Rather than sitting home job-less. Lets ...

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNkpIDBtC2c
Rather than staying home or working as a pathology assistant lets convince CAP and AMA to open a clinical patient care/hospital medicine fellowship for 1 year for pathologists/radiologists who want to get food on their tables at the end of the day and don't mind working as a doctor doing H and P rather than seeing their family die in hunger - being jobless. Anyways as we all know, pathology is doomed.
They killed the molecular pathology, CAP tried a lot with their "transformation" agenda which did not go anywhere. Whats the point. Are we waiting to see the end or shud we do something. No one else is gonna come to rescue if we dont do for ourselves.

This can only be done by the younger folks who are budding pathologists.

Are you pre-med? Seriously, who is going to hire you as a pathologist with one year of doing H&Ps? Dude you make no sense whatsoever.
 
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I think he/she means after graduating from a pathology residency. I guess OP wants to go into path but is afraid of being jobless.

You can do a urology residency afterwards. Looks like it pays well. Funny I have never seen a posting like this ever in pathology. In other fields, they are posting salaries, just to entice you to come join their practice. I guess its because of the oversupply. Ive seen job posts like this for IR, derm, uro...prob several others....but Path no....I dont think our leadership protects our field like other fields are capable of. Has anyone ever heard of a signon bonus in Pathology?


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I got a signing bonus. Not a huge one, but more than enough to cover moving expenses and get settled. I don't think that's exactly unheard of. Maybe not $40k like that ad, but still.

Not disagreeing with that part of the thread, just sayin'.

As for doing H&P's, depends on who you want to do them for. Frankly you don't need to do additional residency training to do that -- a big fat state license is just fine. The issue is finding someone to pay you to do clinical medicine as a pathologist. Probably some rural hospitals/ER's, or even family care type practices might do this from time to time, when the options are slim, the patients don't care, and money is tight. But I seriously doubt it's going to matter whether you did a clinical intern year; either they don't care and will hire anyone with a state license, or they do care and will find someone who did a real clinical residency of some sort.

The concept of getting more actively involved in other parts of medicine, or expanding the foothold/presence/influence of pathology, isn't at all bad. But it may take more thinking outside the box than trying to copy what other, dramatically different, specialties are doing or have done -- with the possible exception of turning around and buying practice groups instead of them buying us, law permitting.
 
Several fellow and residents I know got signing bonuses. And some of them are high.
 
Whether or not you get a signing bonus correlates with the location of the practice and how "desirable" that location may be. If you are in a location where 50 new grads are drooling to take the position, a signing bonus is the first thing to go out the window.
 
Most of them reside in Colorado or Washington. 🙂
 
Whether or not you get a signing bonus correlates with the location of the practice and how "desirable" that location may be. If you are in a location where 50 new grads are drooling to take the position, a signing bonus is the first thing to go out the window.
Yeah - that's true.
 
I got a pretty healthy moving allowance, which covered things like attorney and realtor fees for my home sale. I think my one of my co-fellows also received a moving allowance. Call it whatever you want, money is money. Not $40K, but a nice chunk.
 
Signing bonuses are provided in Boston, a location where multiple pathology residents and fellows train.

All the academic pathology groups in the Boston area provide a signing bonus by paying relocation expenses or providing a lump sum at the time of recruitment. This information was confirmed just today.

Medical students considering a career in pathology should be re-assured that pathology is a great field, with plenty of jobs available for good candidates.

Daniel Remick, M.D.
Chair and Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center
 
Yeah, I've never heard of anyone NOT getting a signing bonus/moving bonus when moving.

I wouldnt offer a signing or moving bonus. I dont need to, you would be working with me. That is reward enough. Heck, I should be charging fellows to work for me ala Bernie Ackerman!:meanie:
 
Signing bonuses are provided in Boston, a location where multiple pathology residents and fellows train.

All the academic pathology groups in the Boston area provide a signing bonus by paying relocation expenses or providing a lump sum at the time of recruitment. This information was confirmed just today.

Medical students considering a career in pathology should be re-assured that pathology is a great field, with plenty of jobs available for good candidates.

