Pathology

[(nicedream)]

I was wondering about the AOA internship requirement and path. I want to practice in one of the 5 states that require DOs do an AOA internship to be licensed - you can petition the AOA to approve your ACGME PGY1 year if there's a good reason (there not being any AOA pathology programs would be one). However, pathology doesn't have anything resembling a rotating internship or transitional year as their PGY1 as most specialties do. Does anyone know if I would be required to do an AOA internship before starting residency, or if they will waive the requirement?

Also, I remember seeing a thread before with several students raving about a pathology rotation in the Tampa Bay area. I think it was at Northside or Sun Coast, I can't remember and can't find it any search. Anyone know who I'm talking about?

Thanks oodles.

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[DermpathDO]

I was wondering about the AOA internship requirement and path. I want to practice in one of the 5 states that require DOs do an AOA internship to be licensed - you can petition the AOA to approve your ACGME PGY1 year if there's a good reason (there not being any AOA pathology programs would be one). However, pathology doesn't have anything resembling a rotating internship or transitional year as their PGY1 as most specialties do. Does anyone know if I would be required to do an AOA internship before starting residency, or if they will waive the requirement?

Also, I remember seeing a thread before with several students raving about a pathology rotation in the Tampa Bay area. I think it was at Northside or Sun Coast, I can't remember and can't find it any search. Anyone know who I'm talking about?

Thanks oodles.

The AOA is still on the fence about waiving the AOA internship for specialties such as Pathology, which have no way of giving a good transitional experience during the residencyespeically in the absence of AOA residency programs. They prefer to approve those students who have done traditional rotating or primary care residencies before doing the 4-5 years of a pathology residency. The 5 states mandate an AOA internship or first year residency in orde to get a license in that state and some of them don't make exceptions. I have heard of exceptions, however. I do not know what you need to do to get those exceptions. Perhaps grease some palms and maybe know a politician or two.

 

[(nicedream)]

The AOA is still on the fence about waiving the AOA internship for specialties such as Pathology, which have no way of giving a good transitional experience during the residencyespeically in the absence of AOA residency programs. They prefer to approve those students who have done traditional rotating or primary care residencies before doing the 4-5 years of a pathology residency. The 5 states mandate an AOA internship or first year residency in orde to get a license in that state and some of them don't make exceptions. I have heard of exceptions, however. I do not know what you need to do to get those exceptions. Perhaps grease some palms and maybe know a politician or two.

Hmmm...doesn't sound too promising. Are you a pathologist now? Did you do an internship, or are you not in one of the 5 states? Thanks for the reply!

 

[dermpathdoc]

Hmmm...doesn't sound too promising. Are you a pathologist now? Did you do an internship, or are you not in one of the 5 states? Thanks for the reply!

I am a pathologist now and was one of the last one's to take a AOA approved residency. I am actually involved in teaching medical school, in the AOA and in other matters involving pathology Board certification. Feel free to email me when you get into your Path residency program, but the American College of Osteopathic Pathologists has a website which will help guide you thru the requirements needed in your Pathology residency, should you decide to seek AOA certification.
Things can change when people who are currently students become involved in AOA politics and when theyn lobby thier state legislators.

 

[dermpathdoc]

Hmmm...doesn't sound too promising. Are you a pathologist now? Did you do an internship, or are you not in one of the 5 states? Thanks for the reply!

PS Yes I am licensed in Pennsylvania..one of the 5 states

 

[(nicedream)]

I am a pathologist now and was one of the last one's to take a AOA approved residency. I am actually involved in teaching medical school, in the AOA and in other matters involving pathology Board certification. Feel free to email me when you get into your Path residency program, but the American College of Osteopathic Pathologists has a website which will help guide you thru the requirements needed in your Pathology residency, should you decide to seek AOA certification.
Things can change when people who are currently students become involved in AOA politics and when theyn lobby thier state legislators.

My concern is this requirement:

"...to be eligible for AOA internship approval of ACGME training the osteopathic physician must complete all six of the traditional rotating internship’s core rotations: 2 months internal medicine, 1 month emergency medicine, 1 month family practice, and two additional core rotations (internal medicine, surgery, female reproductive medicine, pediatrics, family practice, or emergency medicine)."

As you know, ACGME pathology programs do not include any of these things. Would the AOA still approve it?

 

[Non-Trad DO]

Hey nice,
I'm pretty sure your at LECOM-FL. Anyway I'm down here now from LECOM-PA. As far as the AOA showing you any mercy in this state forget about it. I'm will be doing a path residency in Connecticut next year but I had a good chance here at ORMC until Ormc asked me how difficult it would be for me to get my license during my interview. I told them I would contact FOMA and the AOA in this regard and get back to them.
When I spoke to FOMA they redirected me to the state licensing board then they redirected me to the AOA who told me that they could not promise I would not have to do a traditional rotating internship. In addition to this they told that they would let me know more after the match. Only problem with this is ORMC wanted something in writing assuring them that my license would not be denied me after step 3. So you probably see where this landed me... in Connecticut where the traditional rotating year is not required.

 

[Non-Trad DO]

I think the place in St. Petersburg that you want is Sun Coast because when I was at Northside last July they didn't have a Pathology rotation set up.

 

[(nicedream)]

Thanks Non-Trad for both your posts. So do you plan on practicing in CT as well? Being eventually licensed in FL is an absolute must for me. I did some research looking at the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine's previous cases of license applications in the absence of a completed rotating internship and saw that one lawyer in particular seemed to be used a lot by applicants, succesfully. I checked out his webpage and found that he specializes in health licensing regulation, and has a lot of experience with the osteopathic board. I would contact a lawyer such as him early on in my quest to be licensed.

I also contacted the Board, and was forwarded the specific law that details what is required for licensure. It basically says you must (1) Apply to the AOA for educational equivalency, and (2) Demonstrate good cause for not pursuing an AOA internship. As for (1), I can see that being difficult since pathology programs don't include anything resembling a rotating internship. As for (2), I assume the absence of any AOA programs in pathology would be good cause, except I suppose they could argue you could have done an internship before starting residency. What I don't understand is the following:

(4) Any applicant who completes an ACGME-approved residency shall be deemed to have met the educational equivalence of an AOA rotating internship. It shall remain the responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate good cause...for not having taken an AOA-approved internship.

That, to me, says that once an ACGME program is completed, it is automatically considered equivalent, even in the absence of application to the AOA for approval. Therefore the only remaining step would be demonstrating good cause.

It's a shame the FL board, and the 4 others, makes us go through this legal nonsense.

 

[Non-Trad DO]

nice, it reads the same way to me. However, where I really ran to trouble was when both the AOA and the Path director at ORMC both took the wait and see approach to my match. In fact ORMC ended up not ranking because I couldn't get the documentation to them. How do I know they didn't even rank me...? b/c I ranked them one and they didn't fill all three of thier spots.
Oh well what can you do. If I had to do it again I would do the traditional rotating year and take my chances with next years match. I am happy though that I'm going where I am going. I just can't stand the winter up there.
The lawyer thing sounds like a good idea. I didn't even think of that. Good luck. I think your going to do fine.