"So you like dead people?"

schrute · Mar 9, 2008

Does it ever end?...people having no idea what you do and assuming it's autopsies all day, "Like CSI?"

Or do you just give up and say, "Yeah, I'm that guy in the basement with the trenchcoat who talks to himself."

b&ierstiefel · Mar 10, 2008

It wont end.

docbiohazard · Mar 10, 2008

Perhaps you could order up a supply of the brochure "Pathology: A Career in Medicine" from the ICPI/ASIP and just hand it out to people every time they ask you. The PDF file is availble for free...

http://www.asip.org/career/index.htm

You could just leave copies all over the place, like the Watchtower...

BH

trent05 · Mar 10, 2008

It never ends. Even after you explain pathology to a particular person, they still don't seem to get it.

KeratinPearls · Mar 10, 2008

In a jokingly way, my cousin an orthopedic surg, asked me, "So, do you like taking care of dead ppl?" :laugh:

Arctic Char · Mar 10, 2008

true story, this happened last week:

i'm in line at the coffee bar, in a not-so-effervescent state of mind. i was post-call, tired, and annoyed that i had to spend the rest of my day in an out-patient gynecology clinic. when i am like this, i am absolutely incapable of small talk. i'm in scrubs, with white coat and stethoscope on top.

so a random attending comes in, wearing the identical garb. standing next to me, out of boredom i can see him staring at my name tag. he looks at me and says with an extremely belittling an condescending tone "ahh, medical student eh? so what kind of doctor do you want to be when you grow up?"

what an ***hole. i'm not in the mood.

"pathologist", i say with tired eyes

"what? you don't like people?!?!?!" he cries with an accusatory tone

"No."

abrupt end of conversation.

so, this whole stereotype thing can actually work in your favor sometimes :laugh:

Ziehl-Neelsen · Mar 10, 2008

Here's one of the unforseen perks of the pathology biz I've encountered so far. My wife and I attend pharm rep dinners sometimes as a cheap date for the two of us (by cheap I mean free). The drug reps make their rounds and want to talk to the doctors about using their drug in this or that clinical scenario, and they always lead off conversations by asking your specialty. As soon as the word pathologist makes its way past my lips, they are off to find a clinician who might actually prescribe their drug, and I get to enjoy my Duvel in peace while shooting winks at my wife who has been cornered by the drug reps.

gschl1234 · Mar 11, 2008

I haven't had this problem. All the people I've talked to have had biopsies, blood drawn etc...so they pretty much get it right away when I tell them that we're the ppl who diagnose their surgical specimens and manage the lab.

Neddy · Mar 11, 2008

Arctic Char said:
"ahh, medical student eh? so what kind of doctor do you want to be when you grow up?"

what an ***hole. i'm not in the mood.

"pathologist", i say with tired eyes

"what? you don't like people?!?!?!" he cries with an accusatory tone

"No."

abrupt end of conversation.

bump

"So you like dead people?"

schrute

RoyalCrownChinpokoMaster

b&ierstiefel

docbiohazard

Highly ranked amateur

trent05

Member

KeratinPearls

Full Member

Arctic Char

Full Member

Ziehl-Neelsen

If you will it, Dude, it is no dream.

gschl1234

Senior Member

Neddy

... can get you a toe.

Similar threads