jobs

[arjones100]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm a MS4 interested in pursuing a career in pathology but one concern I have is the job market. I have looked at some of the websites, like pathologyoutlines.com, to get an idea of the jobs out there. What concerns me is the fact that all the jobs seem to require fellowships or experience. Are there any jobs available to those who just complete a residency?

 

[yaah]

Well, the recent changes in making path residency 4 years instead of 5 have had an impact on that...Residents already in programs at the time of the change were still required to complete the 5 years. Thus, no one doing the truncated 4 year program (or 3 years in the case of straight AP or straight CP) has yet to finish residency.

So, most people in the previous 5 year program usually did a fellowship (or at least the equivalent of a fellowship) for their 5th year.

I don't know what is going to happen in the next few years when people start finishing 4 years of residency, pass the boards, and look for jobs. I am sure they will be available, but no doubt those who have completed fellowships will be more competitive. What that actually means I think remains to be seen (like, will people who do fellowships have higher starting salaries or more options...)

We'll see.

Good question though, I don't think anyone has any experience to give you an accurate answer yet...

 

[Fermata]

At times like these....I often wonder....why couldn't I have been born with a trust fund?

 

[yaah]

At times like these....I often wonder....why couldn't I have been born with a trust fund?

John Carter MD was born with a trust fund and he still found the strength and compassion to undertake a career in medicine. He was very interested in helping people, and correctly believed that no one else in the world could possibly help others as much or as well as he could while parked in the center of an inner city emergency room (that is, when he was actually there). Thank you, John Carter MD, your overwhelming strength and compassion will help us all to recover from our sore throats and ear aches.

Man, I'll take the trust fund. Charitable donations are tax writeoffs anyway!

 

[Doctor B.]

Jobs are definately available. I know of 4 private practice surg path jobs in the midwest that will be opening up in the next few years (right about the time I get done!) and that is without doing any research into it at all.

 

[drjones]

Job situation is fairly good, and improving. But it's difficult to predict future developments. Demand seems to be steadily, albeit slowly, increasing, but main variable is supply. Generally better working hours and significantly lower malpractise risk (and thus lower insurance premiums) could increase interest in path.

Re. fellowship, trend is def. towards increased specialization, and several subspec's not uncommon. If you were hiring who would you take? Somebody with a AP/CP board or somebody with a board AND subspecialization? Would you pay extra for that? Yeah. Don't have numbers, but your base, and thus future, income would prob. be sufficiently higher to warrant another year with low income and mounting debt. Also, you could take the 3-yr straight AP+fellowship and be done in four yrs. So far, most employers have preferred AP/CP but, again due to incresed specialization, that's probably going to change.

 

[stormjen]

Does your debt really continue to increase in residency?

 

[yaah]

Does your debt really continue to increase in residency?

That would depend on you. Some people defer their loans throughout residency, and thus their debt continues to accrue. Some take additional loans out during residency.

You generally make about 38-40k first year of residency. You can do the math, I guess. Depending on programs you go to you may get lots of free meals, extra benefits, or none of that.

I have minimal debt from med school thus mine will not increase. But now I have a mortgage. It depends on how frugal you are. If you live on Ramen noodles and Macaroni and Cheese you can probably save a bit. Also depends on whether you are supporting a family or you live with someone who brings in more income. Lots of variables. Lenders are very friendly when it comes to med students and doctors - they will offer you lots of loans and you can get into some very serious debt. Be careful.

 

[smellycat]

Went to the bookstore while studying for the step 2 and opened the "First Aid for Match" and looked under pathology...
According to them they say that jobs are becoming more limited. They said along the lines that they are letting in more pathologist in each program to have enough residents do grunt work, but not too many because they don't want to show bad statistics for their residents getting a job after.

 

[yaah]

Smellycat, I wonder how much of this is all relative. I mean, pathologists have been able to find jobs fairly easily for the past many years, thus anything is going to be "tougher" but I still wonder what this actually means.

I guess the way I look at it is I am in residency now, going to finish it, am going to find a job. If there happen to be tons of openings, so be it. If they are limited, so be it as well. I will just have to wear my "interview face" and impress people. I wouldn't let rumors and such influence a potential career path, especially when they are just rumors. Thanks for posting the info though, it's interesting. As with everything, it's hard to know the real truth. I'll let you know in a few years! 😉