About Pathology

[Yuriynyr]

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Hello, my name is Yuriy. I will be heading to college soon to become a doctor one day. My most main interest is the field of Pathology. Not sure what specialty in Pathology yet, but this is definitely the field I see myself in.

Here is the thing. I was arguing with a friend of mine about Pathology. He currently finished his 2nd year of medical school in the Caribbean. Even though I haven't been in medical school yet, and have yet to even begin the pre-med program, I believe I sounded smarter in this argument which is said. He himself wants to be a Psychiatrist, and not a physician like me.

When I asked him, "What do you think about Pathology?". He answered, "Pathology is not important in medicine. It will not exist soon. Pathology is not needed in medicine and all you need in medicine is Anatomy and Physiology and not Pathology." When I heard this, I sort of thought in my mind, "If you really believe this, you shouldn't even be in medical school." I answered, "You are wrong. Pathology is the basis of medicine. Without Pathology, medicine will not work. When you become a doctor, you become one to TREAT patients' illnesses. When doctor's nowadays see a patient, all they do is perscribe medication and because of that, doctor's some what deviated from what it really means to be a doctor. Pathology in my opinion is one of the most geniuine medical profession."

After telling him that, he didn't answer anything back. He had a dumb look to him and laughed from not being able to answer back. Now I will still become a Pathologist without his or anyone else's opinion, but who is right here? I just want to know... was he right about this? From what I researched so far about Path, the exact opposite is true about what my friend said... which is that Pathology positions, along with all other medical professions is expected to rise by almost 20% or something along those lines.

So once again, question is... who was right here me or my friend?
I ask this because I feel like knowing that if I was right, this will give me a bit of security.

Thank you all, Yuriy.

 

[flatearth22]

Yes, Pathology is extremely important. But you might want to post about it here - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=51

From what I know, the Pathology job market sucks right now. Probably the worst of any medical specialty. Pathology is also changing a lot - what will be practiced in the next 20-50 years will likely be very different from what is being done now due to new advances in genomics and microscopy.

 

[deleted393595]

Hi Yuriy. I'm afraid I can't offer you much advice about pathology, but I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome you to our wonderful community that is SDN.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Hello, my name is Yuriy. I will be heading to college soon to become a doctor one day. My most main interest is the field of Pathology. Not sure what specialty in Pathology yet, but this is definitely the field I see myself in.

Here is the thing. I was arguing with a friend of mine about Pathology. He currently finished his 2nd year of medical school in the Caribbean. Even though I haven't been in medical school yet, and have yet to even begin the pre-med program, I believe I sounded smarter in this argument which is said. He himself wants to be a Psychiatrist, and not a physician like me.

When I asked him, "What do you think about Pathology?". He answered, "Pathology is not important in medicine. It will not exist soon. Pathology is not needed in medicine and all you need in medicine is Anatomy and Physiology and not Pathology." When I heard this, I sort of thought in my mind, "If you really believe this, you shouldn't even be in medical school." I answered, "You are wrong. Pathology is the basis of medicine. Without Pathology, medicine will not work. When you become a doctor, you become one to TREAT patients' illnesses. When doctor's nowadays see a patient, all they do is perscribe medication and because of that, doctor's some what deviated from what it really means to be a doctor. Pathology in my opinion is one of the most geniuine medical profession."

After telling him that, he didn't answer anything back. He had a dumb look to him and laughed from not being able to answer back. Now I will still become a Pathologist without his or anyone else's opinion, but who is right here? I just want to know... was he right about this? From what I researched so far about Path, the exact opposite is true about what my friend said... which is that Pathology positions, along with all other medical professions is expected to rise by almost 20% or something along those lines.

So once again, question is... who was right here me or my friend?
I ask this because I feel like knowing that if I was right, this will give me a bit of security.

Thank you all, Yuriy.

First of all, a psychiatrist is just as much of a physician than a pathologist, both in terms of degree and basic training. They definitely lack some of the pathology based science of other fields (specifically the old guard of pscyhoanalysis), but on the other hand pathologists don't see patients for the most part, and that is also a general fundamental of medicine as well. They are both rewarding areas of medicine to be a physician in, unique as they are among other specialties.

