lack of path knowledge/ applying to residency

[average]

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I'm ending my third year and considering pathology (doing a path rotation in July). One thing that worries me a bit is that my histology and pathology skills are less than stellar. My school does not emphisize pathology or histology. I'd love to say that I made up for this by studying it on my own or spending extra time in lab, but this is not the case since I thought I was destined for FP.

Is this a common problem or should I be concerned? Do residency programs look strongly at such things?

average

 

[b&ierstiefel]

You're fine. I didn't know jack about pathology really when I was applying. I don't even count my one month rotation in pathology for much to be honest. Just do a pathology rotation, show some enthusiasm, and get some solid letters.

Some applicants do PSF's which I think is kinda overboard.

Pathology isn't nearly as competitive enough where programs are gonna be picky to try to get people with extensive experience in pathology come application time.

If you have good pathology experience, sure it'll help you. But if your diagnostic skills are not developed, so what? That's what residency is for. I don't think programs expect much with respect to specific pathology skillz when it comes down to applicants. Plus, traditional medical education as it stands now poorly prepares students for pathology anyways. Sure, you learn about disease pathophysiology but not much about the actual daily workings in a pathology department.

I'm ending my third year and considering pathology (doing a path rotation in July). One thing that worries me a bit is that my histology and pathology skills are less than stellar. My school does not emphisize pathology or histology. I'd love to say that I made up for this by studying it on my own or spending extra time in lab, but this is not the case since I thought I was destined for FP.

Is this a common problem or should I be concerned? Do residency programs look strongly at such things?

average

 

[Gene_]

hell, i'm starting residency in a few weeks and i still don't know anything about pathology. don't worry about it.

 

[average]

nice, thankyou for the replies.

 

[MiamiDoc12345]

(Sorry for taking over this thread but I just created my account and can't post a new thread yet).

Well, this question is from a pre-med, but I thought some of you Pathologists might be able to help me out.

I'm currently in process of considering Med school. I know the usual advice is to get into Med school and THEN pick a specialty, but I happen to be interested in being a diagnostician, which primarily encompasses perhaps the two most far removed branches of medicine: Path and Rads.

I first came to this conclusion after two shadowing experiences. I followed a surgeon for a few days, who kept telling me (over and over): "If there is anything you like but surgery, don't do this." The IM doc I shadowed drilled into me how much paperwork his job involved and how much less respect he gets now than 20 years ago. He said his job was still rewarding, but didn't seem thrilled with it. I know these are just two docs, but still, I could see where they were coming from.
(Also, I know they are both great fields for the right person, but, personally, I wasn't really all that enthusiastic after my shadowing experiences, at least not as enthusiastic as I hoped I would be.)

Then I spent a few days each with a pathologist and a radiologist. I was totally blown away. Now, don't get me wrong, I know the fields are very different but they seem to have a few things in common: (1) You're a consultant, so you deal with other docs instead of patients. (2) You are generally challenged intellectually moreso than physically or emotionally. (3) Being a consultant has the nice added benefit that you can make your hours somewhat more reasonable. Still more than the average person, but you can have some kind of life outside of medicine.

So, I started to do some reading about the fields. I went through a few online radiology tutorials, the internet pathology laboratory, Brant / Helms radiology, and the Pathologic Basis of Disease (I don't know how related this is to the actual practice of Pathology, but I figured it would give me a taste of the subject), and I continue to find this stuff really fascinating. In fact, I think I could see myself being pretty happy in either field. I'm thinking I could chose between them once I get to Med School.

But maybe this is a problem. I would be going to medical school to train in a very peripheral field. The other pre-meds have already started making fun of the fact that I don't want to be a "real" doctor. Plus, I suppose it's no guarantee that I'll match into path or rads, although I feel like I have as good a chance as the next person. On the other hand, maybe I'll decide I like some other random field. What do you guys think? Am I crazy to go to Med school to be in one of these two fields? What else can I do to really see if these fields interest me? I am set to volunteer in a pathology laboratory, but, for example, is there a good book that deals more directly with the actual practice of pathology? Sorry for the long post - any advice would be helpful. (FYI, I am posting this on the Path forum because you guys seem to be a cool group of people).

 

[yaah]

There are info websites on pathology - see the FAQ and other threads at the top of the page.

Don't totally bias your opinion on fields of medicine based on single opinions - caution! You may have run into a surgeon who acts the way he did, and an internist who can't stop complaining about paperwork, and the pathologist who is a great teacher and enthused about his job. But eventually you are going to run into an internist who is inspiring, loves his/her job, and can show you how great the field is. Or a surgeon with outside interests. Or a pathologist who is bitter and jaded.

Don't choose your field before you start medical school. You have until end of third year before you even have to start thinking about it.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

I happen to be interested in being a diagnostician

What do you mean by this precisely? Are you interested in actually doing the tests/procedures to diagnose conditions or are you interested in being "House"?

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Or a pathologist who is bitter and jaded.

I know a couple......

 

[LADoc00]

I'm ending my third year and considering pathology (doing a path rotation in July). One thing that worries me a bit is that my histology and pathology skills are less than stellar. My school does not emphisize pathology or histology. I'd love to say that I made up for this by studying it on my own or spending extra time in lab, but this is not the case since I thought I was destined for FP.

