immunology, and microbiology courses were my favorite. They came easily to me and I really enjoyed them. However, I am not particularly interested in research. I did do well on all three parts of the boards, and I just really enjoy learning. I like having my nose in a book, and I enjoy finding answers and making diagnoses.

I am very torn and welcome any advice you all have to offer. Thanks so much!

Your story is remarkably similar to mine (although I was in IM). You'll thank yourself for trying for pathology I think.

Good luck.

 

[gungho]

I'm currently starting my second year in Family Practice residency and have been having doubts about my career choice. I do love my patients, and I enjoy the challenge of the broad field of knowledge, but I'm absolutely worn out by clinic, charts, insurers, phone-notes, paper-work and more paper-work. I occasionally have a good day, but overall I find myself dreading work, which I keep telling myself will get better once residency is over, but I am not so sure this is true.

Enter pathology. I used my elective this month to do a pathology rotation. (I always wanted to do one in medical school, but I didn't get placed and it was so far into my fourth year when I was already knee-deep in the primary care track that I'm not sure it would have made a difference.) So, I've been really enjoying it. Everyone seems to love their job, and though I don't always see what they are talking about, I am absolutely intrigued when looking at slides with attendings. I like hanging out in the gross lab with the PAs, and I just saw my first autopsy last night, which was quite an experience. I feel at peace in a laboratory, and I don't thrive in chaotic environments, like so often family medicine clinic can become.

I think, looking back, I felt most in my element second year of medical school. I, admittedly, did not honor histology and barely honored anatomy, but our second-year pathology, immunology, and microbiology courses were my favorite. They came easily to me and I really enjoyed them. However, I am not particularly interested in research. I did do well on all three parts of the boards, and I just really enjoy learning. I like having my nose in a book, and I enjoy finding answers and making diagnoses.

I am very torn and welcome any advice you all have to offer. Thanks so much!

did FP 19 years-finished path residency in june-love it. PM me if you want.

 

[Path or bust]

Well, I'm a first year Path resident. I also enjoyed patient care. We get plently of paperwork here, especially in autopsy.
I hated all of basic sciences. I also hate reading. Is pathology right for me?
/so far enjoying residency

You're an outlier

 

[djmd]

You're an outlier

Path or Bust you need to change your avatar...
I keep thinking you are the great pumpkin... it is too confusing..


Well really it is my problem.. I just had to say something about it