Daniel Remick, M.D.
Chair and Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center


Can any experienced paths out there comment on whether or not this is the real deal? I can't believe this after all I have heard on this forum. Thanx
SC
😎
 
Can any experienced paths out there comment on whether or not this is the real deal? I can't believe this after all I have heard on this forum. Thanx
SC
😎

Yes, I can confirm. There are indeed plenty of jobs for good candidates. How do you know if you are a good candidate? You don't until you can't find a job. Then you know that you aren't one of the good candidates.

As far as signing bonuses... yes many/most/all academic jobs will offer them, along with other very good benefits. Private jobs in "less desirable" areas (which is obviously in the eye of the beholder) will offer signing bonuses. Elite private jobs in prime areas will not offer this, because they don't have to. However, most of the time these jobs do not hire new grads anyway, and they are usually hiring someone local with connections and experience.
 
Technically getting reimbursed for relocation expenses is not a signing bonus. Signing bonus is cash in tour pocket for signing the contract.
 
Can any experienced paths out there comment on whether or not this is the real deal? I can't believe this after all I have heard on this forum. Thanx
SC
😎

Yeah, I'm inclined to agree with Dr. Remick's comment, stressing the good candidate part. Crap candidates struggle big time to find jobs, but that's probably true in any profession. I'll just repeat my oft-made point that geographic flexibility is a must for pathologists. If you insist on a particular area, then you may struggle to find a position.
 
Technically getting reimbursed for relocation expenses is not a signing bonus. Signing bonus is cash in tour pocket for signing the contract.
Thank you for injecting some sense into this discussion. You guys are getting delusional. Moving expenses are not signing bonuses. Kinda funny that noone is actually posting actual figures but resorting to language like 'some of them are high' and 'nice chunk'

While the OP is being a little ridiculous he's not far off. We're interviewing 5 hungry candidates for one position in our practice 4 of the 5 who have pretty impressive credentials with residency/fellowship at places like Hopkins and UCSF. Its an entry level position with a low starting salary. The three we've interviewed so far have said that the job market is incredibly difficult which may come as a shocker to the so many of you out there who apparently signed these amazing contracts with partnership and sign on bonuses.
 
Thank you for injecting some sense into this discussion. You guys are getting delusional. Moving expenses are not signing bonuses. Kinda funny that noone is actually posting actual figures but resorting to language like 'some of them are high' and 'nice chunk'

While the OP is being a little ridiculous he's not far off. We're interviewing 5 hungry candidates for one position in our practice 4 of the 5 who have pretty impressive credentials with residency/fellowship at places like Hopkins and UCSF. Its an entry level position with a low starting salary. The three we've interviewed so far have said that the job market is incredibly difficult which may come as a shocker to the so many of you out there who apparently signed these amazing contracts with partnership and sign on bonuses.

Well let me ask which part of the country you are at? Let me guess, West coast?
 
Well let me ask which part of the country you are at? Let me guess, West coast?
Nope, practicing in the NE, trained in the SE. Job market was horrible even in the rural SE
 
Thank you for injecting some sense into this discussion. You guys are getting delusional. Moving expenses are not signing bonuses. Kinda funny that noone is actually posting actual figures but resorting to language like 'some of them are high' and 'nice chunk'

While the OP is being a little ridiculous he's not far off. We're interviewing 5 hungry candidates for one position in our practice 4 of the 5 who have pretty impressive credentials with residency/fellowship at places like Hopkins and UCSF. Its an entry level position with a low starting salary. The three we've interviewed so far have said that the job market is incredibly difficult which may come as a shocker to the so many of you out there who apparently signed these amazing contracts with partnership and sign on bonuses.


Location, location, location.
 
back to the OP...as a pathologist you are a physician and after passing step 3 you can work in alot of places..ER, urgent care, etc.

I knew a surgeon who worked OP FP.
 
Location, location, location.
Whatever. Job market is bad everywhere. I'm in the NE but hardly a highly desirable location. Again, the job market was bad in the rural SE.

