Repetitive Work? Constant Learning?

[Playmakur42]

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Non-Trad Pre-Med here developing an interest in pathology as I read more about it. I really enjoy learning about the body/disease at the cellular level. I have a few questions if anyone feels like answering.

1.) How much of the work is repetitive (i.e. do you see the same bread/butter diseases every day, or is there a good mix)?

2.) Is this a specialty where you are mentally challenged throughout your career (more so than some other specialties)?

3.) How difficult is it to open your own Pathology Lab after residency? How expensive? How do you attract business?(general figures will do if anyone has them).

4.) In your opinion, whats the BEST and WORST thing about Path?

 

[jayman]

Non-Trad Pre-Med here developing an interest in pathology as I read more about it. I really enjoy learning about the body/disease at the cellular level. I have a few questions if anyone feels like answering.

1.) How much of the work is repetitive (i.e. do you see the same bread/butter diseases every day, or is there a good mix)?

2.) Is this a specialty where you are mentally challenged throughout your career (more so than some other specialties)?

3.) How difficult is it to open your own Pathology Lab after residency? How expensive? How do you attract business?(general figures will do if anyone has them).

4.) In your opinion, whats the BEST and WORST thing about Path?

1. Seriously? EVERY SPECIALTY has its repetitive components.

2. How do you mean? Diagnostics and the thought process are different in pathology vs. specialties that require a "clinical work-up" in a patient. As someone who's experienced both ends of the spectrum, I enjoy the diagnostic aspect of pathology which I find very "mentally challenging"...but then again my surgeon buddies really like the challenging work-ups of patients with painless jaundice.

3. Will defer to LADoc.

4. BEST: The people you work with, making a diagnosis, minimal patient contact, breasts. WORST: The occasional dingus, penectomy specimens, working with *****s (my "worsts" would be true regardless of specialty, just as breasts would be in my "bests" in any specialty).

 

[LADoc00]

#3 is easy IF you are:

 

[Playmakur42]

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[yaah]

I'm mentally challenged.

There are many things good and bad about path, like every other specialty. We have had quite a few threads related to this (like "what is the worst thing about path" or whatever). I don't really have a best and worst, other than I hate grossing in breasts.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

I'm mentally challenged.

It's OK Timmy.

There are many things good and bad about path, like every other specialty. We have had quite a few threads related to this (like "what is the worst thing about path" or whatever). I don't really have a best and worst, other than I hate grossing in breasts.

Don't like grossing breasts either...those days are over The excisions are fine since you just submit the whole damn thing and you're done. Mastectomies can be a pain because the patient probably had previous biopsies done or previous excisions...and half the time you're trying to find all these sites of previous intervention. I don't like the clips either cuz they're always a chore to find. I wish sometimes that the surgeons placed Tic-Tacs into the biopsy site instead of clips.

 

[jayman]

No, dudes...

I meant I just like breasts...why bring grossing into this? Path chicks are hot.

 

[yaah]

I meant I just like breasts...why bring grossing into this? Path chicks are hot.

Wait until you get a five pound mastectomy in front of you with previous biopsy sites. Then get back to us. 😉

 

[Playmakur42]

thanks for the replies.........