Pathologist's Assistant

[foreverLaur]

Has anyone every heard of a Pathologist's Assistant? I happened to come across this program and I'd never heard of it before. From what I can tell, the profession is the same as a Physician Assistant or AA, but they work strictly in pathology. Graduates get a masters degree in Pathology and seem to take a fair amount of their coursework with medical students.

http://www.pathology.med.ohio-state.edu/ext/divisions_page.aspx?ID=PA

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[gonj]

That looks really interesting. Seems most (but not all) of my local hospitals have this position. Who knew?

It looks like they help process specimens:

http://www.pathologistsassistants.org/Default.aspx?s=whatisaPA

The majority of the workload that most Pathologists’ Assistants are responsible for is the gross examination and dissection of anatomic pathology specimens and the performance of postmortem examinations. They prepare tissue for numerous pathological tests including frozen section diagnosis, flow cytometry, and immunohistochemical staining. They may photograph gross and microscopic specimens, help prepare educational conferences, and provide training to pathology residents. The duties of a Pathologists’ Assistant are not always limited to anatomic and surgical pathology. Many also have a variety of tasks including administrative, supervisory, and teaching duties.

 

[PerolaNegra]

I have heard of this career before and it seems very interesting. Although, there are few programs and they don't accept many students in their programs (last time I had checked). There aren't many AA schools either but I am pretty sure they admit way more students.

While I thought this career was interesting it seemed like it would be hard finding a job. I could be wrong now. But that was my concern at the time.

 

[NonTradMed]

I overheard a Path Assist student who was graduating this spring who said she was just offered a $80k. The job also included standard benefits package like 401(k), insurance etc. It sounded pretty good, but I think it's in a smaller town, not metro area. Given the current job market, the fact that this person managed to get such a well paying job months before graduation would make most people in other professions salivate. It sounds like a good gig to me.

 

[foreverLaur]

If I don't get into medical school I'm thinking of applying to PA (pathology assisant) so I can help out with autopsies. The salary seems good......start salary looks to be in the mid 70k dollars range and you can move up to around the 100k dollars range. If I don't get into medical school I could try working as a physicians assistant and keep working towards getting into medical school so I can become a pathologist. I think it would be smart to give the medical school admissions several tries before going the assistant route.

1. It is Physician Assistant
2. Physician Assistant is NOT a stepping stone to medical school. You essentially complete 24-27 months of medical school and practice medicine collaboratively with physicians. If you later decide to go back to medical school, you will still need to complete all 4 years. Also, PA school is extremely competitive filled with tons of applicants who want PA to be their career. Don't steal a seat away from someone when you have no intention of sticking around in the profession.
3. You typically need 1-2 years of direct hands on patient care experience to get into PA school (CNA, EMT, RN, etc)
4. PA school has different prerequisites than PA school. For example, PA school requires chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, microbiology, anatomy, physiology, sometimes genetics, sometimes biochemistry. PA school does not require physics (except in a few cases).




Also, the program I listed only accepts 2 students per year. I also have no idea what the job market is like. I wouldn't assume the demand is very high with so few graduates.

 

[berlfe03]

Anybody who gets accepted into a PA program has earned it, they are not "stealing" a spot from someone else. Just because someone does not keep the same career their whole entire life, does not mean they did not do meaningful work and contribute to the profession while they were in it. A lot of people change careers more then once. We all have the right to pursue whatever we think will make us happy.

 

[foreverLaur]

If I don't get into medical school I could try working as a physicians assistant and keep working towards getting into medical school so I can become a pathologist.

Physician Assistant (no s) and like I said before, being a Physician Assistant is not a stepping stone to medical school. While the two careers are related, they are separate careers. One doesn't lead to the other.

I'm not saying he CAN'T apply to PA school. I'm just saying it would be unfair to apply to PA school when he has no intention of being a PA -- just wants a boost to get into medical school. There are tons of us who want to get into PA school to be a PA. Sure we may change careers down the road, but at least being a PA is our final career goal now. There is a difference who uses a career as a stepping stone and someone who picks a career and later changes his/her mind.

 

[184013]

...no I think he can apply and do the two different paths.. why he would - I dunno.
Really that whole idea of "WHAT IS FAIR" is ridiculous.. you could also NOT be in a BSN program as you want to be a PA.. you could have been a CNA instead.. is that fair.??

 

[foreverLaur]

...no I think he can apply and do the two different paths.. why he would - I dunno.
Really that whole idea of "WHAT IS FAIR" is ridiculous.. you could also NOT be in a BSN program as you want to be a PA.. you could have been a CNA instead.. is that fair.??

I am a STNA. It was a prereq to the nursing program. I am not 100% sure that I am going to PA school... Only that I want to. There is a fair chance it won't work out. I don't want to be left with nothing if PA school doesn't work out. Nursing is a great career and family friendly.

 

[SailorNurse]

Don't steal a seat away from someone when you have no intention of sticking around in the profession.

*Future Physician Assistant*
BA in Psychology/Neuroscience, March 2009
BS in Nursing, December 2010

Then explain your signature line, which you omitted from most of your posts here.

It appears that you have no intention of "sticking around the nursing profession"."

Please clarify your intent. There is a shortage of nurses and nursing faculty and as a faculty in an undergrad nursing school I am working hard to educate future nurses. If you want to be a PA, why bother with the BSN? I hope it is not a "backup plan" in case you do not get into PA school.
You should have completed your BA in March, according to your tagline.

 

[deleted6669]

Then explain your signature line, which you omitted from most of your posts here.

It appears that you have no intention of "sticking around the nursing profession"."