Funny story, I got a random e-mail while in training from a guy who saw my name on a report. Turns out he was a private practice pathologist in rural mississippi (not the state where I trained mind you) who was an alumnus from my medical school. He's like 'when you finish in a few years give me a call, i like to take care of well trained guys with southern ties' . Turns out his practice was recruiting when I was looking last year and I got the cold shoulder. Said they were looking for someone with more experience. Turns out there are a plethora of old crusty 'experienced' pathologists out there to choose from so new grads are at a major disadvantage. I guess the story isn't really that funny. Its kinda sad
 
Whatever. Job market is bad everywhere. I'm in the NE but hardly a highly desirable location. Again, the job market was bad in the rural SE.

Funny story, I got a random e-mail while in training from a guy who saw my name on a report. Turns out he was a private practice pathologist in rural mississippi (not the state where I trained mind you) who was an alumnus from my medical school. He's like 'when you finish in a few years give me a call, i like to take care of well trained guys with southern ties' . Turns out his practice was recruiting when I was looking last year and I got the cold shoulder. Said they were looking for someone with more experience. Turns out there are a plethora of old crusty 'experienced' pathologists out there to choose from so new grads are at a major disadvantage. I guess the story isn't really that funny. Its kinda sad

Which region of the country do you guys think has the best job market? If not NE, SE, West coast, then it must be the Midwest?
 
Which region of the country do you guys think has the best job market? If not NE, SE, West coast, then it must be the Midwest?

I'm in the midwest and it doesnt seem very good to me. Last locum we used was depressed as hell at the situation. Only thing the person could find in the area was Ameripath. He/she is tied here because of the spouse's job.

Live your life "foot loose and fancy free" if you wanna go into pathology because there is a high likelyhood you will be moving around.
 
Which region of the country do you guys think has the best job market? If not NE, SE, West coast, then it must be the Midwest?

I know of a practice in the midwest that recently had 2 pathologists apply for their PA position.
 
Whatever. Job market is bad everywhere. I'm in the NE but hardly a highly desirable location. Again, the job market was bad in the rural SE.

Funny story, I got a random e-mail while in training from a guy who saw my name on a report. Turns out he was a private practice pathologist in rural mississippi (not the state where I trained mind you) who was an alumnus from my medical school. He's like 'when you finish in a few years give me a call, i like to take care of well trained guys with southern ties' . Turns out his practice was recruiting when I was looking last year and I got the cold shoulder. Said they were looking for someone with more experience. Turns out there are a plethora of old crusty 'experienced' pathologists out there to choose from so new grads are at a major disadvantage. I guess the story isn't really that funny. Its kinda sad

No, I agree with you.
 
How about academics? Pay may not be great but I guess better than nothing. Seems like there are always a bunch of academic jobs on pathoutlines.
 
How about academics? Pay may not be great but I guess better than nothing. Seems like there are always a bunch of academic jobs on pathoutlines.

Its interesting that there have been a string of academic posts that want 2-3 years experience. It looks like even academics is being more and more selective, because they can.
 
I've been lurking around this website for a few years. Everyone I know from residency and now fellowship has had a number of interviews and job offers this fall to start next summer, both academic and private, and a number of them have been really generous, more than I would expect for a fresh out of training Pathologist. Most people are open to moving and no one seems desperate to take a job. I think we all will be more or less set come January. I admit that I bought into the doom and gloom that everyone has been posting about incessantly here and was pretty worried this summer that I would have to settle but I just don't see that being the case for myself or my immediate peer group.

I do agree that you have to be open to moving and be the type of person that people want to have around. But this talk about jobless Pathologists doing H&Ps ... come on, if you're a reasonable trained, well-socialized person you should not be worried about being jobless. You may not end up with a 9-3 gig in San Diego but you will have a job.
 
I've been lurking around this website for a few years. Everyone I know from residency and now fellowship has had a number of interviews and job offers this fall to start next summer, both academic and private, and a number of them have been really generous, more than I would expect for a fresh out of training Pathologist. Most people are open to moving and no one seems desperate to take a job. I think we all will be more or less set come January. I admit that I bought into the doom and gloom that everyone has been posting about incessantly here and was pretty worried this summer that I would have to settle but I just don't see that being the case for myself or my immediate peer group.

I do agree that you have to be open to moving and be the type of person that people want to have around. But this talk about jobless Pathologists doing H&Ps ... come on, if you're a reasonable trained, well-socialized person you should not be worried about being jobless. You may not end up with a 9-3 gig in San Diego but you will have a job.

