Pathologists: Where did you find your job?

[Unty]

Recent graduates or current attendings:

How did you guys/gals find your job? Pathology outlines. CAP website, word of mouth?

If by word of mouth, who exactly did you hear of the job? A former colleague in residency or fellowship?

Did you get your first choice? Are you happy with your job and location?

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[ScubaV]

I got my job through pathoutlines. Careermd and CAP website had a few unique postings not on pathoutlines, but overall volume was much lower. Word of mouth yielded a handful of prospects, but either they or I were looking for something else. I tried some cold emailing, but they went ignored.

I only had the one interview, but my search was narrow: no required subspecialty training and I wasn't interested in academic or super rural jobs. I probably only saw 1-2 positions per week that fit.

Fortunately it worked out and I'm pretty happy with my job. I'm employed in a sizable hospital system with decent pay and good benefits. I expect to stay for at least the short to medium term with the understanding that most people change jobs at least once or twice. I'm actually somewhat concerned that outside of a good private practice job (which supposedly are dwindling with each passing day) that it may be hard to get as good or better compensation than what I have now.

 

[Daddydoc]

My first job was at my residency/fellowship institution, mostly because my desired type of job (private practice in specific region) was difficult to get without experience, as everything I applied for took more experienced candidates. My second job, after getting some experience (2.5 yrs) was found through a Practice Link job advertisement. I am very happy at my current job and if it stays like it is currently, I plan on retiring in this job.

 

[Rxor49]

I am a current fellow. Found my future job through PathologyOutlines. They had by far the most job postings of anywhere I looked. I only had the one interview, so "first choice" may not be relevant. The compensation is not ideal given how busy the practice seems, but the location is exactly where I want to be and the people are great.

 

[Unty]

Thanks guys.

After looking at pathologyoutlines, is it me or does the number of jobs seems slim.

The number of jobs gets smaller if you don’t have:

1. A particular fellowship.

2. Signout experience.

3. Aren’t interested in Subspecialty academics

4. You don’t want to be a chairman or have credentials to be one.

There are only a few jobs per state and the number dwindles if you don’t meet the above criteria for some of these jobs. Glad to see you guys are happy and got a job you like but the few jobs posted per state seems concerning.

I read at the reddit pathology forum of one person who mentioned he/she would not even bother to post about a job opening in his group but would rather go through personal references.

Don’t want to turn this into a crappy job market thread but just posting my observations for those going thru residency and what to expect.

 

[coroner]

Practicing pathologists: How did you get your current or former job(s)?

The above link is a thread I started a couple of years ago about the same topic about how many people on here (including myself) got their jobs, so I’ll refrain from repeating. But it contains good input from others.

The mantra by many vets on here is that the best jobs are found by contacts (word of mouth). Which I agree with somewhat because if these are so called great or the best jobs, then they don't need to advertise to find candidates.

Having said that, I don't think that precludes good jobs from being advertised. Academics and employed positions at hospitals, health care networks, and reference labs are more commonly advertised vs private practice. Private groups are different somewhat how they look for candidates i.e. pickier. Some of them feel advertising attracts poorer candidates and they don't want to filter thru the bad CV’s. Others don’t mind using advertisements and may have had solid, established partners who found the job thru pathoutlines themselves. Or, they figure it will case the widest net possible and allow them to get in touch with potential quality candidates that they wouldn’t otherwise know about if they just went thru contacts/word of mouth.

The two major disadvantages about finding a job thru contacts vs an advertisement are: 1. If you’re just out of training, you probably have very few to none. Even contacts/word of mouth via your program/fellowship director will be limited compared to what you will potentially establish over your career as they develop over time by establishing relationships. 2. Contacts are only as good as knowing if something is available at the same time you are looking for something. For example, let’s say your hospital shut down and you need to find something soon. You could have all the contacts in the world, but if none of them know of an opening at that exact moment, then it’s not going to do you any good. In the same scenario, if your hospital shut down, posted ads are going to be available at the same time you’re looking. But, we all know timing is a lot of everything. Not just for jobs, but life itself…

 

[Unty]

Practicing pathologists: How did you get your current or former job(s)?

