Pathology elective rotation

[FamGuy]

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Hi all,

I'm an MS3 and am about to start a pathology rotation. I'm strongly considering pathology as a career choice, and would like to impress my attending and hopefully get a letter of rec. while I'm there. So my question is, any tips you guys can share with me? Anything I should study before hand?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Eostar]

Read some of the threads on here. The fact is that the profession is in an out and out tailspin. If you're determined to do pathology, steel yourself for years and years of frustration.

 

[Overhauser]

Read some of the threads on here. The fact is that the profession is in an out and out tailspin. If you're determined to do pathology, steel yourself for years and years of frustration.

What a fine answer to the original question.

 

[Kilgoretrout 65]

Hi all,

I'm an MS3 and am about to start a pathology rotation. I'm strongly considering pathology as a career choice, and would like to impress my attending and hopefully get a letter of rec. while I'm there. So my question is, any tips you guys can share with me? Anything I should study before hand?

Thanks in advance.

Be polite, on time and well groomed. If they ask you to do something or read something do it. You can't really cram for pathology, where would you start? Memorize Robbins the weekend before?
I guess if you really wanted to be a suck up you could read the attending's journal articles and be familiar with their interest area, but that would be pathetic.

 

[randomlogik]

If you will be doing surgical pathology, The Practice of Surgical Pathology by Molavi is good introduction. It is a fairly quick read. It is often suggested for first year residents prior to their first surg path rotation. Ask the residents at your program, someone probably has a copy you can borrow. But in general the expectations for med students is low. Just try to at least appear interested.

 

[mlw03]

If you will be doing surgical pathology, The Practice of Surgical Pathology by Molavi is good introduction. It is a fairly quick read. It is often suggested for first year residents prior to their first surg path rotation. Ask the residents at your program, someone probably has a copy you can borrow. But in general the expectations for med students is low. Just try to at least appear interested.

I think this is very good advice.

 

[yaah]

Yeah, for med students you will be most impressive by being interested, reading about things you have seen, and being on time. Having extra knowledge is not really that important. The only thing you need to be careful of is not being TOO interested, so much so that you get really annoying.

 

[Entgegen]

Yeah, for med students you will be most impressive by being interested, reading about things you have seen, and being on time. Having extra knowledge is not really that important. The only thing you need to be careful of is not being TOO interested, so much so that you get really annoying.

Sweet Jeebus, this x1,000. We had a guy rotate through who was fairly normal at first. A really friendly, nice guy. But pretty soon he started going on about the latest article he just read about this and what some expert said about that. He was smart and obviously interested, but man, not even the attendings could stand him after a while.

 

[FamGuy]

Thanks for all the advice everyone, I appreciate it!

 

[smallcat]

Yes, the Molavi book is great. The only other thing I would recommend is brushing up on *normal * histology with a book such as Wheater's. It's stunning to me how many third- and fourth-years come through without having the slightest memory of the difference between squamous and columnar mucosa, much less identifying the organ. If you can reliably identify tissue type under the microscope, you're probably ahead of the game to begin with.

 

[Johnny Sunshine]

+1 to Wheater's. It's very succinct and well-written, with excellent photos. It's a sad state of affairs when my $78 Wheater's is more instructional and useful than some $350 texts, but there it is.