As far as pathology not being important, it is most definitely important to the furthering of our knowledge and for the diagnoses and treatment of disease. However, perhaps what your friend was trying to argue is that for most medical students, much of pathology is not useful. For example, knowing the stains and histological markings and antibody targets of all of the varieties of breast cancer specimens is, superficially at least (because it is my experience that they often do know these things), not as important to an oncologist as knowing the more clinical aspects of the varieties of breast cancer. It has hard to make a judgment on the argument, as none of us were there to hear it first hand. Regardless, know that pathology itself will not be leaving medicine any time soon.

 

[Yuriynyr]

Thank you for the input and welcome. I was reading around the boards here and found a thread on Pathology Job Outlook. Some say it's good some say it's not so good. Flatearth you may be right. This is also somewhat a concern to consider.

However one doctor posted on that thread that made a survey with his fellow doctors and stated this: Every 3 years or so, he and his doctors conduct a survey. In this survey, they ask the questions, "Do you have residents who cannot find fellowships, and Do you have fellows or residents who cannot find jobs." Their answers were No, meaning that there are jobs available. Not sure how accurate this is.

My concern is that although I am very enthusiastic about Pathology, it would be somewhat illogical to choose this field if the job outlook is not good. I only really see myself doing Pathology at this point, and although I wouldn't mind becoming a doctor in another field, I would some what feel unsatisfied that I didn't become a Pathologist. Although it's probably to early to be thinking this at this point, it's better to be prepared I guess.

 

[Hemorrage]

Thank you for the input and welcome. I was reading around the boards here and found a thread on Pathology Job Outlook. Some say it's good some say it's not so good. Flatearth you may be right. This is also somewhat a concern to consider.

However one doctor posted on that thread that made a survey with his fellow doctors and stated this: Every 3 years or so, he and his doctors conduct a survey. In this survey, they ask the questions, "Do you have residents who cannot find fellowships, and Do you have fellows or residents who cannot find jobs." Their answers were No, meaning that there are jobs available. Not sure how accurate this is.

My concern is that although I am very enthusiastic about Pathology, it would be somewhat illogical to choose this field if the job outlook is not good. I only really see myself doing Pathology at this point, and although I wouldn't mind becoming a doctor in another field, I would some what feel unsatisfied that I didn't become a Pathologist. Although it's probably to early to be thinking this at this point, it's better to be prepared I guess.

you haven't even entered medical school, let alone undergraduate. Believe me your interests will shift towards surgery. I was in your shoes a few years ago

 

[Etorphine]

Hello, my name is Yuriy. I will be heading to college soon to become a doctor one day. My most main interest is the field of Pathology. Not sure what specialty in Pathology yet, but this is definitely the field I see myself in.

Here is the thing. I was arguing with a friend of mine about Pathology. He currently finished his 2nd year of medical school in the Caribbean. Even though I haven't been in medical school yet, and have yet to even begin the pre-med program, I believe I sounded smarter in this argument which is said. He himself wants to be a Psychiatrist, and not a physician like me.

When I asked him, "What do you think about Pathology?". He answered, "Pathology is not important in medicine. It will not exist soon. Pathology is not needed in medicine and all you need in medicine is Anatomy and Physiology and not Pathology." When I heard this, I sort of thought in my mind, "If you really believe this, you shouldn't even be in medical school." I answered, "You are wrong. Pathology is the basis of medicine. Without Pathology, medicine will not work. When you become a doctor, you become one to TREAT patients' illnesses. When doctor's nowadays see a patient, all they do is perscribe medication and because of that, doctor's some what deviated from what it really means to be a doctor. Pathology in my opinion is one of the most geniuine medical profession."

After telling him that, he didn't answer anything back. He had a dumb look to him and laughed from not being able to answer back. Now I will still become a Pathologist without his or anyone else's opinion, but who is right here? I just want to know... was he right about this? From what I researched so far about Path, the exact opposite is true about what my friend said... which is that Pathology positions, along with all other medical professions is expected to rise by almost 20% or something along those lines.

So once again, question is... who was right here me or my friend?
I ask this because I feel like knowing that if I was right, this will give me a bit of security.