Stop lurking and voice that opinion a little more. This forum is the single biggest reason that students don't go into pathology. I bet if it were shut down, mean step 1 scores for pathology would jump 10 points.

Well - that's hyperbole, but the forum could use more positive comments like that to balance things out.
 
Enkidu-
Is that claim based on anything, or just anecdotal? I struggle to believe this forum is anything more than an interesting diversion, not something with much influence on med students. But certainly agree about some positivity being needed on here. Try to do my part at least by promoting FP.
 
Enkidu-
Is that claim based on anything, or just anecdotal? I struggle to believe this forum is anything more than an interesting diversion, not something with much influence on med students. But certainly agree about some positivity being needed on here. Try to do my part at least by promoting FP.

No, it was meant to be hyperbolic. I don't know what effect this forum has on medical students, precisely. But I know that any medical student interested in pathology will google it and be sent here, and any student who visits this forum will be discouraged. That has to have an effect on good applicants.

If this forum is mostly filled with depressing garbage that doesn't match the real world, then it's doing a lot of harm to the field, I'd guess.
 
SDN - where no one will admit to reading or posting when you meet them in person, but everyone always seems to know what is posted here. 🙂

Try asking someone you meet on the interview trail if they read/post on the SDN pathology forum - all will deny it, but they will all know what was posted here and the general conversation trends.

Numerous medical students read this forum, not to mention the old medschool.com back in the early 2000's. It influences many, many medical students.
 
SDN - where no one will admit to reading or posting when you meet them in person, but everyone always seems to know what is posted here. 🙂

Try asking someone you meet on the interview trail if they read/post on the SDN pathology forum - all will deny it, but they will all know what was posted here and the general conversation trends.

Numerous medical students read this forum, not to mention the old medschool.com back in the early 2000's. It influences many, many medical students.

I always admitted I posted here, and the combination of my username and posts make it very clear who I am in real life. I don't say anything on here I wouldn't own up to in person/public.

Agree many med students read this forum, but I would hope med students know that internet forums/blogs tend to attract and encourage hyperbole. How many and what level of influence that has, I don't know. If after reading the stuff on here a med student decides against pathology, well if it's for "legit reasons" such as geographic inflexibility then that's a good thing. Better to know it as an MS4 than a PGY1.
 
When interviewing candidates for a pathology residency position I almost always ask if they read SDN. I cannot recall any student claiming that they had not read SDN.

I also ask if they are concerned about most of the negativity posted. To their credit, they understand that SDN is not an authoritative source of information.

To make sure that communication is clear and open, I almost always post my real name and institution since I believe that I am accountable for my statements.

Daniel Remick, M.D.
Chair and Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center
 
A lot of interesting information can be found here, but I'm pretty convinced 75% of the information posted in the pathology subform are from forum trolls (whether they know it or not).
 
A lot of interesting information can be found here, but I'm pretty convinced 75% of the information posted in the pathology subform are from forum trolls (whether they know it or not).

Do not worry. Everything will turn out fine for you.
 
When interviewing candidates for a pathology residency position I almost always ask if they read SDN. I cannot recall any student claiming that they had not read SDN.

I also ask if they are concerned about most of the negativity posted. To their credit, they understand that SDN is not an authoritative source of information.

To make sure that communication is clear and open, I almost always post my real name and institution since I believe that I am accountable for my statements.

Daniel Remick, M.D.
Chair and Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center

Dr. Remick,

How often do you get emails looking for candidates for PRIVATE jobs? I would say there "seems" to be more academic jobs than private jobs based on websites. Have you kept in contact with your graduates and they all have jobs? I would assume the Boston area job market is tough especially with the programs there, just like with any other large city of course.
 
Speaking of pathologists posting messages online. Has anyone read about this case? Sounds like Dr Oppenheimer got sued for posting stuff about a urologist back in the day.

http://archive.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=6100

This is evidence in itself of pathology oversupply and commoditization.

I would be wary of academic pathologists who are subsidized 150-200 K plus free resident labor in addition to the "junior pathologist" creation who often get paid pennies on the dollar for what they earn. These folks are vested in a steady supply of free labor for the grunt work and a nice check besides.

