Importance and Relevance of CP in Private Practice

[KeratinPearls]

So how important is CP training in private practice? I'm on a CP rotation now and there is a list of objectives...QC vs. QA, blah blah blah. Now when one enters private practice, how much of this stuff do you need to know? It seems like a majority of pathologists just focus on AP their whole career and a supervisor (MT, or PhD) usually handles the CP aspect. I would bet if I asked one of the attending pathologists a question about CP they wouldnt have a clue what I am talking about.

Seems like you just got to learn it for the boards and pass the CP portion and then CP is history? Am I right?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[LADoc00]

its HUGELY important. But from a somewhat non-scientific aspect, more business managerial.

Its sort like being a mid-level executive in many respects.

 

[ScotchBonnet]

Could any wise community attendings share what to focus on in CP rotations to prepare for the managerial aspects of practice? I feel like I learn a lot about the science of the CP disciplines, which will be good for boards I suppose, but not the real-world/community things LA refers to.

 

[yaah]

Could any wise community attendings share what to focus on in CP rotations to prepare for the managerial aspects of practice? I feel like I learn a lot about the science of the CP disciplines, which will be good for boards I suppose, but not the real-world/community things LA refers to.

Some programs do a better job than others. Many do a pretty weak job of preparing you for management issues. Blood bank is often pretty good at many places, so is heme. Actual management as it relates to lab inspections, quality issues, bringing up assays, things like that, is not well taught. It is hard to teach this stuff, other than the theories behind it.

 

[Patho2009]

Seems like you just got to learn it for the boards and pass the CP portion and then CP is history? Am I right?


You are right in what you said above. It is for sure not going to help you in the AP practice (may be in hematopathology and lab administration to certain extents). otherwise it is useless for AP practice.

The problem is the competitveness.

As I heard from a Program Director and Chair, AP/CP candidate is always preferred to AP candidate for a postion as an attending in AP. The trend now is to be AP/CP certified as most of the programs now are AP/CP combined. In the light of large numbers of applicants, you will look inferior to the MAJORITY if you are AP- only certified.

If you don't like to go for the CP, the advice is to balance out by having a fellowship in a prestigious program and/or in highly demanded subspecialty. (note that you will still look inferior to others as many AP/CP certified nowadays have certification in a subspecialty!!!!!!)

THE ADVICE IS Just do it !!

<!-- / message --><!-- SDNCODE: one sig per thread --><!-- /SDNCODE: one sig per thread -->

 

[levels x3]

From a practical standpoint, many community groups won't look at AP-only job applicants because they can't cover CP call.

But the question really is what to learn and how to learn it. TMS and Heme fundamentals are important. Depending on where you go and what you do, you might have to look at bone marrows or blood smears, and you might need to answer a few TMS questions here and there, or perhaps read an electrophoresis. Honestly, if I was to do it again, I would just study board materials like the Compendium while on CP rotations but not really as board prep. I think if you knew all of the chemistry or micro, for example, in that book, you would know far more than the typical general AP/CP pathologist, or the typical resident leaving one of those services. The board prep would just be a side benefit. I would immerse yourself in heme though. I managed heme on the CP boards not so much from the studying, but because I had seen and experienced a lot.

Virtually everything else is management and I don't know how to learn that other than experience. The problem with many of the management tasks that might be important, like bringing in a new test, is that they are often long processes that extend beyond the typical CP rotation. You end up getting just small bits of the story.

 

[lipomas]

Not doing CP is a good way to make yourself expendable. In many private practices, you wouldn't take call, wouldn't cover CP issues, etc. Knowledge of CP also helps you in AP at times, particularly with management issues. If your goal is (if you are doing private practice) to just read slides, have minimal communication with anyone, and go home, then don't do CP. But don't expect a lot of doors to open for you, especially without a subspecialty fellowship that a group REALLY needs.

 

[Arctic Char]

Blood Bank . . . Dudd Bank . . . Double Crud Bank, I hate Blood Bank

 

[Patho2009]

If your goal is (if you are doing private practice) to just read slides, have minimal communication with anyone, and go home.......



I like this life style........

 

[2121115]

If your goal is (if you are doing private practice) to just read slides, have minimal communication with anyone, and go home.......



I like this life style........

If so, then....

AP only -----> LabCore/Quest/Urology practice

 

[EUA]

^^ If you think there are no CP issues at big commercial labs like Quest and LabCorp, you are seriously misguided.

 

[djmd]

^^ If you think there are no CP issues at big commercial labs like Quest and LabCorp, you are seriously misguided.

I think the point was that is were you will have to work if you want to "just read slides, have minimal communication with anyone, and go home" and be AP only then that is where you will end up...

 

[lipomas]

If your goal is (if you are doing private practice) to just read slides, have minimal communication with anyone, and go home.......



I like this life style........

You might not like the paycheck or the people you work with. Excuse me, I mean work for.

 

[djmd]

You might not like the paycheck or the people you work with. Excuse me, I mean work for.

Ha.. nice self correction there...