Thank you all, Yuriy.

psychiatrists are physicians.

 

[vin5cent0]

That whole post made me want to stab myself in the eye rather than believe there are people like you and your friend out there. How old are you?

 

[cephalexinRX]

Hello, my name is Yuriy. I will be heading to college soon to become a doctor one day. My most main interest is the field of Pathology. Not sure what specialty in Pathology yet, but this is definitely the field I see myself in.

Here is the thing. I was arguing with a friend of mine about Pathology. He currently finished his 2nd year of medical school in the Caribbean. Even though I haven't been in medical school yet, and have yet to even begin the pre-med program, I believe I sounded smarter in this argument which is said. He himself wants to be a Psychiatrist, and not a physician like me.

When I asked him, "What do you think about Pathology?". He answered, "Pathology is not important in medicine. It will not exist soon. Pathology is not needed in medicine and all you need in medicine is Anatomy and Physiology and not Pathology." When I heard this, I sort of thought in my mind, "If you really believe this, you shouldn't even be in medical school." I answered, "You are wrong. Pathology is the basis of medicine. Without Pathology, medicine will not work. When you become a doctor, you become one to TREAT patients' illnesses. When doctor's nowadays see a patient, all they do is perscribe medication and because of that, doctor's some what deviated from what it really means to be a doctor. Pathology in my opinion is one of the most geniuine medical profession."

After telling him that, he didn't answer anything back. He had a dumb look to him and laughed from not being able to answer back. Now I will still become a Pathologist without his or anyone else's opinion, but who is right here? I just want to know... was he right about this? From what I researched so far about Path, the exact opposite is true about what my friend said... which is that Pathology positions, along with all other medical professions is expected to rise by almost 20% or something along those lines.

So once again, question is... who was right here me or my friend?
I ask this because I feel like knowing that if I was right, this will give me a bit of security.

Thank you all, Yuriy.

I'm not a pathologist but I work for/with them. I'm a cytotechnologist. I pre-screen (with a microscope) cytology from LIVING patients.

Psychiatry and pathology are both specialties in medicine.

Pathologists, like any MD/DO, are important. Take for example, the intra-operative frozen section process. During surgery, tissue may be removed and is "frozen" for microscopic analysis by a pathologist. The pathologist informs the surgeon/operating clinician necessary information such as if lymph nodes are positive or negative or if the material to be removed (cancer, etc) has been completely removed or not.

Some pathologists, like cytopathologists, do have contact with patients during FNA biopsies, etc.

Pathology (AP/CP) is four year residency after MD or DO school. You can do fellowship(s) after that.

 

[cephalexinRX]

""Pathology is not important in medicine. It will not exist soon. Pathology is not needed in medicine and all you need in medicine is Anatomy and Physiology and not Pathology."

A second year medical student said this?
That's like saying physics isn't important, only math and chemistry is.

 

[Tiki]

For example, knowing the stains and histological markings and antibody targets of all of the varieties of breast cancer specimens is, superficially at least (because it is my experience that they often do know these things), not as important to an oncologist as knowing the more clinical aspects of the varieties of breast cancer.

Wrong. One of the most useful bits of information for an oncologist is the results of the immunohistochemical stains for estrogen and progesterone receptor on the biopsy or resection specimen (as well as FISH or immunohistochemistry for Her2Neu). These findings guide breast cancer treatment.

Not to mention that the actual type of breast cancer guides treatment. Most of the oncologists know quite a bit of path, since they tailor the treatment based off what the pathologist tells them. A mucinous invasive carcinoma will be treated differently than a high grade infiltrative ductal carcinoma. Not to mention most lymph node mets are so small that they can only be picked up on biopsy (and the presence of mets is the single most important prognostic factor in treating breast cancer).

I realize you weren't dogging the importance of pathology and I do get your point, in that if you are not an oncologist or a surgeon, then you probabaly won't worry too much about histology/surgical pathology. Still pretty important for medical education though.

 

[hopeful22213]

OP I'd encourage you to read "The Emperor of All Maladies." The field of pathology has played a major role in many of the most sophisticated and cutting edge cancer treatments developed over the last twenty years.