- Joined
- Mar 31, 2023
- Messages
- 13
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- 20
I will be a third-year veterinary student in the fall. I have always been interested in pathology and knew that I wanted to pursue that route going into vet school. It's about that time where we need to start applying to externships and thinking more about future plans. I am currently torn between pursuing CP vs AP. I love microscopy, so the idea of histopathology and cytology/hematology both appeal to me. I am not a fan of necropsy, but I would be able to do it during residency. My career goals would either be to work for a corporate lab (Antech/IDEXX) or in academia.
For AP, I love that you get a more definitive diagnosis than CP most of the time. You're able to see how disease affects the tissues and relate that to the patient's clinical signs. The architecture of histology is so beautiful to me and there are so many different things to see. For CP, I love that you get to be more involved in patient care. I know that APs still get to view slides from patients that are alive, but a lot of the time the patients are dead. In CP, I feel like you get to speak with clinicians more and be a part of the patient's diagnostic plan. I'd prefer to help animals and clients from the antemortem side. Something that I fear with CP is getting bored. I don't have a lot of experience shadowing CPs but I know that in labs such as IDEXX or Antech, you mainly look at cytologies and hematologies. Does it ever get boring looking at the "same thing" all day?
I'd love to hear if any of you were in the same boat and what ultimately helped you decide. If you're a current AP or CP, what do you love most about your job? What do you dislike the most? Is there anything you wish you would have known before applying for residency?
Thank you!!
For AP, I love that you get a more definitive diagnosis than CP most of the time. You're able to see how disease affects the tissues and relate that to the patient's clinical signs. The architecture of histology is so beautiful to me and there are so many different things to see. For CP, I love that you get to be more involved in patient care. I know that APs still get to view slides from patients that are alive, but a lot of the time the patients are dead. In CP, I feel like you get to speak with clinicians more and be a part of the patient's diagnostic plan. I'd prefer to help animals and clients from the antemortem side. Something that I fear with CP is getting bored. I don't have a lot of experience shadowing CPs but I know that in labs such as IDEXX or Antech, you mainly look at cytologies and hematologies. Does it ever get boring looking at the "same thing" all day?
I'd love to hear if any of you were in the same boat and what ultimately helped you decide. If you're a current AP or CP, what do you love most about your job? What do you dislike the most? Is there anything you wish you would have known before applying for residency?
Thank you!!