Confused Patho student...

[PathoGeek]

Hello,

I am new to this forum, so hang in there with me. I am currently a Clinical Laboratory Tech student, going to be graduating next spring with my Asso degree. My plans were to then go and apply to continue my degree into a bacc in Medical Technologist. Then eventually go for pathology.

My question to you is, what is pathology really; Is it an MD, or PhD? From what I can tell, and from the school I am looking into, it's a MD/PhD.

Is there any other students on here looking at Pathology?

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[njbmd]

Hello,

I am new to this forum, so hang in there with me. I am currently a Clinical Laboratory Tech student, going to be graduating next spring with my Asso degree. My plans were to then go and apply to continue my degree into a bacc in Medical Technologist. Then eventually go for pathology.

My question to you is, what is pathology really; Is it an MD, or PhD? From what I can tell, and from the school I am looking into, it's a MD/PhD.

Is there any other students on here looking at Pathology?

To become a clinical pathologist, one must be an MD or DO. To study pathology, one can obtain a Ph.D but you won't be dealing with anything clinical and largely doing research.

 

[PathoGeek]

Thanks for your response. I figured that much...Seeing as Clinical Pathologists work with patient samples. I figure I may do the MD/PhD program, so that I am able to do research if I would like. I'd perfer to work with patient samples however.

Thanks!

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

Thanks for your response. I figured that much...Seeing as Clinical Pathologists work with patient samples. I figure I may do the MD/PhD program, so that I am able to do research if I would like. I'd perfer to work with patient samples however.

Thanks!

As a fellow CLS, make sure you study the ins and outs of Pathology. To get a job anymore you have to at least be both an anatomical pathologist and a clinical pathologist. You'll deal mostly with cyto and tissue samples and not so much blood/bone marrow smears like you may end up doing now.

When I first decided I wanted to go to medical school, pathology felt natural. With some research I quickly found the field seems saturated and it seems as though the field has more to do with politics than helping patients. Though if you end up doing MD/PhD you'll likely want to do academic medicine and this seems to be one area of pathology that has plenty of openings.

After 10 years of lab medicine I've figured out I want to be more active in the role of patient care, with more "face" time with patients. And after processing it for the last two years I find it funny that I even thought of pathology. Of course all of this may change in medical school.

I found lurking in the resident/physician pathology forum to be helpful, though you need to remember things are not usually as negative as they are on SDN.

 

[Scottish Chap]

Hello,

I am new to this forum, so hang in there with me. I am currently a Clinical Laboratory Tech student, going to be graduating next spring with my Asso degree. My plans were to then go and apply to continue my degree into a bacc in Medical Technologist. Then eventually go for pathology.

My question to you is, what is pathology really; Is it an MD, or PhD? From what I can tell, and from the school I am looking into, it's a MD/PhD.

Is there any other students on here looking at Pathology?

The specialty pathology is for MD- or DO-trained people (medics).

However, some of the clinical pathology sub-specialties (clinical biochemistry, toxicology and TDM, hematology, medical microbiology, and immunology) at hospitals are run by PhDs who have completed additional training in one of those fields at the postdoctoral level (sort of like a mini-residency for PhDs). You can even become board-certified. This is why PhDs can run certain aspects of clinical pathology in hospitals. I was trained in clinical biochemistry at a large hospital in Baltimore as a PhD. I carried the lab medicine pager for a couple of years along with the MD pathology residents. My job description was identical to theirs.

If you are a MT and you go to medical school, you would not be the first to end up in pathology. It's a great field.

I hope that helps!

 

[rhmtascp]

At some point I was an MLT, then MT, now MD, and getting ready to start residency in Pathology. Best career track ever!