Last minute CP-only vs AP/CP debate

[futuredoc331]

I'm going to be submitting my ROL this month and have started to debate with myself again regarding CP-only vs. AP/CP. It was CP that brought me to pathology and all of my interests are still on the lab medicine side of things. In the interim, I've convinced myself that AP would be beneficial in opening up job opportunities, but I'm having doubts again.

The fellowships I'm considering the most are hemepath, molecular, informatics, and transfusion. A cellular therapy fellowship after one of those is something I keep thinking about as well. I want to be involved with research and the plan at this time is to remain in academics for a while and hopefully transition to industry from there.

I understand that hemepath and molecular are considered AP at some places. If I decide to go that route would my lack of AP put me at an insurmountable disadvantage?

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[Unty]

I would do AP/CP and take hemepath boards. I don’t know if you can sign out heme in academics with CP only. If you can signout heme with CP only then just do CP if you plan to go to industry. I don’t think AP will matter if you go to industry.

 

[ClinPathDO]

The director of hematopathology at Vanderbilt is CP only, and Ive seen others in academics as well; however most I've seen are AP/CP. I know multiple CP only molecular pathologists but they tend to focus more on molecular heme. For blood bank/transfusion medicine and cellular therapy CP only is fine if you are interested in academic, and don't want to do AP ever.

 

[deleted314957]

I'm going to be submitting my ROL this month and have started to debate with myself again regarding CP-only vs. AP/CP. It was CP that brought me to pathology and all of my interests are still on the lab medicine side of things. In the interim, I've convinced myself that AP would be beneficial in opening up job opportunities, but I'm having doubts again.

The fellowships I'm considering the most are hemepath, molecular, informatics, and transfusion and a cellular therapy fellowship after one of those is something I keep thinking about as well. I want to be involved with research and the plan at this time is to remain in academics for a while and hopefully transition to industry from there.

I understand that hemepath and molecular are considered AP at some places. If I decide to go that route would my lack of AP put me at an insurmountable disadvantage?

You may want to reconsider the “cellular therapy” fellowship. Your clinical hemeonc colleagues may have some feelings about that.


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[futuredoc331]

You may want to reconsider the “cellular therapy” fellowship. Your clinical hemeonc colleagues may have some feelings about that.


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I've wondered about that a bit. It seems to be a stretch from pathology. I have to think that it'd be useful in certain industry positions though, no?

 

[Napoleon1801]

You could always go in as AP/CP and convert to CP only if it did not meet your needs.

 

[ClinPathDO]

You may want to reconsider the “cellular therapy” fellowship. Your clinical hemeonc colleagues may have some feelings about that.


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Cellular therapy is usually handled by transfusion medicine services, either clinical pathology or hematology trained followed by a transfusion medicine fellowship.

Right now there are two fellowships that deal with more of the production side of it if you are interested in that specifically (Mayo and UPenn), but most transfusion medicine services handle the collection side of apheresis, which transfusion medicine fellowship itself will cover.

Cellular Therapy Fellowship | University of Pennsylvania | Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

pathology.med.upenn.edu

Cellular Therapy Fellowship (Minnesota) - Residencies and Fellowships - Mayo Clinic College of Medicine & Science

Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education offers a one-year Cellular Therapy Fellowship in Rochester, Minnesota.

college.mayo.edu

 

[ClinPathDO]

I've wondered about that a bit. It seems to be a stretch from pathology. I have to think that it'd be useful in certain industry positions though, no?

Cellular therapy is housed in transfusion medicine (depends if it’s hematology, clinical
Pathology or sometimes nephrology driven service), nowadays most transfusion medicine services are run by clinical pathology.

 

[ClinPathDO]

You could always go in as AP/CP and convert to CP only if it did not meet your needs.

That’s a good plan, just make sure programs will allow you to make the switch, some are not as compromising as others.

 

[Napoleon1801]

That’s a good plan, just make sure programs will allow you to make the switch, some are not as compromising as others.

In that case just do 4 years and only take CP boards. They can't force you to certify in AP.

 

[mark-ER]

Do Mayo, CP only. It is a top-notch program, you will learn a ton & be quite marketable. If your niche somehow does not meet your expectations, you will still have quite a broad skillset as a CP only resident, which cannot be said at most programs out there (in a generic program AP/CP would be advisable, to keep your options open).

 

[futuredoc331]

Do Mayo, CP only. It is a top-notch program, you will learn a ton & be quite marketable. If your niche somehow does not meet your expectations, you will still have quite a broad skillset as a CP only resident, which cannot be said at most programs out there (in a generic program AP/CP would be advisable, to keep your options open).

I'd kill for that option, but I don't think they're taking any CP-only applicants outside of the physician-scientist program.

 

[ClinPathDO]

Do Mayo, CP only. It is a top-notch program, you will learn a ton & be quite marketable. If your niche somehow does not meet your expectations, you will still have quite a broad skillset as a CP only resident, which cannot be said at most programs out there (in a generic program AP/CP would be advisable, to keep your options open).

I would say if you were going to do CP-only go to a place that is known to produce CP only residents. Mayo is great, but there are some other great CP only programs as well. Given you are submitting your ROL soon I’m sure you know which programs those are.

 

[ClinPathDO]

In that case just do 4 years and only take CP boards. They can't force you to certify in AP.

If your gonna do

In that case just do 4 years and only take CP boards. They can't force you to certify in AP.

That is true as a worst case, but prior to submitting your ROL it’s not a bad idea to know their policy as it may factor in to your ROL.

 

[futuredoc331]

If your gonna do

That is true as a worst case, but prior to submitting your ROL it’s not a bad idea to know their policy as it may factor in to your ROL.

If I put in the work for a combined program I'm going to get boarded in both.

 

[Torsed]

Don't you need AP/CP to get a CLIA license for high complexity? Never worried about it because I had it.

Personally, everyone I've seen with just one or the other, just AP or CP has some sort of personality disorder and I wouldn't hire in private practice.

Can go be weird in academics and no one cares.

 

[ClinPathDO]

no you don’t need to be AP/CP, AP or CP is acceptable, so is certain doctorate degrees with certification, such as a PhD in microbiology with certification by ASM, or PhD in chemistry with certification by AACC.

AP/CP isn’t right for everyone, sometimes single tract is more beneficial for certain people.

Don't you need AP/CP to get a CLIA license for high complexity? Never worried about it because I had it.

Personally, everyone I've seen with just one or the other, just AP or CP has some sort of personality disorder and I wouldn't hire in private practice.

Can go be weird in academics and no one cares.

 

[Guest8]

If I put in the work for a combined program I'm going to get boarded in both.

I did AP/CP but then did a dermpath fellowship so I didn't bother taking the CP boards. I was told I would regret it. I most certainly do not.

 

[gbwillner]

I think there are only 2 scenarios where you should strongly consider CP only:

1. You are an MD/PhD and are determined to do an 80/20 research career and want minimum clinical responsibilities

2. You are determined to do transfusion medicine only

In any other consideration I would recommend AP. CP only does not actually grant you any marketable skills.

Regarding molecular- expertise in cancer Dx or a PhD in genetics are more relevant than CP training IMO.