I need advice too!

[kinokoboy]

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I presently work in an Anatomic Pathology lab's Histology department. Do I really need to shadow doctors that aren't Pathologists? Obviously, patients do not come to our lab but we do get their tissue. How many hours of shadowing is considered acceptable for MD/DO schools?

 

[cabinbuilder]

I presently work in an Anatomic Pathology lab's Histology department. Do I really need to shadow doctors that aren't Pathologists? Obviously, patients do not come to our lab but we do get their tissue. How many hours of shadowing is considered acceptable for MD/DO schools?

Yes, unless you have a clear idea of the life of a surgeon, OB/GYN, internist, family practice ER, etc. Pathologist as you know never seen patients. Do you expect to be a pathologist only? That probably will change.

 

[kinokoboy]

I work with both Dermatopathologists and Dermatologists. Since these are two big and competitive sub-specialties, can't I assume this is good enough? I really don't want to deliver babies.

 

[vc7777]

Welcome.

Overall, I think you should be able to talk intelligently about more than derm-path or path - even if this is your ultimate goal. Being able to compare and contrast different shadowing experiences (and career paths) will make a stronger impression on you.

I think (hope) you are kidding, but the "delivering babies" comment would probably be a dead-giveaway that you have not spent much time in other fields.

When an adcom member asks you "why this school?"
how would you answer? (rhetorically, I am not asking you to answer)

Are you interested in private practice? tertiary care? academic medicine? solo practice?

These are the kinds of questions you will encounter along the way.

Furthermore, you need to do yourself a favor and keep an open-mind in medical school. There may be something you love you don't even know exists. As such, you really owe it to yourself to shadow a variety of doctors in a variety of settings.

Finally, "the best laid plans of mice and men..." You don't know what will happen in medical school. You really should think about making sure there are alternative careers you could be content with. Path (and derm-path) are actually not guaranteed residencies for you (or anyone). Not to be a negative Nancy: This is a huge investment of time and money. Show that you have considered multiple paths forward - even if you have your heart set on one.

Best of luck.

 

[kinokoboy]

I've spent a good amount of time working in a Dermatology private practice and my current Pathology lab. I admit, I do want to see what Radiologists and Anesthesiologists do everyday, but isn't that what rotations are for?

 

[cabinbuilder]

I've spent a good amount of time working in a Dermatology private practice and my current Pathology lab. I admit, I do want to see what Radiologists and Anesthesiologists do everyday, but isn't that what rotations are for?

If all you know is pathology and are resistant to even other specialities out there you may have a hard time expressing to adcoms you have a grasp on the life of a doctor. As another poster pointed out, pathology residency is not guaranteed for anyone and you darn well be in the top of your class with the top board scores to even be considered. Honestly, I seriously doubt you will even get your foot in the door for medical school interviews without having a broader sense of all the different aspects of medicine. Just my observation.

 

[kinokoboy]

I'm open to other areas in medicine; it's just that I have a limited amount of time. I work full time and am doing one pre-req course and I am taking a histotech certification program which requires 10 hours of labwork a week with homework. As far as shadowing other docs, should I just use the search function on the best ways of getting shadowing experience?

 

[vc7777]

The SDN search function is always a good place to start. To reiterate - your goal is to get into medical school, not a residency or fellowship. Nobody here will tell you it cannot be done. However, you came her seeking advice ostensibly to increase your chances of getting into medical school, and I think that you've heard the consensus advice: seek a broader shadowing experience to expose yourelf to more of what medicine (and medical school) encompasses.

 

[kinokoboy]

I do appreciate the advice, thank you very much! I do have another question for those giving me advice. Did you go straight from undergrad to med school? Did you work in a variety of fields before you went into medicine? Personally, I'd love to hear from a person who changed careers five or six years out of college and tell me about their personal experience getting into med school.

 

[cabinbuilder]

I'm open to other areas in medicine; it's just that I have a limited amount of time. I work full time and am doing one pre-req course and I am taking a histotech certification program which requires 10 hours of labwork a week with homework. As far as shadowing other docs, should I just use the search function on the best ways of getting shadowing experience?

I'm assuming you work in a hospital with the pathologists? Just have one of them start introducing you to some of the other docs. they would know who would be receptive to having a shadow for a short time. You are alreay HIPAA qualified as a hospital employee.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Did you go straight from undergrad to med school?


No, I graduated college in 1994
Did one year post bacc 1997-98
Applied Jan 1999, Sept 1999, and June 2000
Started medical school 2001

Did you work in a variety of fields before you went into medicine?

9 years as a librarian assistant
4 years in the travel industry
2 years in a pizza joint
4 years working in a deli
2 years in the fish dept
7 years in the hospital as a CNA/ward clerk (this is where I got my experience)

I started work very young and most of the time I worked 2 jobs while going to school.

 

[kinokoboy]

I work in a private lab, not in a hospital. The only doctors here are Dermatopathologists, GI Pathologists, and Hematopathalogists. I'll use the search function when I get chance to se how to get good shadowing experiences.

 

[sirenomelia]

Kinoko-
There is alot of misinformation on this thread. First, there is NO prescribed single path of outside medical exposure/ experience that is needed, required or preferred to be accepted to medical school. Standing around in an ED, the OR, or following some primary care minion around is no different, better, or worse than interacting with pathologists. Further, pathology training is not ultracompetitive and many pathologists like myself do also work with patients. You should target your attention and time to things you are personally interested in and gain knowledge and social/ personal/ professional enrichment. If for you that interest is within pathology than that is fine.