Additionally, no community pathologist would say we are in oversupply if we actually needed help to get our work done! We are currently being pressed from all sides! Client billing, corporate labs and inducements, not even being able to negotiate to get in network with insurance, CMS and their tyranny, Obamacare, escalating premiums for employees, etc. etc. Some of these difficulties are shared by other specialties but many ate self inflicted by pathologist oversupply. We are a commodity and have no leverage other than hopefully being more competent and affable/available than an easily found replacement.
 
This is evidence in itself of pathology oversupply and commoditization.

I would be wary of academic pathologists who are subsidized 150-200 K plus free resident labor in addition to the "junior pathologist" creation who often get paid pennies on the dollar for what they earn. These folks are vested in a steady supply of free labor for the grunt work and a nice check besides.

Additionally, no community pathologist would say we are in oversupply if we actually needed help to get our work done! We are currently being pressed from all sides! Client billing, corporate labs and inducements, not even being able to negotiate to get in network with insurance, CMS and their tyranny, Obamacare, escalating premiums for employees, etc. etc. Some of these difficulties are shared by other specialties but many ate self inflicted by pathologist oversupply. We are a commodity and have no leverage other than hopefully being more competent and affable/available than an easily found replacement.

How has the number of residency positions changed in the past 20-30 years?

I think we can start off by closing programs with low board first time pass rates. Thats my opinion.

I would blame whoever sets the number of residency spots for this mess.
 
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Dr. Remick,

How often do you get emails looking for candidates for PRIVATE jobs? I would say there "seems" to be more academic jobs than private jobs based on websites. Have you kept in contact with your graduates and they all have jobs? I would assume the Boston area job market is tough especially with the programs there, just like with any other large city of course.

Academic centers keep in touch with their trainees. As a specific example, when the pathologist is credentialed they contact the residency programs to verify the training period.

All of our trainees, both residents and fellows, have jobs. Every single pathology chair and residency director with whom I speak tells me that everyone has a job.

The only place that one hears about unemployed pathologists is on studentdoctor.net.
 
The only place that one hears about unemployed pathologists is on studentdoctor.net.

Listen guys. I've been pretty vocal about the state of affairs in pathology right now. A few posts ago there's a guy asking for people to come out and say more positive things. Let me be clear. I have a job. Everyone that I trained with eventually found work (of the six exiting fellows, two of us took full time jobs in private practice, two took part time jobs in private practice (one wanted full time but could not find a full time position), and two took full time academic jobs. Unfortunately 9 of the other fellows did second fellowships which speaks to one of the problems of pathology training.

I never once said that there are unemployed pathologists. I never heard anyone on here say that there are unemployed pathologists. This is not the issue. Stop twisting words. The issue is that the current job market is distorted beyond belief. I won't regurgitate the details but look at the big picture. The fact that these in-office labs are in existence speaks volumes about the current state of affairs. Not only about the state of the job market and that there are people out there willing to work for pennies on the dollar (and this is money that belongs to pathologists!! can you imagine how many millions of dollars have been taken directly from the pathologists wallet in these types of setups?!) but also about the state of our leadership. How could they sit back and allow this to happen? Could you imagine a gastroenterologist or urologist working for a pathology group and taking a fraction of what belongs to them? Its so messed up and the generation before us sold their souls for a brief sense of security in knowing that they didn't completely lose out on biopsy revenue.

To be fair I appreciate BU Pathology's positivity but can't help to feel that he is out of touch with what's going on in private practice. I'm in the trenches. I overhear the business conversations my bosses have. Things are not OK, and its this attitude that has allowed this situation to denigrate to the level it is today. Wake up people. I think this is a forum where people can voice their opinions and I welcome others that differ from mine, but I have yet to hear a convincing argument to the contrary.
 
Listen guys. I've been pretty vocal about the state of affairs in pathology right now. A few posts ago there's a guy asking for people to come out and say more positive things. Let me be clear. I have a job. Everyone that I trained with eventually found work (of the six exiting fellows, two of us took full time jobs in private practice, two took part time jobs in private practice (one wanted full time but could not find a full time position), and two took full time academic jobs. Unfortunately 9 of the other fellows did second fellowships which speaks to one of the problems of pathology training.

