Pathology Ph.D

[Katatonic]

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I'm forced this year to really decide which path I want to pursue: medical school or graduate school. Pathology is the only discipline that made me consider medicine because of the heavy science and lab time (among other things). I found out recently that you can also get a Ph.D in pathology and go into research. My question is this; the graduate school program throws you into a lot of pathology courses the first year. Is pathology understandable without the usual first year classes medical students take? I'm only asking because it seemed odd for me to start taking pathology classes fresh out of my Bachelor's degree. If it helps, I will have taken classes such as Micro, Immunology, Virology, and Histology during my BS. Any advice is appreciated!

 

[djmd]

I'm forced this year to really decide which path I want to pursue: medical school or graduate school. Pathology is the only discipline that made me consider medicine because of the heavy science and lab time (among other things). I found out recently that you can also get a Ph.D in pathology and go into research. My question is this; the graduate school program throws you into a lot of pathology courses the first year. Is pathology understandable without the usual first year classes medical students take? I'm only asking because it seemed odd for me to start taking pathology classes fresh out of my Bachelor's degree. If it helps, I will have taken classes such as Micro, Immunology, Virology, and Histology during my BS. Any advice is appreciated!

While every medical school varies, the only pathology related course in the first year is gross anatomy. (for AP pathology)

If you are doing CP pathology, I would say that your background should be enough to grapple with the courses for the PhD program.

If you are doing AP you might want to get at least one anatomy course, but I would think they would make you take those anyways..

 

[docbiohazard]

I did my MD/PhD with a PhD in Experimental Pathology. The graduate school had a very nice histology course that most PGY-1's I know would've loved. I think you'll find the first year level graduate courses are graspable given your current basic science background, without any additional clinical background.

Consider that the graduate school is assuming most people don't have any prior medical training, so they shouldn't expect too much in terms of clinical medical knowledge. What you need to know should be apparent, and you'll learn it in a linked and co-curricular sort of way.

Given your expressed heavy interest in research, I'd say the PhD is most likely the best route for you, but thats just given the limited info you've provided here.

DBH

 

[Katatonic]

I did my MD/PhD with a PhD in Experimental Pathology. The graduate school had a very nice histology course that most PGY-1's I know would've loved. I think you'll find the first year level graduate courses are graspable given your current basic science background, without any additional clinical background.

Consider that the graduate school is assuming most people don't have any prior medical training, so they shouldn't expect too much in terms of clinical medical knowledge. What you need to know should be apparent, and you'll learn it in a linked and co-curricular sort of way.

Given your expressed heavy interest in research, I'd say the PhD is most likely the best route for you, but thats just given the limited info you've provided here.

DBH

Thanks, I'm in the early stages of considering MD/Ph.D as well, which I think may be more up my alley but I'm not sure yet.

 

[Sulfinator]

I'm forced this year to really decide which path I want to pursue: medical school or graduate school. Pathology is the only discipline that made me consider medicine because of the heavy science and lab time (among other things). I found out recently that you can also get a Ph.D in pathology and go into research. My question is this; the graduate school program throws you into a lot of pathology courses the first year. Is pathology understandable without the usual first year classes medical students take? I'm only asking because it seemed odd for me to start taking pathology classes fresh out of my Bachelor's degree. If it helps, I will have taken classes such as Micro, Immunology, Virology, and Histology during my BS. Any advice is appreciated!

I understand where you're coming from; I was in a similar position myself as an undergrad. I had decided I wanted to go to medical school and then go into Pathology, but then I also discovered the world of research and thought that getting PhD training would also be great. I didn't want to give up my medical school pursuit so I went with the MD/PhD route.

My original intent was to get my PhD in pathology. However, I couldn't find a lab in the path department that I really clicked with as a graduate student. The lab I really liked was in the Cell Biology department so I went ahead, joined that lab, and got my PhD in Cell Biology. The thing I learned along the way is this: it doesn't matter very much what your PhD is in (provided it is something in basic biological science, anyway). In fact, the difference in scientific training between someone who gets their PhD in Path vs. someone who gets their PhD in Cell Biology vs. someone who gets their PhD in Biochemistry, etc. is either minimal or non-existent. The best thing to do is to simply find a lab that you feel will give you the best scientific training, irrespective of the department. If it just so happens that the lab for you is in the Pathology department, then great.

As far as your concern about going straight into graduate-level path courses without taking any of the medical school curriculum goes (this assumes you decide to go the PhD-only route), don't worry about it. Most of the people who get their PhD in pathology go straight into these graduate courses right out of undergrad. Graduate programs are designed to provide aggressive, but appropriate, education to folks coming to them right out of undergrad.