Private Lab Fellowships

[byungwooy]

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This is my third year in AP/CP. So I am preparing to apply for fellowships.

What do you folks think about the fellowships offered at private labs ? I found out that places such as Phenopath(Seattle), Quest, Ameripath, GI pathology partners (Tennessee) offer one year fellowship in subspecialties. I don't know how good they are but maybe will be a good opportunity for people who want to find a job in private sector after the fellowship.

Any thoughts ? 😎

 

[LADoc00]

This is my third year in AP/CP. So I am preparing to apply for fellowships.

What do you folks think about the fellowships offered at private labs ? I found out that places such as Phenopath(Seattle), Quest, Ameripath, GI pathology partners (Tennessee) offer one year fellowship in subspecialties. I don't know how good they are but maybe will be a good opportunity for people who want to find a job in private sector after the fellowship.

Any thoughts ? 😎

Yeah, you are a complete friggin ***** if you do one. In fact, I may start for profit company, do "pod pathology" like GI and staff it completely with idiots who I only have pay 40 grand a year while they sign out 20 grand worth of biopsies/week. Even better Ill offer em 100grand to do a second year of the fellowship and still turn a 5 grand/week profit on them. With all the profit, Ill spend every evening at Scores drinking mimosas and getting lap dances, occassionally chuckling to myself how easy it all can be.

 

[CameronFrye]

Yeah, you are a complete friggin ***** if you do one. In fact, I may start for profit company, do "pod pathology" like GI and staff it completely with idiots who I only have pay 40 grand a year while they sign out 20 grand worth of biopsies/week. Even better Ill offer em 100grand to do a second year of the fellowship and still turn a 5 grand/week profit on them. With all the profit, Ill spend every evening at Scores drinking mimosas and getting lap dances, occassionally chuckling to myself how easy it all can be.

Please don't hold back. Tell us what you really think.

 

[DasN]

LADOC
What in the hell are you doing? Why would you want to change the mind of a person who wants some job security. Do you want to compete with people who are happy to work in commercial labs? If someone wants to find out about a particular path then they can do it on their own. Hey the private labs offer less money but you do have more versatility with location and family time ect. for some of those out there its a pretty sweet deal.

 

[yaah]

I would be cautious about private lab fellowships (i.e. Bostwick lab for GU, others for GI, etc) but it doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't do it. It may very well be a good experience. The thing is, you're pretty much setting yourself up for a private, limited career though. Training at an academic center gives you more options (and probably more variety and complicated cases as well). At private labs you also are going to be training almost purely on routine biopsies, which is important but it isn't everything.

If your goal is to work for a private lab, by all means go for it. But be cautious. They probably are not regulated or supervised by ACGME and thus you exist and function at the whim of the lab director. Since you will have technically finished your residency, one of your tasks will probably be to sign out a lot of cases (thus, they pay you much much less than a practicing pathologist because you are only a fellow, but you do probably even more work). Some labs probably aren't this sleazy, but I wouldn't be surprised if many are. They can also couch that under the term of "getting experience."

I would only do this as a last resort, personally. Unfortunately, the best way to judge it is to see the track record of the past few fellows, which is impossible obviously in a new fellowship. However, it never hurts to visit and see for yourself. Just think about what your goals are. If your goal is to say you did a "GI fellowship" then perhaps it's appropriate. But you could probably learn as much GI by doing general surg path at a quality institution.

 

[LADoc00]

This is becoming more and more of a reality (Labs offering fellowships). I have heard many pathologists express their reservations.... Apparently fellowships in derm and GU are becoming available as well. Can you please further elaborate on this LA?

What is there to elaborate on? If you do one, then I consider you an idiot. Fairly straightforward really.

It is a sucker's game and unfort. there are tons of willing suckers in path.

 

[trent05]

I think most would agree that these would be a last resort. They would not be useful if you are interested in academics. Even if you want to work at a commercial lab I would think a university/academic fellowship would be a much better choice. I think the reason these labs are able to fill these spots is because there are so few GI and GU fellowships out there. As far as derm-path, if the spot is ACGME and allows you to sit for the board, then I guess it would be fine.

 

[dermpathlover]

What is there to elaborate on? If you do one, then I consider you an idiot. Fairly straightforward really.

It is a sucker's game and unfort. there are tons of willing suckers in path.

No doubt.

The good thing about pathology is that it is full of type B personalities. The bad thing is that is full of type B personalities.

 

[yaah]

No doubt.

The good thing about pathology is that it is full of type B personalities. The bad thing is that is full of type B personalities.

No one is ever going to convince some people that it is not all about money and power for everyone. It is for some, particularly those who are willing to take advantage of others for their own gain and profit. For many, it is not about accumulating wealth, power, and the "best" things, it's about making a satisfying living. And it is not really their concern that those of you who worship money are not making as insane ****loads of money off of their backs. It doesn't necessarily mean they are pushovers or willing peons. True, many people don't stand up for themselves as much as they could or should, but it's also true that these people are often not the problem, it's those who value wealth and power above all else that are the problem. These individuals make life miserable for everyone, not the hard working suckers, although it is the suckers who make it possible for these individuals to make life miserable for everyone.