The above link is a thread I started a couple of years ago about the same topic about how many people on here (including myself) got their jobs, so I’ll refrain from repeating. But it contains good input from others.

The mantra by many vets on here is that the best jobs are found by contacts (word of mouth). Which I agree with somewhat because if these are so called great or the best jobs, then they don't need to advertise to find candidates.

Having said that, I don't think that precludes good jobs from being advertised. Academics and employed positions at hospitals, health care networks, and reference labs more commonly advertise vs private practice. Private groups are different somewhat how they look for candidates i.e. pickier. Some of them feel advertising attracts poorer candidates and they don't want to filter thru the bad CV’s. Others don’t mind using advertisements and may have had solid, established partners who found the job thru pathoutlines themselves. Or, they figure it will case the widest net possible and allow them to get in touch with potential quality candidates that they wouldn’t otherwise know about if they just went thru contacts/word of mouth.

The two major disadvantages about finding a job thru contacts vs an advertisement are: 1. If you’re just out of training, you probably have very few to none. Even contacts/word of mouth via your program/fellowship director will be limited compared to what you will potentially establish over your career as they develop over time by establishing relationships. 2. Contacts are only as good as knowing if something is available at the same time you are looking for something. For example, let’s say your hospital shut down and you need to find something soon. You could have all the contacts in the world, but if none of them know of an opening at that exact moment, then it’s not going to do you any good. In the same scenario, if your hospital shut down, posted ads are going to be available at the same time you’re looking. But, we all know timing is a lot of everything. Not just for jobs, but life itself…

Thanks appreciate the input!

 

[gbwillner]

First nonacademic job (first job was at my training institution so I won't count it) was through a recruiter. My second job was through a posting on LinkedIn believe it or not.

 

[gschl1234]

The first time I looked for a job about 5 years ago, I interviewed at 6 places. I heard of 5/6 via word of mouth through my program director or other attendings at my hospital. 1/6 I found on pathology outlines. I was offered 4 jobs (1 was as an Instructor at my hospital, which I didn't officially interview for). I took the job I found via pathology outlines. I didn't have a "first choice". All of the jobs had problems and I chose the best of a so-so group of offers. A few years later, I was offered a job by people at my home institution and didn't interview for. I took the job, basically a lateral move with no pay increase. A few years later, I decided to look again for better pay. This is the fist time I expanded my job search nationally. I interviewed at 2 jobs, one via word of mouth through my former program director and the other via pathology outlines. I was offered 1 job which I took (word of mouth job). Of all the jobs I've been offered before and interviewed at before, this would have been my first choice, as far as pay, but location is far from ideal. From my experience, I've learned that every job has its downsides, but over time, I've finally sorted out my own priorities.

 

[AssayQueen]

Path outlines is the most reputable place to start. Many of the positions posted on other sites, I found, had already filled the position they posted, and were publishing the jobin order to meet corporate guidelines.

 

[Unty]

Path outlines is the most reputable place to start. Many of the positions posted on other sites, I found, had already filled the position they posted, and were publishing the jobin order to meet corporate guidelines.

Seems like few jobs posted everyday. Nothing around where I’d like to work unfortunately.

 

[twentyone]

Specialty website/meetings and word of mouth from fellowship attendings.

 

[Torsed]

1000 dollar money order and I can consult on life advice in pathology.

 

[LADoc00]

Pathology gigs are like acting gigs. I say this because I was both born in Hollywood and am a pathologist..

You ask 10 actors how they started working, you get 10 answers.

The stories will include:
1.) my dad had a friend with a connection to a studio
2.) a relative owned a studio
3.) my family is in show biz
4.) I was sitting at the right bar at the right time and met the right guy

None of that is at all helpful for someone trying to break into acting. I would assume any anecdotal tales about how people landed their own gigs as medical directors would also not be helpful.

 

[Torsed]

My path story:

Couldn't get into neurosurgery. Couldn't dance on Bourdon street. Now I sign out stained glass.