CAP blames social media for "negative feedback about the specialty"

[deleted1074676]

Factors Influencing US Allopathic Medical Students to Choose Pathology as a Specialty

"Based on anecdotal evidence, the current decline [US medical students] may be related to changes in the undergraduate medical school curriculum over the past decade that have resulted in decreased exposure to pathology and pathologists, a negative perception of the current pathology job market, and negative feedback about the specialty posted on social media platforms."

"Respondents who used the internet/social media to research pathology were asked to list the sites used. Thirty-five (73%) of 48 respondents commented. Sites utilized included Student Doctor Network (26%, N = 9 of 35), American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC; 20%, N = 7 of 35), CAP (20%, N = 7 of 35), Google (20%, N = 7 of 35), and Reddit (17%, N = 6 of 35)."

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[KeratinPearls]

Factors Influencing US Allopathic Medical Students to Choose Pathology as a Specialty

"Based on anecdotal evidence, the current decline [US medical students] may be related to changes in the undergraduate medical school curriculum over the past decade that have resulted in decreased exposure to pathology and pathologists, a negative perception of the current pathology job market, and negative feedback about the specialty posted on social media platforms."

"Respondents who used the internet/social media to research pathology were asked to list the sites used. Thirty-five (73%) of 48 respondents commented. Sites utilized included Student Doctor Network (26%, N = 9 of 35), American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC; 20%, N = 7 of 35), CAP (20%, N = 7 of 35), Google (20%, N = 7 of 35), and Reddit (17%, N = 6 of 35)."

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Negative but honest feedback.

 

[WEBB PINKERTON]

Ain't got anything to do with social media. What forum on this site is positive about the future of their specialty? I am sure they search for jobs and see they are few and far between. That is the biggest factor keeping them away.

 

[Thr0mbus]

NOTHING ABOUT THE TERRIBLE LEADERSHIP FLOODING THE MARKET WITH MINION PATHOLOGISTS AND ACCEPTING EVER DECREASING PAY AND AUTONOMY!!!

CAP = TRAITORS!!!!!

 

[deleted1074676]

This contradiction made me laugh:

"Sites utilized included Student Doctor Network (26%, N = 9 of 35), American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC; 20%, N = 7 of 35), CAP (20%, N = 7 of 35), Google (20%, N = 7 of 35), and Reddit (17%, N = 6 of 35)."

"The CAP RF is also using Twitter to educate medical students and debunk misconceptions about pathology."

So, they are using Twitter to educate med students, but their own study showed that students do NOT use twitter to learn about pathology.

 

[deleted1074676]

"On the other hand, respondents generally agreed that information on social media and perception of the pathology job market do not seem to be positive and few agreed that pathology is a highly regarded specialty."

 

[gbwillner]

NOTHING ABOUT THE TERRIBLE LEADERSHIP FLOODING THE MARKET WITH MINION PATHOLOGISTS AND ACCEPTING EVER DECREASING PAY AND AUTONOMY!!!

CAP = TRAITORS!!!!!

you forgot your obvious next statement: LOCK THEM UP!!!!

 

[gbwillner]

This contradiction made me laugh:

"Sites utilized included Student Doctor Network (26%, N = 9 of 35), American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC; 20%, N = 7 of 35), CAP (20%, N = 7 of 35), Google (20%, N = 7 of 35), and Reddit (17%, N = 6 of 35)."

"The CAP RF is also using Twitter to educate medical students and debunk misconceptions about pathology."

So, they are using Twitter to educate med students, but their own study showed that students do NOT use twitter to learn about pathology.

Twitter is not a good way of learning new information from sources you don't already know. The only way you would learn anything about pathology on Twitter is to follow people posting about pathology on twitter. If you are a med student getting glimpses of different specialties you would unlikely to come across such information, even if it is posted there. How many med students would think to follow CAP on twitter, even if they want to learn about Path? I would guess none.

 

[deleted1074676]

Twitter is not a good way of learning new information from sources you don't already know. The only way you would learn anything about pathology on Twitter is to follow people posting about pathology on twitter. If you are a med student getting glimpses of different specialties you would unlikely to come across such information, even if it is posted there. How many med students would think to follow CAP on twitter, even if they want to learn about Path? I would guess none.

Exactly correct. This is one of many reasons why Path is horrible at recruiting.

 

[Nilf]

NOTHING ABOUT THE TERRIBLE LEADERSHIP FLOODING THE MARKET WITH MINION PATHOLOGISTS AND ACCEPTING EVER DECREASING PAY AND AUTONOMY!!!

CAP = TRAITORS!!!!!

Is this the real resurrected Thrombus, or an impostor? Like Gandalf the Grey, who was reborn to become better-faster-stronger Gandalf the White?

 

[Med Director New England]

Say what you will about SDN - but this site is very impactful and the discussions here by experienced paths, trainees and prospective applicants has forced leadership in pathology to at least consider the possibility that we are overtraining pathology relative to need.

Why is this so bad ? It is discussion that should happen. It really requires input from pathologists in the workforce (both private and academia). I would argue before SDN practicing pathologists outside of academia had very little voice in this discussion. The blawg did have some similar discussions but for the most part didn’t include med students.

