Failing Step 1 and Path

[drivesmecraazee]

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You must be kidding... Peruvians speak Spanish, and I doubt one would ever forget the native language.
Thanks for the costarrican greetings

And before the thread disappears, I should say _ Cameron and BH got the right answer

(I might be overusing the smilies, but they are so cute, aren't they? I couldn't resist...)

My bad.
I know it sounds impossible but some people actually do forget their native language, I've heard about mexicans living in the States that raise kids and the kids can't speak spanish, they speak some deformed language with a spanish influence: "espanglish" or "chicano". It's true that you don't forget it completely but you do lose some capability of speaking it.
Why wouln't you want to tell me that you're brazilian, I know lots of brazilians, nothing against you guys...well except for soccer...MARADONA is actually GOD...you will never have anyone like that on your side...

 

[Minna]

You're right, when kids come they may "unlearn" their native language.
It is not my case though... I came couple of years ago.

Regarding the nationality thing, of course I would tell, I was just teasing you. 😛

What about Pele?

 

[drivesmecraazee]

You're right, when kids come they may "unlearn" their native language.
It is not my case though... I came couple of years ago.

Regarding the nationality thing, of course I would tell, I was just teasing you. 😛

What about Pele?

😡😡...Teaser...just kidding 😀
Pele...he's definetly second after D10S.
Where in Brazil are you from? I know people from Sao Paulo, Rio, Bello Horizonte and Porto Allegre, few from Belem and Minnas Gerais, I've only been to Foz do Iguazu cuz I have family in Argentina and in one of our trips we went to the border. I would love to visit more places in Brazil though.

 

[criduchat]

I am bemused somewhat by that evaluation. I am a Neuro-Radiologist and interventional Radiologist. I interact almost daily with pathologists. What the pathologist knows as he diagnoses pathology in tissue is broadcast directly to about 20 to 50 doctors/day. He generally also must appear at or chair at least one conference of his fellow physicians/week. If he doesn't know his business, it won't take too long for the medical community to get to know this.

Pathologists have a hard time differentiating from the Osteosarcoma of teen-agers (remember the Kennedy youth?) of the leg, that will kill you unless the entire leg is removed; differentiating it from a perfectly harmless condition that requires no treatment, but looks almost exactly like the osteosarcoma. You can look up the full story on that on the internet.

So, the pathologist often turns to the Radiologist for this particular difficult diagnosis, and tries to get some help. The Radiologist has as much or more difficulty in making this diagnosis.

If the pathologist is wrong and causes the removal of the entire foot, leg and thigh from a young Elizabeth Taylor or Brittney Spears, or your own son or daughter; when there was no need whatsoever, he and everyone else must live with that decision (including the lawyers for the patient).

If the pathologist is wrong and does not have the leg removed, and the patient dies of osteosarcoma, he and everyone else (except the patient) must live with that.

That sort of thing can take a little of the fun out of this particular specialty.

If you are looking for an easy specialty, most anesthetists and anesthesiologist seem to find they can fairly completely understand and master their specialty after a reasonable length of time; and some find it a little boring after that. Urologists, for undetermined reasons usually come from the lower 1/3 of the class; so I suppose it may be easier than other specialties, but don't really know. Dermatologists don't have much night or weekend work. I would imagine that after one enters practice (particularly if it is solo) that it would be easier to hide one's ignorance if one were a dermatologist or psychiatrist than in most other specialties, but I have no proof of that.

I always had fun practicing medicine and putting my knowledge and skills up against others. It was fun at Hopkins and Duke to see if I could come up with a diagnosis quicker than someone else; but found this to be true in military and private practice also. I think it would be difficult to be a good doctor, and to enjoy one's work if one didn't find it intensely interesting.

Delmar H. Knudson, M.D.

 

[KeratinPearls]

I am bemused somewhat by that evaluation. I am a Neuro-Radiologist and interventional Radiologist. I interact almost daily with pathologists. What the pathologist knows as he diagnoses pathology in tissue is broadcast directly to about 20 to 50 doctors/day. He generally also must appear at or chair at least one conference of his fellow physicians/week. If he doesn’t know his business, it won’t take too long for the medical community to get to know this.

Pathologists have a hard time differentiating from the Osteosarcoma of teen-agers (remember the Kennedy youth?) of the leg, that will kill you unless the entire leg is removed; differentiating it from a perfectly harmless condition that requires no treatment, but looks almost exactly like the osteosarcoma. You can look up the full story on that on the internet.

So, the pathologist often turns to the Radiologist for this particular difficult diagnosis, and tries to get some help. The Radiologist has as much or more difficulty in making this diagnosis.

If the pathologist is wrong and causes the removal of the entire foot, leg and thigh from a young Elizabeth Taylor or Brittney Spears, or your own son or daughter; when there was no need whatsoever, he and everyone else must live with that decision (including the lawyers for the patient).

If the pathologist is wrong and does not have the leg removed, and the patient dies of osteosarcoma, he and everyone else (except the patient) must live with that.

That sort of thing can take a little of the fun out of this particular specialty.

If you are looking for an easy specialty, most anesthetists and anesthesiologist seem to find they can fairly completely understand and master their specialty after a reasonable length of time; and some find it a little boring after that. Urologists, for undetermined reasons usually come from the lower 1/3 of the class; so I suppose it may be easier than other specialties, but don't really know. Dermatologists don't have much night or weekend work. I would imagine that after one enters practice (particularly if it is solo) that it would be easier to hide one's ignorance if one were a dermatologist or psychiatrist than in most other specialties, but I have no proof of that.

I always had fun practicing medicine and putting my knowledge and skills up against others. It was fun at Hopkins and Duke to see if I could come up with a diagnosis quicker than someone else; but found this to be true in military and private practice also. I think it would be difficult to be a good doctor, and to enjoy one's work if one didn't find it intensely interesting.

