Is it possible to have direct care of patients as a pathologist?

[bluesTank]

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I am pretty unfamiliar with the profession itself, but I find it pretty interesting in class.

Is there some kind of pathology specialty where you DO get to deal with patients directly (and I don't mean under a microscope!)

The only thing that is keeping me away from considering path is the fact that I don't want to be in a lab all day and never see patients.

 

[Depakote]

I am pretty unfamiliar with the profession itself, but I find it pretty interesting in class.

Is there some kind of pathology specialty where you DO get to deal with patients directly (and I don't mean under a microscope!)

The only thing that is keeping me away from considering path is the fact that I don't want to be in a lab all day and never see patients.

There are biopsies and autopsies... but in terms of having your own practice where you walk in and see your own individual patients in a clinic, I'm pretty sure there aren't any fields of pathology that integrate that.

 

[MrBurns10]

As Depakote mentioned, you can do biopsies. But there also is some flexibility (some) for patient contact. My dad was a pathologist and said that sometimes he would talk about the diagnosis with a patient (one time for 2 hours!). He always gave the patients this option, but not all took him up on it.

 

[MSHell]

Maybe fine needle aspirations.

 

[njbmd]

My pathology colleagues who run the Transfusion Medicine service have direct patient contact: Bone Marrow Transplants, Apheresis Center and Stem Cell Harvests. They both did a Transfusion Medicine fellowship post Pathology residency. They seem to enjoy their work.

 

[bodonid]

is it me or is this question asked every couple weeks?

You might read up a little more on this topic in the pathology forum, there are two long threads on this topic.

 

[cilfaz]

I am pretty unfamiliar with the profession itself, but I find it pretty interesting in class.

Is there some kind of pathology specialty where you DO get to deal with patients directly (and I don't mean under a microscope!)

The only thing that is keeping me away from considering path is the fact that I don't want to be in a lab all day and never see patients.

I had a neighbor when I used to live in the rural north who was a pathologist and she ran the STI clinic in town. She spent i think about 1/3 to half her time doing clinical stuff. It can be done but I think most are in the lab or their comfy offices looking through microscopes all day. I hope you liked gross anatomy because autopsies are regular thing for them.

 

[IHeartNerds]

My pathology colleagues who run the Transfusion Medicine service have direct patient contact: ...Apheresis Center...

I met a path resident just today who was going in to evaluate my patient for plasmapheresis. I almost did a double-take on the white coat inscription, but he turned out to be pretty cool and very capable. 👍

 

[Re3iRtH]

I met a path resident just today who was going in to evaluate my patient for plasmapheresis. I almost did a double-take on the white coat inscription, but he turned out to be pretty cool and very capable. 👍

You were questioning a pathologist's capability? They probably know more medicine that any other type of doctor.

 

[yaah]

No patient contact does not mean no human interaction. Pathology requires abundant interpersonal contact, predominantly with other physicians and health care providers. Some people don't really consider this and think that unless they see patients, they are going to be completely asocial and a virtual loser. Many med students have an idealized version of what "patient care" should be, which is often far from reality. What you have to find out is whether you really do like patient care, or just the idea of patient care. Give it until at least partway through third year before you truly decide you can't do without patient care.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I am pretty unfamiliar with the profession itself, but I find it pretty interesting in class.

Is there some kind of pathology specialty where you DO get to deal with patients directly (and I don't mean under a microscope!)

The only thing that is keeping me away from considering path is the fact that I don't want to be in a lab all day and never see patients.

What parts of path do you find interesting? The tissue diagnosis (i.e. looking at pathohistology under the microscope), or understanding the pathophysiology and how that leads to the clinical symptoms of a disease?

Because if it's the latter, I think you will like Medicine; if it's the former, than Path is more up your alley.

 

[mjl1717]

You were questioning a pathologist's capability? They probably know more medicine that any other type of doctor.

That was funny!

[The doctors doctor sometimes 24 hours too late]