 

[pathres9999]

I think the leadership should stop crying about how no one wants to go into pathology. It is so tiresome when there are obvious problems, and all the leadership can do is shrug and spout nonsense about how nothing makes sense. To any high-ranking CAP members reading this, get your head out of the sand and make some real change.

Until then I look forward to the endless stream of garbage proposed by CAP. All the while when reimbursement goes down, job outlook suffers, over-supply of residents, over-valuation of fellowship, and lack of respect to the field of pathology continues. At least I love pathology on its own merit, because if it was just CAP and its leadership; I would have rode off into the sunset and never looked back.

 

[deleted1074676]

We should start a non-profit Capping Residency Admissions to Pathology (CRAP).

 

[deleted1074676]

When they ask "Do you support the CAP?"
My response "Yes, I support the cap on residency slots."

 

[deleted1074676]

My guess is that CAP membership is a smaller piece of the pie than it used to be. Anyone know if CAP publishes paid membership data?

 

[Alteran]

My guess is that CAP membership is a smaller piece of the pie than it used to be. Anyone know if CAP publishes paid membership data?

It does. Off hand from what I remember, membership dues are ~$5-7M and revenue from proficiency testing is ~$80-90M. Guess which one they have a vested interest in protecting.

 

[dukeresident]

CAP lives in an Ivory Tower divorced from the real world.

 

[WEBB PINKERTON]

CAP president wrote another column about the cuts. I have an idea CAP, cut YOUR pricing for PT to help us all out! They act like they care about the financial situation of hospitals and pathologists and then charge us outrageous amounts of money for PT. FLEE PATHOLOGY NOW!

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[coroner]

Is this the real resurrected Thrombus, or an impostor? Like Gandalf the Grey, who was reborn to become better-faster-stronger Gandalf the White?

This is the real deal...he has returned

 

[Pathdoc retired]

CAP can blame anything they want, but take it from me, as a practicing AP/CP boarded community pathologist for over 27 years, there is way more to why this field is less than desirable! If you want to be openly belittled by your clinical colleagues, looked down on for not being a "real doctor" like they are for seeing patients, by all means go into pathology. If you want some foreign-trained surgeon who barely speaks english constantly reminding you to be sure to do your job and look for lymph nodes in his colon resections, in spite of always finding large numbers of them, go into pathology. If you want to go to a medical staff Christmas party always expecting to be seated at the farthest back table by the janitor's closet, along with the courtesy staff psychiatrist who has two patients a year in the system, by all means go into pathology. IF NOT, look at a good field like radiology, dermatology, opthalmology, etc. where you will be respected and still have an excellent lifestyle!

 

[WEBB PINKERTON]

The rads I work with would not agree.

 

[0100010001001111]

This contradiction made me laugh:

"Sites utilized included Student Doctor Network (26%, N = 9 of 35), American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC; 20%, N = 7 of 35), CAP (20%, N = 7 of 35), Google (20%, N = 7 of 35), and Reddit (17%, N = 6 of 35)."

"The CAP RF is also using Twitter to educate medical students and debunk misconceptions about pathology."

So, they are using Twitter to educate med students, but their own study showed that students do NOT use twitter to learn about pathology.

That cracks me up a little. As an aspiring pathologist, reddit and SDN are the big two forums I know of where I can keep tabs on the field. I would never consider twitter as a medium for information. Character limits and limited discussion really hinder getting into the pros and cons of the field.

To be fair, all the doom and gloom here has definitely affected the competitiveness/prestige of the field. On one hand, it's nice that it's making it easier to match into the institution of ones choice. On the other hand, I probably wouldn't consider pathology at all if I didn't really enjoy the subject due to the fear this site instills in interested applicants.

 

[deleted314957]

CAP can blame anything they want, but take it from me, as a practicing AP/CP boarded community pathologist for over 27 years, there is way more to why this field is less than desirable! If you want to be openly belittled by your clinical colleagues, looked down on for not being a "real doctor" like they are for seeing patients, by all means go into pathology. If you want some foreign-trained surgeon who barely speaks english constantly reminding you to be sure to do your job and look for lymph nodes in his colon resections, in spite of always finding large numbers of them, go into pathology. If you want to go to a medical staff Christmas party always expecting to be seated at the farthest back table by the janitor's closet, along with the courtesy staff psychiatrist who has two patients a year in the system, by all means go into pathology. IF NOT, look at a good field like radiology, dermatology, opthalmology, etc. where you will be respected and still have an excellent lifestyle!

Too bad . I was ap/cp/fp american trained with a limited clinical background lab med director at a ~180 bed community hospital for about 25 years and was, in general, treated very, very well.

 

[KeratinPearls]

Too bad . I was ap/cp/fp american trained with a limited clinical background lab med director at a ~180 bed community hospital for about 25 years and was, in general, treated very, very well.

Yup Ive never seen clinicians disrespect pathologists. Maybe some surgeons but that’s their problem. Clinicians respect good pathologists. There’s a lot of talk on here about how Pathology is the least respected field in medicine. I don’t think that’s true.

 

[path24]

So don't let med students know that Pathology has the worst job market. We like our physicians begging for jobs, specimens, PC...etc. Reality is annoying.