Delmar H. Knudson, M.D.

I'm ready to hear the Urologist point of view on this....

 

[djmd]

I'm ready to hear the Urologist point of view on this....

Not to get into an argument with DHK, MD... but
I don't think he information about urologist is correct... at my medical school I think a good number of the urologist applicants were AOA.

And bone tumors are generally diagnosed with a combination of radiologic and pathologic findings...
One with out the other is suicide.

 

[Psychopathology]

Is going into/applying for Path obsurd? I am not the strongest person when it comes down to memorizing/retaining info.

My impression of pathology is that it requires immense memorization and retention. In the context of dissecting disease from the level of the affected organ down to the level of the tissue, cell, or molecule, I can deal with all of the memorization. If you are devoid of this sort of curiosity; however, then you will likely struggle. My brief exposure to pathology was humbling and challenging, but inspired a curiosity that has allowed me to pursue it as my career.

Path has a great lifestyle, minimal hrs.

Don't believe everything you hear about pathology. My classmates commend me on pursuing a career with a great lifestyle, but most of them know just as much about the lifestyle as they do about the career. I explained to one of them just the other day that I will not be spending "Three years of residency with dead people."

I got a taste of what the next four years or so entail. Surgical pathology rotations at the right time and at the right hospital can be very demanding. You might be leaving work much later than your buddies who pursued other specialties. On the other hand, you will probably be able to sleep in your own bed every night. You will spend more time away from work on the weekends than many of your colleagues. You will also be studying textbooks during your time away from work. At least the best residents followed that prescription.

I dont want to get rich, just 100k a year. I want to go into a field that I can actually do well in and feel like i'm not an idiot in everyday.

Pathology is very challenging and medical school provides shallow exposure to what a pathology residency entails. Try out an elective. See what it is all about. Pathology also requires tremendous confidence and responsibility. You're the expert. You make the diagnosis. Your clinician colleagues will appreciate how well you know your stuff.

 

[yaah]

The above is true - I have seen or heard of several residents who flamed out (or will flame out) because their heart and mind simply were not in it, or because they simply weren't motivated to do anything more than the minimum. A lot of people expect a 9-4 job, even in residency, and do minimal reading or work outside of the hospital, and expect everything to somehow magically be taught to them (without going to conferences or doing much independent studying). These same residents can then get bitter and jaded, and blame everyone but themselves for their struggles (i.e., too much grossing or too many expectations or not enough supervision or whatever). Sadly, I think these types of residents are increasing as pathology becomes more well known as a "lifestyle" field, for whatever reason.

That being said, I am sure there are many people in pathology who are not passionate about it to any significant extent yet excel at it in residency and beyond. That can only work for certain personality types though - most people wouldn't be able to sustain it. Most who do succeed have something about the field that draws them in, even if there are other parts that turn them off.

I am on the busiest rotation we have now, and as cliche as it sounds, I have looked forward to coming in every day. I don't know how people who don't enjoy it can stand it - I remember back to some of my clinical rotations (mostly surgical) in med school and that was how I felt, and if I thought I was looking at that for the next 20-30 years, it would have become much worse, even.

 

[gungho]

The above is true - I have seen or heard of several residents who flamed out (or will flame out) because their heart and mind simply were not in it, or because they simply weren't motivated to do anything more than the minimum. A lot of people expect a 9-4 job, even in residency, and do minimal reading or work outside of the hospital, and expect everything to somehow magically be taught to them (without going to conferences or doing much independent studying). These same residents can then get bitter and jaded, and blame everyone but themselves for their struggles (i.e., too much grossing or too many expectations or not enough supervision or whatever). Sadly, I think these types of residents are increasing as pathology becomes more well known as a "lifestyle" field, for whatever reason.

That being said, I am sure there are many people in pathology who are not passionate about it to any significant extent yet excel at it in residency and beyond. That can only work for certain personality types though - most people wouldn't be able to sustain it. Most who do succeed have something about the field that draws them in, even if there are other parts that turn them off.

I am on the busiest rotation we have now, and as cliche as it sounds, I have looked forward to coming in every day. I don't know how people who don't enjoy it can stand it - I remember back to some of my clinical rotations (mostly surgical) in med school and that was how I felt, and if I thought I was looking at that for the next 20-30 years, it would have become much worse, even.

after spending a number of years in clinical medicine (not to mention the other rote jobs during summers, breaks), and dreading going to work, i feel as though i've been released from prison to find Pathology. i love going to work. i like studying and learning. also, as i've continued to moonlight as a clinician, it's a great reminder of why i left direct patient care.
now, it may be different when my butt is on the line and i get into the routine of practice, but i can't see it being any worse than clinical medicine and more than likely will be a ton better. is Pathology or Pathology residency perfect or without its valleys? not by a long shot.
having said all that, leaving behind something that was familiar and at which i was at least moderately proficient, i've found Pathology to be intimidating, humbling, and humiliating at times. but i still love it and can't wait unti fellowship and practice start.

 

[Ale]

No one in my program has heard back...

Don't expect the letter 'till late April, early May(although this year they are starting sooner, it might come in early April). Also the letters are erratic; they come out of order with conflicting information that is going to confuse you.

Wait calmly and expect to pay more for a flight and hotel since you are scheduling them with such short notice, he he he.

Relax, almost everyone passes boards. 87% of first time AP takers to be exact.

PS Don't forget to read the Clinical compendium. About 180 questions for the CP part can be quoted from that book. For molecular it would help to read the bone marrow engraftment chapter in the Tsongalis book and find a good review of clia etc and, you will be more than fine.

 

[yaah]

Yeah, CLIA, that's right. I bookmarked a link to CLIA a few months ago, I will try to find it and share it with people here...