I love my job. I apologize ahead of time for the long post but I could write a dissertation length musing about how my job is great and it wouldn't begin to outnumber the lines written on this board saying every job available is dismal. So I doubt what I'm about to write is going to change many opinions.
I'm in private practice, I've been here two months after doing my residency here and leaving for fellowship, it was the only interview I went on and was offered the job during the interview. There are 8 partners and 2 partnership tracked members including myself. Partnership begins with a half share in year 4 and a full share in year 5. The buy-in is $100.00 (one hundred - they consider the work you do in the nonpartnership years to be the effective real buy). In 30 years this group has failed to progress a single person to partner, a slightly larger number have left, either to enter academics or to move to a city they preferred more. They let you know in 1 year if they will progress you. The benefits are great including life, disability, health, dental, vision, health savings account, books, conferences, license fees, professional fees etc.
<O😛I'm busy most of the day but not overwhelmed, the group has had between 50 and 60k surgical specimens per year for the last 5 years; this year it appears we will hit somewhere between those two numbers once again. The work is divided evenly between all docs (the only thing they do by seniority is choosing vacation -- vacation time is generous). As an example 11 docs means 4 - 5 weekends of call per year and my first weekend is the last of September; holiday coverage is divided equally as well. Everyone encourages getting second opinions whenever needed/wanted. Everyone is happy to cover for you if you have a conflict. We have a few strategies for dealing with the potential loss of business to pod labs that have worked out quite favorably for the group and the other clinicians in this hospital system are friendly and easy to work with. The volume of cases means we get a good mix of bread/butter that can be signed out quickly and with little difficulty to interesting cases that take some reading/consultation with a colleague to vanishingly rare fascinating cases which challenge everyone who looks at them and are, quite frankly, a joy to work through.
<O😛Politics are minimal and differences of opinion are handled exclusively within the group. Mistakes which do happen are dealt with with education and, if needed, changes in procedures. No one ever says things like "this lesion was diagnosed incorrectly by colleague x" instead we say "after further consultation within the group we all feel as though this difficult case would be best described as x" or some variation.
<O😛There is a residency program here as well so the opportunity to teach and the accompanying learning opportunities are nice. Since we aren't required to publish to progress I can focus on teaching the residents right at the scope - which is what I prefer.
<O😛When I entered pathology I expected to practice pathology, I didn't have expectations regarding large amounts of money or prestige but that could have been colored by the fact that I'm the first physician in my family. I can certainly imagine that if my parents were both pathologists and practiced in the 70's and 80's the money I make now would seem dismal. Compared to the teacher's salary my mother raised me on pathology is a relative boon - and since I love the work it's even better. I sincerely feel for everyone who is having a hard time getting a job or getting a job they enjoy as much as they'd like. I know there are jobs out there that aren't ideal. I can honestly say, however, that no one I know personally has one of those jobs. The issues that people raise on this board about reimbursement, pod labs, oversupply, etc are legitimate and deserve attention certainly. However, those that make it seem to ambitious trainees and medical students that things are hopeless and getting worse do a disservice to this profession. There are good and great jobs out there - the one commonality I've seen with people that get them is that these people love their jobs and the profession of pathology - BEFORE they get the great job.
