M4 schedule advice

[neurotrancer]

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Hello,

Before I embark on the interview trail this upcoming late Nov/Dec/Jan, I am scheduled to take electives in 1)hematopathology, 2) general pathology, 3) academic pathology (it is the most forgiving as far as allowing for time off to go for interviews). I have decided to do the hematopathology elective instead of a medical examiners elective, because I've heard that actually autopsy isn't necessarily such a big part of a pathologists career unless they want to do forensics specifically. Heme/Onc is what I am interested in though. The only thing I'm still wondering though is that instead of the second elective in general path, I'm thinking about doing a clinical elective in heme/onc in Arizona. I guess I just want to make one final push to decide if I want to be a clinical hematologist, or do I want to be a hematopathologist since heme/onc disease entities are what I want to involve myself with for the rest of my life. Would I be a better candidate for path having just hematopath and academic path, and a clinical heme/onc elective, or would it be better to do hematopath/general path/academic path?

This is a big decision and I would really appreciate any advice. Thank you very much.

 

[DarksideAllstar]

Hello,

Before I embark on the interview trail this upcoming late Nov/Dec/Jan, I am scheduled to take electives in 1)hematopathology, 2) general pathology, 3) academic pathology (it is the most forgiving as far as allowing for time off to go for interviews). I have decided to do the hematopathology elective instead of a medical examiners elective, because I've heard that actually autopsy isn't necessarily such a big part of a pathologists career unless they want to do forensics specifically. Heme/Onc is what I am interested in though. The only thing I'm still wondering though is that instead of the second elective in general path, I'm thinking about doing a clinical elective in heme/onc in Arizona. I guess I just want to make one final push to decide if I want to be a clinical hematologist, or do I want to be a hematopathologist since heme/onc disease entities are what I want to involve myself with for the rest of my life. Would I be a better candidate for path having just hematopath and academic path, and a clinical heme/onc elective, or would it be better to do hematopath/general path/academic path?

This is a big decision and I would really appreciate any advice. Thank you very much.

In terms of being a better candidate, I doubt very much that your 4th year elective choices will make any kind of impact. Rather, you should at least do a pathology elective to see what it is like, decide if you want to pursue it, and have something to talk about during your interviews. Word of advice: do an elective you want to do. I did several clinical electives, including hem-onc, which were interesting and probably an added bonus because it enhanced my knowledge of how clinicians actually use pathology to manage their patients.