Pathology

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Firebird

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Where's a good site that I can use to learn more about Pathology? I'm interested in the job itself, frequency and type of call, lifestyle, salary, etc. Thanks!

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You should try Frieda, but I don't know the url for it. Try searching about choosing specialties. I know several people have posted a link to a very useful site, in addition to Frieda, with most of the information you asked for.
 
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GreatPumpkin should get into this discussion.... where is he? :D
 
Originally posted by Kimberli Cox:
•I've been here 105 hours this week and you don't see me wimping out frm posting on SDN! j/k :D

Well, you are just special Kim. We can't expect this kind of SDN devotion from all the members. Plus, Great Pumpkin isn't a high-falutin' administrator. ;)
 
Kimberli,
105 huh, well I worked about 40ish. With the 4th off, and both sat and sunday off. No call while on Surg path. I do have to work a half day Sat at the end of the month. Green with envy yet. ;) When you get sick of surgery, we will be glad to have you on the Darkside.

As for not replying, gosh give me at least 24 hours. I am somewhat busy now. Had to go see AI and the Fast and the Furious.


Firebird,
As for path info. This is a good place.
http://www.apcprods.org/aboutpath.html6

Pathology is fairly diverse depending on your interests your job could be completely different. Forensics, clinical path, surgical path, academics all provide different jobs and working conditions and pay. But, I will say all of them have a relatively good lifestyle.

If you have any other questions let us know. Also, at medschool.com there is a pathology forum. The moderator is a pathologist in practice, so he may have some answers and insights that you would be interested in.
 
The GreatPumpkin strikes again.... Thanks for the info.... :D
 
Originally posted by GreatPumpkin:
•Kimberli,
105 huh, well I worked about 40ish. With the 4th off, and both sat and sunday off. No call while on Surg path. I do have to work a half day Sat at the end of the month. Green with envy yet. ;) When you get sick of surgery, we will be glad to have you on the Darkside.

Holidays off? What's that? :D I am tempted to spew some curses in your general direction but fortunately I am a mild mannered gal.

BTW, our PGY1 Paeds resident on Paeds Surg is a classmate of yours; I'll Private Message you her name. She says you're a sweetie! ;)
 
No need to send it. I know who you are talking about. She is a great person. Hope you meany surgeons are treatin her nice. ;)
 
Those were some excellent sites for me to check out...very informative. I think I understand the profession a little better now.

I can't help but smile (actually, I laughed out loud) while reading this thread. A contrast of a 105 hour work week versus a 40 hour work week makes me wonder why in the world would anyone not want to do pathology? I guess the two big things is that pathologists are kinda "lab oriented" and also they don't get a lot of patient contact.

I've really become interested in pathology throughout the past few days. As many of you know, I have a few roadblocks in my way to becoming Firebird, MD (or DO, for that matter) and this route appears to offer the path of least resistence (no pun intended).

After reading that info, surgical pathology seems the most interesting to me. Does it still provide the freedom that I would need for my Sunday dilemma?

Thanks again for everything!!!
 
Oh, and by the way...how much/what kind of moonlighting can you do as a path doc?

I know of a fp guy who did some ER work during the week. If I was doing path, I might like something like that where I would get some direct patient contact.
 
Well the 40 hour week was with the 4th off, so this week I will probably work 60ish. But, I am on the most demanding rotation right now, Surgical Path. Other rotations are really 9 to 5 jobs. We are expected to read outside of work though.

Firebird, as for you Sunday problem Path is about the only specialty I can think of that would almost surely fit your need. I can only think of a few situations where you would have to come in on Sunday. But, even then it would only be for an hour or two. If you were on call for surgical path and they needed a frozen section for some reason you would have to drop what you are doing and go in no matter what. But, this would be about as likely as getting struck by lightning. If you are on autopsy call you may have to come in on Sunday, but you could work out the time for later in the day.

As far as moonlighting. Probably wouldn't do it until late 2nd year. But, you could work for local hospital path docs in their gross room. Also, in Va residents can become a medical examiner on the side. I have heard of working for transplant teams as well.

As far as being a lab person. Well more like a nice air conditioned, music playing, leather chair sittin office person. Of course this depends on the rotation and part of the day. The gross room is not really like the lab or the nice office. Neither is the morgue. The clinical lab rotations are more supervisory than actual lab work. Some path docs that are into research are lab rats, but many like me really don't have any interest in research.
 
Originally posted by GreatPumpkin:
•No need to send it. I know who you are talking about. She is a great person. Hope you meany surgeons are treatin her nice. ;)


Its tough to disguise our gruff manner, but we're trying! Heck, the Paeds residents don't have to take call OR work weekends, so I'd say we're being pretty nice to her. :D

She's a great asset to the team, helping us with lots of Paediatric info, as well as being really nice. I'm enjoying having her around.
 
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