Double-boarded in Pathology and _____?

[stormjen]

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This is a radical idea, I know, given that Pathology is mostly non-clinical. There are some residencies that provide training in two specialties, e.g. Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Family Practice and Psychiatry, and so on, so how about Pathology and something else? Even though I plan to go into Pathology, I don't want to lose my clinical skills. I like the idea of being able to work in an ER on weekends, or to volunteer in a clinic. How doable is getting double-boarded in Pathology and Emergency Medicine? I somehow doubt I could convince two residency programs to allow me to train in both at the same time, but perhaps I could do them back-to-back. The problem with this method would presumably be ACGME funding issues.

How crazy or doable does this sound?

 

[Brian Pavlovitz]

I worked with a Pathologist who was also certified in Internal Medicine, in addition to cytopathology. I never got the chance to find out why she did this--but this provides the opportunity for me to ask the next time I see her!

 

[yaah]

Yeah, I have met some double-boarded folks, but usually it is people who complete one residency, practice in that field for awhile, and then do another residency. There is a gynecologist here at UMich who is also a pathologist who signs out gyn cases and placentas, and does clinic/OR a couple of times a week.

Usually though, people focus on one career, even if they are double boarded.

I think you can often volunteer in a clinic or moonlight without being certified in a specialty. Not totally sure about that, but I know residents moonlight in places like VAs so you obviously don't need board certification.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

are these mostly people who started off in a discipline other than pathology and then later saw the light and realized the frivolity of their previous actions?

 

[QuietSylph]

I know an attending who did her residency in OB/GYN and then decided to train in Anatomic Path as well to expand her knowledge base. For a long time she did her regular OB/GYN clinical stuff in the mornings and then signed out GYN path cases in the afternoon. But she said it got to be too much, so now she just does OB/GYN. She is still glad she did the Path, though, as it has really enhanced her clinical abilities and acumen.

 

[PathOne]

Just pitching in my 0.5 cents.
While double-boarding can be tempting, I'd personally find it a waste of time. The trend is for ever-increasing specialization, e.g. Gyn Path rather than just Path, Ped Oncol rather than just Peds etc.
I think that it will be far wiser to seek a specialization or sub- and stick to it, rather than to essentially attempting to do the work of two. There's a few instances, where it might be an advantage, such as psychiatry and neurology, but the only one I can think of in path. is forensic path. and a legal degree, which might come in handy.

If you're really looking for some kind of hands-on clinical involvement, consider specializing in FNA's or dermatopath., where you'd get a shot at seeing patients now and then. (or choose to become a derm. and take a dermatopath. fellowship after that.)

 

[pbp4]

This is crazy talk..... when you start a path residency- or EM- you will realize the shear volume of what you need to master and these thoughts will fade- I know I had similiar thoughts. In addition, the two fields you picked are pretty far apart in knowledge base- but both are great specialities. Tell this to EM folks and they will look at you like you have two heads.....
-p

 

[xanthines]

I currently work for a woman who is board cert in Gastro and Path. The majority of her work is, predictably, GI path cases. She doesn't do any actual clinical GI work, though. I wonder if it's just that GI-path fellowships didn't exist when she was doing this stuff (~15-20 yrs ago). Any opinions on that?

-X