Is this a common problem or should I be concerned? Do residency programs look strongly at such things?

average

Dear Average Joe,

Hear me now and believe me later, with your average joe histology skills and less than stellar pathology course knowledge you will be in fine company during your training. Honestly, I think everything you need to learn about path you can be taught in 1-2 months of intense instruction and the rest is all repetition. Work on other skills such as your alcohol tolerance and your ability to calm down angered surgeons as these will not be part of the curriculum. Another will be researching comfortable chair pads that help prevent hemorroids from the hours of sitting at the scope looking at slides. You dont want to start scratching those bad boys early on in your career, they will be become ulcerated and nasty, contributing to a foul body odor and your rejection from mainstream medical society. Ive seen it and its not pretty.

 

[pathdawg]

Dear Average Joe,

Hear me now and believe me later, with your average joe histology skills and less than stellar pathology course knowledge you will be in fine company during your training. Honestly, I think everything you need to learn about path you can be taught in 1-2 months of intense instruction and the rest is all repetition. Work on other skills such as your alcohol tolerance and your ability to calm down angered surgeons as these will not be part of the curriculum. Another will be researching comfortable chair pads that help prevent hemorroids from the hours of sitting at the scope looking at slides. You dont want to start scratching those bad boys early on in your career, they will be become ulcerated and nasty, contributing to a foul body odor and your rejection from mainstream medical society. Ive seen it and its not pretty.

To the OP, better advice could not be offered.

 

[deschutes]

We had a 1st year college student who was "interested in pathology" shadowing today. They didn't seem too impressed. Pardon me while I snigger.

 

[beary]

We had a 1st year college student who was "interested in pathology" shadowing today. They didn't seem too impressed. Pardon me while I snigger.

I had no concept of pathology until 2nd year of med school. And even then I didn't really figure out what they did until I was in grad school.

 

[yaah]

We had a 1st year college student who was "interested in pathology" shadowing today. They didn't seem too impressed. Pardon me while I snigger.

Did he have a CSI T-shirt?

 

[LADoc00]

We had a 1st year college student who was "interested in pathology" shadowing today. They didn't seem too impressed. Pardon me while I snigger.

Isnt the word 'snicker'...snigger sounds like a racial slur.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=snigger

 

[yaah]

To snigger is an educated way of laughing. 😉

http://hyperdictionary.com/search.aspx?define=snigger

 

[MiamiDoc12345]

Thanks for the advice, Yaah. I'll try to keep my mind open.

I'll also try not to take this thread too serioiusly... 🙄 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=144436
Is it REALLY that bad?

By the way, I found a few career satisfaction surveys online. It does seem like there are a few fields with a lot of unhappy docs. I thought this one was particularly interesting (and it seems they polled a large number of physicians):

http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/RESIDENT/CareerCounseling/pdf/
(In OBGyn, only 57% would definitely chose their specialty again! Non-specialized IM has similar numbers, although of course there are certainly happy IM docs, as you said. Also, the subspecialties of IM seem to have slightly less miserable practitioners.)

Still, I have to guess that you guys have a good thing going with Path. I guess I'll find out soon enough... (and maybe I can add to the "Official Anti-Clinical Medicine Thread" too, one day. )

 

[LADoc00]

Thanks for the advice, Yaah. I'll try to keep my mind open.

I'll also try not to take this thread too serioiusly... 🙄 http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=144436
Is it REALLY that bad?

By the way, I found a few career satisfaction surveys online. It does seem like there are a few fields with a lot of unhappy docs. I thought this one was particularly interesting (and it seems they polled a large number of physicians):

http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/RESIDENT/CareerCounseling/pdf/
(In OBGyn, only 57% would definitely chose their specialty again! Non-specialized IM has similar numbers, although of course there are certainly happy IM docs, as you said. Also, the subspecialties of IM seem to have slightly less miserable practitioners.)

Still, I have to guess that you guys have a good thing going with Path. I guess I'll find out soon enough... (and maybe I can add to the "Official Anti-Clinical Medicine Thread" too, one day. )

HEY, without having to go through all that data...what speciality had the highest satisfaction rate?? As in what had the highest % if they could chose again....

Hmmm interesting very interesting........
Income satisification
1. Radiology
2. Derm
3. Rad Onc
4. EM
5. Path and PMR (near tie with EM)

way down on list:
1. Plastics
2. GSurg
3. Ortho
4. Neurosurg

almost dead last Vascular Surg....wow

 

[MiamiDoc12345]

Derm is insanely high = 96%

It also seems to me that there are a few tiers of satisfaction. I don't know how much to take from all this, but it DOES seem that there is a general trend of certain specialists being much more content with their chosen line of work.

Without going through all of them:
PMR = Rads = Cards = Ophtho ~ 90
ENT = Path = Psych = Peds ~84
GSurg = Gas = Rheum ~ 80 (Maybe surgeons tend to be relatively happy with their work despite the intense lifestyle...?)
ER = FP ~ 72 (I thought ER was supposed to be pretty popular now... 😕 ... I guess maybe burnout is a factor)
....
General IM = OBG ~ 58 (to me, a number this low, at the least, raises some major red flags)