Pathology - observership vs clinical elective

[mgimou]

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When it comes to internal medicine or surgery, I understand that there is a big difference between an observership (no one-on-one interaction with patient, no procedures) and a clinical elective (students take history and do procedures).

Obviously, clinical elective is a more valuable experience, especially in terms of residency application.

However, I do not see what the difference could be between observership and clinical elective in Pathology (or, say, Radiology). Do you have any ideas?

 

[Attila51423]

I'm currently applying for path and I did 3 electives (surg path, cytopath, and BB/hemepath). I can't speak for radiology, but for path, an elective will be better than an observership in almost every way. That will all depend on the institution you're planning to rotate at. I'm lucky in that the path rotations at my hospital are very strong and I was able to get a lot of actual hands on experience. I was grossing simple benign specimens, and getting to preview and sign out cases with the attending on surg path, getting to sign out cyto cases, and the same for heme. That was hugely valuable experience, both to prepare for residency, but also to give me actual things to talk about while interviewing.
However, with that being said, pathology is very academic and the learning is much more didactic than a lot of the clinically oriented specialties, so an observership in pathology probably benefits a person far more than following a surgical team around or something like that.

Just my thoughts, let me know if that didn't answer your question.

 

[mgimou]

I'm currently applying for path and I did 3 electives (surg path, cytopath, and BB/hemepath). I can't speak for radiology, but for path, an elective will be better than an observership in almost every way. That will all depend on the institution you're planning to rotate at. I'm lucky in that the path rotations at my hospital are very strong and I was able to get a lot of actual hands on experience. I was grossing simple benign specimens, and getting to preview and sign out cases with the attending on surg path, getting to sign out cyto cases, and the same for heme. That was hugely valuable experience, both to prepare for residency, but also to give me actual things to talk about while interviewing.
However, with that being said, pathology is very academic and the learning is much more didactic than a lot of the clinically oriented specialties, so an observership in pathology probably benefits a person far more than following a surgical team around or something like that.

Just my thoughts, let me know if that didn't answer your question.

Thank you for your reply. It sounds like you did some really cool electives! What kind of experiences do you think I would miss out on if I did an observership (rather than a clinical elective) in Pathology?

 

[khrd2]

I'm currently applying for path and I did 3 electives (surg path, cytopath, and BB/hemepath). I can't speak for radiology, but for path, an elective will be better than an observership in almost every way. That will all depend on the institution you're planning to rotate at. I'm lucky in that the path rotations at my hospital are very strong and I was able to get a lot of actual hands on experience. I was grossing simple benign specimens, and getting to preview and sign out cases with the attending on surg path, getting to sign out cyto cases, and the same for heme. That was hugely valuable experience, both to prepare for residency, but also to give me actual things to talk about while interviewing.
However, with that being said, pathology is very academic and the learning is much more didactic than a lot of the clinically oriented specialties, so an observership in pathology probably benefits a person far more than following a surgical team around or something like that.

Just my thoughts, let me know if that didn't answer your question.

Hi I am also possibly interested in pathology. Just wanted to know what drew you to it. And what you liked about it having done several rotations in it.

 

[Attila51423]

Thank you for your reply. It sounds like you did some really cool electives! What kind of experiences do you think I would miss out on if I did an observership (rather than a clinical elective) in Pathology?

In an observership, I'm not sure that you would get the independence that you might have doing an elective. Of course, if you only have the opportunity to do an observership, I would do that. Getting to see the day to day responsibilities of a pathologist is still a valuable experience, and you'll still get to put your eyes on some slides that way, but it wouldn't be quite as enlightening or rewarding.

Hi I am also possibly interested in pathology. Just wanted to know what drew you to it. And what you liked about it having done several rotations in it.

I went into medical school wanting to do forensic path, probably as a consequence of watching a lot of crime dramas and reading Robin Cook novels (fun books, even if his writing is a bit awful at times). After getting exposed to the entire field, I realize that the things that drew me to forensic path are present in the field in general, and general pathology has a lot more to offer.

The things I like about it are that you're able to see what's going on with your own eyes and get a much more concrete diagnosis than you get in most other specialties, or at least it feels that way. I'm an artist, so the visual component of path is a huge draw as well. Another thing I like about it is that it's very cerebral and academic, there's a lot of didactic learning involved, and in general the atmosphere seems very cooperative. At least at my school, the attendings were excited to see the cool cases, and that kind of excitement with work is refreshing.

Sorry it took me so long, been busy with interviews and rotations.