I never once said that there are unemployed pathologists. I never heard anyone on here say that there are unemployed pathologists. This is not the issue. Stop twisting words. The issue is that the current job market is distorted beyond belief. I won't regurgitate the details but look at the big picture. The fact that these in-office labs are in existence speaks volumes about the current state of affairs. Not only about the state of the job market and that there are people out there willing to work for pennies on the dollar (and this is money that belongs to pathologists!! can you imagine how many millions of dollars have been taken directly from the pathologists wallet in these types of setups?!) but also about the state of our leadership. How could they sit back and allow this to happen? Could you imagine a gastroenterologist or urologist working for a pathology group and taking a fraction of what belongs to them? Its so messed up and the generation before us sold their souls for a brief sense of security in knowing that they didn't completely lose out on biopsy revenue.

To be fair I appreciate BU Pathology's positivity but can't help to feel that he is out of touch with what's going on in private practice. I'm in the trenches. I overhear the business conversations my bosses have. Things are not OK, and its this attitude that has allowed this situation to denigrate to the level it is today. Wake up people. I think this is a forum where people can voice their opinions and I welcome others that differ from mine, but I have yet to hear a convincing argument to the contrary.

There are unemployed pathologists who can't move due to spouse's job. I know of some who are stuck doing locum work. I have trouble believing that others don't know pathologists caught in this situation. As long as you are willing to move around the country, you should be able to stay employed. Try to keep entanglements to a minimum and be able to move is the best advice one can give a new grad.
 
... The fact that these in-office labs are in existence speaks volumes about the current state of affairs. Not only about the state of the job market and that there are people out there willing to work for pennies on the dollar (and this is money that belongs to pathologists!! can you imagine how many millions of dollars have been taken directly from the pathologists wallet in these types of setups?!) but also about the state of our leadership. How could they sit back and allow this to happen? Could you imagine a gastroenterologist or urologist working for a pathology group and taking a fraction of what belongs to them? ....

Even if the job market for pathologists were great, I believe these arrangements would still exist, somehow. You can always find someone who's willing to do work for a little less $$$, for a more cushy schedule, etc. If there is money to be made and giant loopholes to allow it, someone will do it, and in fact has done it. This started long before the pathology job market was "saturated". The outlay for a small histo lab in the back of an office is a lot cheaper than the outlay for most radiology equipment, a portable chest X-ray just won't cut it this day and age. H&E slides, a couple special stains, on the other hand, are 100 year old technology, which even when automated is pretty cheap to produce. Even a small IHC panel can be had in the back of the lab for very cheap, and at worse you can send it out to a local reference lab. Add to this a couple of techs, some waste disposal, a CAP certificate, and voila! You're cooking. It's simply the "free market" at work.
 
Even if the job market for pathologists were great, I believe these arrangements would still exist, somehow. You can always find someone who's willing to do work for a little less $$$, for a more cushy schedule, etc. If there is money to be made and giant loopholes to allow it, someone will do it, and in fact has done it. This started long before the pathology job market was "saturated". The outlay for a small histo lab in the back of an office is a lot cheaper than the outlay for most radiology equipment, a portable chest X-ray just won't cut it this day and age. H&E slides, a couple special stains, on the other hand, are 100 year old technology, which even when automated is pretty cheap to produce. Even a small IHC panel can be had in the back of the lab for very cheap, and at worse you can send it out to a local reference lab. Add to this a couple of techs, some waste disposal, a CAP certificate, and voila! You're cooking. It's simply the "free market" at work.

If it's so cheap to produce slides, and it seems it should be given the fact that this technology is a century old or more, then the TC really should have been slashed. But the unfortunate thing is that the PC should have been readjusted to reflect the work involved with interpretation, and it was not.

Path slide production is very easy to automate. Regrettably, most admins and other docs think that the interpretation is also easy to automate, and thus consider your ilk machines. Heck, compare your reports to the radiologists'. Theirs is a long winded description of esoteric imaging features with an "impression" at the end. Yours is a "diagnosis" with a dash and an answer. One looks like a human made it, the other looks like a machine's output.

The CAP should lobby hard to increase the PC.
 
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