private practice with clinpath only

[macrocyte]

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Is it common to do a clinpath only residency? Do many programs offer this option? Would it be hard to find a position in private practice, possibly after a blood banking fellowship? It seems a waste to do AP if you just wanted BB/TM. What do you guys think?

 

[pathdawg]

Is it common to do a clinpath only residency? Do many programs offer this option? Would it be hard to find a position in private practice, possibly after a blood banking fellowship? It seems a waste to do AP if you just wanted BB/TM. What do you guys think?

It would not recommend doing CP only if you are considering a career in private practice. Not that it would necessarily be impossible, it would just severely limit your options. A CP only residency followed by a TM/BB fellowship would put you on track for academics or a blood bank/lab gig like the American Red Cross. Not that there is anything wrong with that. If thats what you want, go for it. Just know that the private practice route would be a little tough.
Most blood banks in private/community hospitals are run by the general pathologists on staff, who are usually AP/CP.
With that said, several programs (UPENN comes to mind) offer CP only spots.

 

[yaah]

Yep - most clin path services are fairly automated and run by the techs. The attending pathologist is there for trouble shooting, answering questions, running the lab, and financial issues. Most private practice are not going to pay someone to do this when they can find someone who will do this in addition to their regular surg path or cyto signout.

The vast majority of people doing CP only residencies are researchers who plan on an academic career.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Is it common to do a clinpath only residency? Do many programs offer this option? Would it be hard to find a position in private practice, possibly after a blood banking fellowship? It seems a waste to do AP if you just wanted BB/TM. What do you guys think?

Not too common but people do it. I would say that you would find the most people doing CP only at a CP powerhouse like Penn. But even at Penn, the CP only folks are in the minority. Then at many other institutions...there is usually 1 or 2 CP only slots. And some programs don't even have dedicated CP only slots.

 

[LADoc00]

The same caveat can be said for AP only. Unless you want to work for a glass mill ala Ameripath (The AP version of American Red Cross but far more grueling), AP only severely limits your options.

That said, there is a nitch market for CP only even doing something like Chemistry especially in the commercial lab sector. There arent many jobs but then again there arent many people that do it. If I really was interested just in CP I wouldnt do AP personally.

In my final analysis, lifestyle is WAY better for CP only folks vs AP only but pay is less. the ? is how much less will a Chemistry or BB guy make vs. an AP only person.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

The same caveat can be said for AP only. Unless you want to work for a glass mill ala Ameripath (The AP version of American Red Cross but far more grueling), AP only severely limits your options.

Lies. Why do you propagate such rubbish?

just kidding.

I got two years to decide if I will get mah CP on and add that shiznit to mah AP.

 

[LADoc00]

Lies. Why do you propagate such rubbish?

just kidding.

I got two years to decide if I will get mah CP on and add that shiznit to mah AP.

In all seriousness, there wasnt a single good AP only job without counting Dermpath only that I have heard of, interviewed for in recent years. Not saying it isnt possible, but its becoming far more rare than a decade ago outside of academics.

 

[Mrbojangles]

In all seriousness, there wasnt a single good AP only job without counting Dermpath only that I have heard of, interviewed for in recent years. Not saying it isnt possible, but its becoming far more rare than a decade ago outside of academics.

Good mean a pay greater than 400K 😉.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

In all seriousness, there wasnt a single good AP only job without counting Dermpath only that I have heard of, interviewed for in recent years. Not saying it isnt possible, but its becoming far more rare than a decade ago outside of academics.

Dude I hear ya man. Gotta face the music. I gots to realize that I am now taking the plunge and committing to a single career path. My thesis mentor keeps telling me to do the minimum residency possible, sign out autopsies only, and do research pretty much full time.

 

[deschutes]

My thesis mentor keeps telling me to do the minimum residency possible, sign out autopsies only, and do research pretty much full time.

Isn't family practice like 2 years?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Isn't family practice like 2 years?

No. It's 3 years actually.

The absolute minimum residency for me, if I choose the AP only/research track, is 2.5 years following which I start my postdoc.

The thing is I really like pathology so I think my pathology residency training will involve more than the bare minimum. Plus, I'm actually fearing the postdoc years so the more I can put that off, the better.

 

[yaah]

Dude I hear ya man. Gotta face the music. I gots to realize that I am now taking the plunge and committing to a single career path. My thesis mentor keeps telling me to do the minimum residency possible, sign out autopsies only, and do research pretty much full time.

Ha! Andy is gonna be like the attending I had last weekend who showed up after we had eviscerated the aortic dissection patient. I opened the aorta, found the tear site, and told him about the tamponade and showed him the dead bowel. He was there for less than 2 minutes total.

Gotta get back to me lab!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

yep...that seems to be the definition of "physician-scientist" nowadays.

 

[LADoc00]

yep...that seems to be the definition of "physician-scientist" nowadays.

..........................
One day, while running my 100th gel for the month, I sat up from my bench and realized that even if I wildly succeeded in research, this entity called "my lab" would never truly be mine, it would be forever owned and operated by an immense soulless academic machine aka The Matrix. And I as cog in its endlessly grinding wheels and pulleys, was no more valuable than Jorge, the custodial engineer.
..........................
Andy, you ever feel like this?

 

[b&ierstiefel]

..........................
One day, while running my 100th gel for the month, I sat up from my bench and realized that even if I wildly succeeded in research, this entity called "my lab" would never truly be mine, it would be forever owned and operated by an immense soulless academic machine aka The Matrix. And I as cog in its endlessly grinding wheels and pulleys, was no more valuable than Jorge, the custodial engineer.
..........................
Andy, you ever feel like this?

Yeah sometimes

I dunno...I guess I'm a confused boy now. Working in a research is something I don't view as "work"; to me, it's fun discovering new things...it's a way of life. So the sentiments you describe are there but I guess it's still worth in the long run (no job is perfect). Perhaps this will change when projects go under, I can't get funding, and I lose tenure. And that's where medicine comes in. Medicine = safety net. Unfortunately, if it ever got to this, I would view my work as strictly work. I would look at the clock everyday and wonder when I can finally get out and go home. So maybe I should tack on that extra CP year so that I can have this safety net. But at this point, my mentor keeps telling me to "stop pussyfooting around and worrying about safety nets like a little bitch" and charge ahead.

 

[LADoc00]

Yeah sometimes

I dunno...I guess I'm a confused boy now. Working in a research is something I don't view as "work"; to me, it's fun discovering new things...it's a way of life. So the sentiments you describe are there but I guess it's still worth in the long run (no job is perfect). Perhaps this will change when projects go under, I can't get funding, and I lose tenure. And that's where medicine comes in. Medicine = safety net. Unfortunately, if it ever got to this, I would view my work as strictly work. I would look at the clock everyday and wonder when I can finally get out and go home. So maybe I should tack on that extra CP year so that I can have this safety net. But at this point, my mentor keeps telling me to "stop pussyfooting around and worrying about safety nets like a little bitch" and charge ahead.

Andy, I know who your supposed mentor is

And he is lying to you.....

TRUST NO ONE.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Andy, I know who your supposed mentor is

And he is lying to you.....

Don't see the resemblance.

TRUST NO ONE.

That's my motto too.