Fourth Year Path Rotations

[QuietSylph]

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I'm finishing up my third year and am curious as to what GP and others would recommend I take in pathology during my fourth year. I am 95% certain I want to go into pathology.

My medical school offers a ton of different possibilities, including anatomic pathology, surgical pathology, forensic pathology, laboratory medicine, etc. So far I am signed up for forensic pathology and laboratory medicine. Do these seem like good choices, or would alternate choices give me a "better" exposure to confirm I do indeed love path?

I am also intending to do some path research on the side, and am exploring the possibility of working as a tech for the department during my fourth year.

Thanks for the input!

 

[pathstudent]

WOW your school offers a nice variety. May I ask where you attend?

I am certainly no expert being at the same stage you are, but I think the common sense answer is to take what sounds interesting to you and make sure you get a couple good letter of rec. That is probably all that really matters.

I have talked to a couple of attendings at a couple of instutions and they are all saying to not study too much path in the fourth year, as the rest of my life will be spent doing path, and that it is important to use this time to get exposure to the clinical areas that utilize pathologists such as Heme/Onc, surgery etc... Pretty much everyone has said to only do 4-8 weeks.

So that is my advice, take what sounds good to you.

 

[GreatPumpkin]

My advice is take things you will never have the opportunity to do again. I did rotations in ER, Rads, Gas and Informatics. I also did one Surg Path rotation and forensics. If you are worried about getting accepted somewhere specific then doing a rotation there is the thing to do.

 

[Adrian Cocot]

That's going to be my approach. I figure I'll do my best to get some sort of a well-rounded education, so I'm planning on doing path electives at my top choice programs, and then ER, OB/GYN, an FP rotation, and neonatal special care. Because you never know when you're going to deliver a mec baby in an airplane...