So I asked a 4th year Path resident and a Path attending about the Job Market Today...

[EMDO2018]

They were helping med students out in the gross anatomy lab. So I asked what the job market was like, and both gave me the same answer " Well its tight now, but 8 years from now when you hit the job market it will be WIDE open." The fact that there were pathology attending helping M1s in the gross lab make me think its really tight out there right now. So tight, the market will never recover.

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[cmz]

Tuco would agree with you on this...

 

[WEBB PINKERTON]

I know of a job opening at a VA hospital with about 2500 surgicals a year in the midwest. Things are turning around.

 

[scienceguy19]

I know of a job opening as stated below from pathologyoutlines. However, you need to be boarded in GU/GI.
Since there are no GI/GU boards, I guess it's impossible to get that job.

LEXINGTON (METRO BOSTON), MASSACHUSETTS (USA). StrataDx, an established private laboratory pathology group located in Lexington, Massachusetts is seeking an experienced AP or AP/CP board-certified pathologist who is fellowship trained and boarded in GU/GI. The candidate should be comfortable with a broad spectrum of challenging diagnostic biopsies, with special emphasis on prostate, GI, GYN, and cytology. The ideal candidate exhibits excellent character, professionalism, leadership qualities, and communication skills. The candidate must have, or be eligible for, medical licensure in the State of Massachusetts.

 

[BlondeDocteur]

The pathology attending was on faculty at your institution, prosecting to help teach you. He wasn't groveling for pennies.

 

[2121115]

I know of a job opening as stated below from pathologyoutlines. However, you need to be boarded in GU/GI.
Since there are no GI/GU boards, I guess it's impossible to get that job.

LEXINGTON (METRO BOSTON), MASSACHUSETTS (USA). StrataDx, an established private laboratory pathology group located in Lexington, Massachusetts is seeking an experienced AP or AP/CP board-certified pathologist who is fellowship trained and boarded in GU/GI. The candidate should be comfortable with a broad spectrum of challenging diagnostic biopsies, with special emphasis on prostate, GI, GYN, and cytology. The ideal candidate exhibits excellent character, professionalism, leadership qualities, and communication skills. The candidate must have, or be eligible for, medical licensure in the State of Massachusetts.

LOL. Corporations.

 

[BornToCut]

Everyone in my program got jobs with only a single fellowship. I think there are trolls who are terrible pathologists and can't get a job for a good reason (they suck at path) that post negative things on sdn. You will get a job if u are a competent pathologist.

 

[malchik]

I don't think it matters much how competent you are. If you sell yourself as a potentially good pathologist and colleague, you can find a job. Employers have a difficult time telling the difference. I am faculty at a place with about 10 fellows, all got jobs last year. The best couple jobs went to the worst couple fellows, believe it or not. Also note comments in the other thread about preponderance of low quality pathology out there. . . these people are getting jobs and not getting fired.

 

[yaah]

Um, what? Of course it matters how competent you are. It may not matter for the simple consideration of "getting a job" because I definitely agree with you that that sometimes seems like it doesn't matter. But they do get fired from time to time, or more often "seek other opportunities" elsewhere. But the truly better jobs are much more selective.

And "best job" can be difficult to ascertain at times. Salary is not the arbiter but it can seem like it to people leaving fellowship. The best jobs provide autonomy, stimulation, and collegiality along with a humane work environment. The easiest way to tell what are the "best" job is to look at the tenure of each pathologist. If they have all been there for 20 years, probably a good job (unless they turf out everyone else after 2-3 years). The best jobs have a mixture of older pathologists, mid career pathologists, and young pathologists, all of whom plan to stay there. And all of whom have an equal say in group business practice, etc.

 

[DermViser]

They were helping med students out in the gross anatomy lab. So I asked what the job market was like, and both gave me the same answer " Well its tight now, but 8 years from now when you hit the job market it will be WIDE open." The fact that there were pathology attending helping M1s in the gross lab make me think its really tight out there right now. So tight, the market will never recover.

You realize academics help the medical school in teaching coursework right?

 

[malchik]

Um, what? Of course it matters how competent you are. It may not matter for the simple consideration of "getting a job" because I definitely agree with you that that sometimes seems like it doesn't matter. But they do get fired from time to time, or more often "seek other opportunities" elsewhere. But the truly better jobs are much more selective.

The OP's question is about the job market (shockingly), which I understand to mean the simple consideration of getting a job. From where I'm sitting, people are getting jobs, often very good ones by most criteria, by virtue of where they trained, geographic flexibility, and personality. True competence has very little to do with this. Don't get me wrong, I wish it were all about merit. But the low standards of the ABP test and of residency programs, even the best ones, make it very difficult to discern competence in job applicants.

 

[yaah]

The simple consideration of getting a job is only part of any discussion about the job market, unless you are talking only about the job market for the weakest candidates. Some opportunities simply are not available to weaker candidates. And yes, discerning competence is difficult but it is not impossible if you are thorough. A slide test does not hack it. Many people doing the hiring simply do not spend the time (either because they don't have it or it isn't that important to them) thoroughly vetting a candidate.