Please clarify your intent. There is a shortage of nurses and nursing faculty and as a faculty in an undergrad nursing school I am working hard to educate future nurses. If you want to be a PA, why bother with the BSN? I hope it is not a "backup plan" in case you do not get into PA school.
You should have completed your BA in March, according to your tagline.

as you might recall the standard pathway to pa is as a second medical career after working for a few yrs as a nurse/paramedic/rt/etc. she will be using the rn license to work as a nurse then will continue her education to become a pa.
rn's get into nursing to become np's or crna's and leave bedside nursing. this is no different.

 

[foreverLaur]

Then explain your signature line, which you omitted from most of your posts here.

It appears that you have no intention of "sticking around the nursing profession"."

Please clarify your intent. There is a shortage of nurses and nursing faculty and as a faculty in an undergrad nursing school I am working hard to educate future nurses. If you want to be a PA, why bother with the BSN? I hope it is not a "backup plan" in case you do not get into PA school.
You should have completed your BA in March, according to your tagline.

Yes, I do have a BA in Psychology. I feel that being an RN is much better experience for PA school than being an EMT-B or CNA. It also pays a lot better which will help with the debt and living expenses. I am also not 100% sure PA school will work out in the long run (as much as I would like it to) and I would like a great medical career if it doesn't. However, nursing is not my back-up plan. I will apply to PA school until I get in. If I don't get in the first time, I'll find out where I am lacking and apply again.

Do you also get mad at RNs who are becoming RNs to become CRNAs and NPs because they also have no intention of staying bedside nurses? This is no different and I am simply following the original intent of the PA profession.

Also, I am not omitting my tag line. Can you even pick and choose when you want it to show up? It doesn't show up every single time you post - that'd be a bit repetitive. To my knowledge, I have no control over which posts it does and does not show up on.

 

[njbmd]

Has anyone every heard of a Pathologist's Assistant? I happened to come across this program and I'd never heard of it before. From what I can tell, the profession is the same as a Physician Assistant or AA, but they work strictly in pathology. Graduates get a masters degree in Pathology and seem to take a fair amount of their coursework with medical students.

http://www.pathology.med.ohio-state.edu/ext/divisions_page.aspx?ID=PA

I had a paid Honors Pathology fellowship as a medical student between second and third year where I worked in the DC Medical Examiners Office and the Northern Virginia Medical Examiners Office. Both of these places made great use of Pathology assistants, the majority of whom graduated from the University of Maryland. They seemed to enjoy their job and worked in numerous capacities. A few of the hospitals in Northern Virginia also made use of Pathology assistants too.

 

[SailorNurse]

as you might recall the standard pathway to pa is as a second medical career after working for a few yrs as a nurse/paramedic/rt/etc. she will be using the rn license to work as a nurse then will continue her education to become a pa.
rn's get into nursing to become np's or crna's and leave bedside nursing. this is no different.

Are you saying that all PA's are required to have prior medical experience before becoming PA's? I know many PA's do have other experiences but if it is required of ALL Pa's then that is something that I did not know/think was required. If this is a fact, then I stand corrected.

Still the argument is that she could apply to PA school now and leave the nursing to those that actually want to be nurses and not just use it as a stepping stone or back up plan.

It is different then RN's that decide to continue their education as advance practice nurses, the difference is we are still nurses which is why the word nurse appears in our titles. Personally, I became a FNP after 24 years as a nurse, both LPN and RN. Until last summer, I still worked as both an RN & FNP and teaching at the undergrad level in a BSN program.

Sailornurse, MSN, FNP. BC

 

[SailorNurse]

Do you also get mad at RNs who are becoming RNs to become CRNAs and NPs because they also have no intention of staying bedside nurses? This is no different and I am simply following the original intent of the PA profession.

Well that would make me a hyprocrite as I was an RN for almost 22 years before becoming a FNP. The issue is that your intent and goal is to become a PA, yet you are using nursing in case it does not work out, so that makes nursing a back up plan. Not sure what you mean that nursing is Family Friendly. What is the reason that you are not applying to PA school now/first?

Since it is a requirement to become an RN in order to become an advance practice nurse (NP, CRNA, CNM), most thought not all acquire some bedside experience. And not all nurses are "bedside nurses". That's the beauty of nursing, the opportunities to work in clinics, management/admin, schools, flight nurses,home health, radiology insurance companies, military all with the same degree. Changing specialities within nursing is also a plus, sometimes as easy as looking for an opening on another unit of the hospital.

Sailornurse, MSN, FNP. BC

 

[foreverLaur]

Well that would make me a hyprocrite as I was an RN for almost 22 years before becoming a FNP. The issue is that your intent and goal is to become a PA, yet you are using nursing in case it does not work out, so that makes nursing a back up plan. Not sure what you mean that nursing is Family Friendly. What is the reason that you are not applying to PA school now/first?

All the PA schools I am interested in require at least 1 year of direct hands on patient care experience. All PA schools used to require substantial experience, but the trend is going towards less and less experience. I may be able to get in somewhere without it, but I want to attend a school that requires it and it will ultimately make me a better PA. I have spent over a year apply to CNA jobs and haven't had any luck. I completed the CNA course in March and have applied to every single open job at a nursing home and hospital since then (over 100) and I have yet to hear anything back. I don't have the time or money to complete anything else. Jobs are hard to get right now.

I also want to have solid patient care experience before I start PA school. The profession was founded on being a second career (paramedic, nurse, etc) and the better the experience, the better PA I will be when I graduate. You really can't beat the experience of a nurse.

Nursing isn't exactly a back up plan. It may end up that way but that isn't my intent. It may end up being my only career. I'm not ready to apply yet (zero experience). I may find that when I graduate and start working in a patient care capacity that I love nursing. Who knows.