Report and Recommendations of the Association of Pathology Chairs' Autopsy Working Group

[peachesorangesapples]

Report and Recommendations of the Association of Pathology Chairs’ Autopsy Working Group

Recommendations on the autopsy requirement for pathology residency written by autopsy directors themselves using SurveyMonkey! Can you say bias much? (I'm biased too since autopsy is my least favorite part of pathology, too smelly).

The problem is that they didn't ask current trainees, hospitals, or employers.

Anyways, I support reducing the number of autopsies. At some programs, 4-5 months are dedicated to autopsy which seems like an awful waste given how small autopsy is in a pathologist's daily responsibilities and besides the histology is all autolyzed so not sure what people learn from the histology. I feel like trainees would benefit more from additional surg path or subspecialty months.

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[deleted314957]

Everyone extols the virtue of the autopsy——nobody wants to pay for it.
That is the crux of the problem.

 

[ScubaV]

To me, hospital autopsies are almost completely worthless. In my experience, you rarely find anything not already known and even then it's relevance and impact is questionable at best. Part of that is due to modern imaging and other testing that find most things pre-mortem and part of it is that the people involved (PAs, residents, attendings) just want to get it over with as soon as possible. If there are any findings that might hurt a colleague they get word-smithed and papered over to make them vague and bland.

I think forensics should be split off from the rest of pathology so each can focus more on training for the actual day-to-day work they'll do. Hospital autopsies should not be offered anymore and all cases should be referred to a forensic pathologist either as a genuine concern to the municipality or as a private consultation.

 

[jupiterianvibe]

The loudest people are often the least relevant.

You never see dermpaths complaining like autopsy guys.

At least the article mentions the bias inherent in a bunch of autopsy doctors doing a study, or more appropriately an opinion piece, about the utility of autopsies.

 

[y2k_free_radical]

To me, hospital autopsies are almost completely worthless. In my experience, you rarely find anything not already known and even then it's relevance and impact is questionable at best. Part of that is due to modern imaging and other testing that find most things pre-mortem and part of it is that the people involved (PAs, residents, attendings) just want to get it over with as soon as possible. If there are any findings that might hurt a colleague they get word-smithed and papered over to make them vague and bland.

I think forensics should be split off from the rest of pathology so each can focus more on training for the actual day-to-day work they'll do. Hospital autopsies should not be offered anymore and all cases should be referred to a forensic pathologist either as a genuine concern to the municipality or as a private consultation.

I also dislike autopsies but i have found many unsuspected and pertinent findings.I also help the family understand the cause of death.Many times clinicians do not do this well.I have seen several instances where the hospitalist writing the discharge summary never saw the patient.But i do not foresee a time when autopsies will be remunerated decently or at all.

 

[Thrombus]

The loudest people are often the least relevant.

You never see dermpaths complaining like autopsy guys.

At least the article mentions the bias inherent in a bunch of autopsy doctors doing a study, or more appropriately an opinion piece, about the utility of autopsies.

The government and work:
If it works, tax it. If it keeps working, regulate it. If it stops working, subsidize it.

Translating to academic pathology:
If it benefits pathologists, quit doing it. If it has minimal benefit, do ALOT of it. If it has no benefit, do MORE of it. If it hurts pathologsts, get the government to subsidize it!!

FLEE PATHOLOGY NOW (FPN)!!!