Should I be a pathologist?

[phillystudent]

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This is my first post on the path site. I'm a 6th year combined degree student, and I'll be applying for residency next year. My top two picks right now are either radiology or pathology. If I do path, I think I would probably try to specialize in something like derm-path. From what I've heard so far (which is limited since I've been in the lab for 3 1/2 years), it sounds like pathologists are a dime a dozen and don't get paid terribly well, while radiologists are in high demand and get crazy salaries. But I'm guessing I'll enjoy path more than radiology so I'll be stuck deciding between the one I like the most and the one with decent pay.

So my questions are:

1- Can anyone tell me honestly what kind of money I can expect to make if I do pathology, in particular a specialty like derm-path (assuming I don't end up doing academic research)?

2- Considering the scarcity of path jobs, are there actually people finishing path residencies who are unemployed right now?

Sorry for being so money-focussed but it's been so f@#&ing hard to find out this type of info around school because no one in combined degree programs wants to talk about anything but research.

 

[LADoc00]

This is my first post on the path site. I'm a 6th year combined degree student, and I'll be applying for residency next year. My top two picks right now are either radiology or pathology. If I do path, I think I would probably try to specialize in something like derm-path. From what I've heard so far (which is limited since I've been in the lab for 3 1/2 years), it sounds like pathologists are a dime a dozen and don't get paid terribly well, while radiologists are in high demand and get crazy salaries. But I'm guessing I'll enjoy path more than radiology so I'll be stuck deciding between the one I like the most and the one with decent pay.

So my questions are:

1- Can anyone tell me honestly what kind of money I can expect to make if I do pathology, in particular a specialty like derm-path (assuming I don't end up doing academic research)?

2- Considering the scarcity of path jobs, are there actually people finishing path residencies who are unemployed right now?

Sorry for being so money-focussed but it's been so f@#&ing hard to find out this type of info around school because no one in combined degree programs wants to talk about anything but research.

You want honest, sincere assessment? I would go into radiology again no questions asked if I could go back in time. Why? Because I would still be in medicine, doing essentially specialist care and be paid far more with far better places to live and better work conditions. Yeah I love what I do. So what. Im not sure what at the end of 20 year career in pathology that will really get me. Yes, this is one guy's opinion. Take it for what its worth. Ive always dreamed of doing things other than medicine with my life, spending time with family, traveling etc. and the more I think about how hard I have to work on a daily basis the more I feel like Ive compromised some the basic reasons I even went to medical school. Ive had great pathologists come up to me and say they are only going to work for 10 years, pay off their loans and do something else with their life. Im sure (well I know) this happens in other fields, but it seems to be increasing recently in path. Dont know, someone told me the path residencies in LA drastically cut their 1st year classes for next year so maybe things will change. Dunno really.

 

[yaah]

I don't know what to make out of this whole radiology business. Right now it does seem as though there are lots of jobs that pay well. In 3-4 years? I don't know. Probably no one does. Careers are cyclical. 10 years ago anesthesiologists were going back to residency in another field because there weren't any jobs. Now people are going into anesthesia because there are lots of jobs. Trying to predict things like this is really nothing but speculation and guesswork. How do you know the radiology market isn't going to be oversaturated by the time you finish residency?

I can't tell you what your average salary is going to be. It depends on a myriad of factors. It also depends on what you mean by "decent pay."

And again, there isn't necessarily a scarcity of path jobs out there. In general the only people who are unemployed are those who are holding out for a better job or have skeletons in the closet. And I'm not sure about programs cutting residency spots, because most of the places I interviewed at last year were increasing their class size over previous years.

Thus my advice, as always, pick the career you are happiest in. If you don't want to hear that, I can't help it. I couldn't stand a career in radiology myself.

 

[phillystudent]

Thanks for your replies. I certainly agree that you have to pick something you like. But if you like two things equally well, or almost equally well, then I think it makes sense to pick the one with better pay, better hours, etc., etc. So even though I keep hearing "do what you like," I still want to have all the info at hand before picking a residency. The last thing I want is to have trouble finding a job (which includes having to travel half way across the US to get one) after spending 7 years in med school and 4+ years in residency. I'm sure you're right about the cyclical nature of the fields as well...in fact I also wrote a post on the radiology site asking what those guys thought about the future of radiology in 7 years or so. Of course, nobody has given me a clear answer because nobody knows.

Mind if I ask why you couldn't stand a career in radiology, Yaah?

 

[Logos']

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[yaah]

Mind if I ask why you couldn't stand a career in radiology, Yaah?

You may not. 😉

Here are my reasons for not wanting to do radiology:

1) The prelim year
2) Way way too many procedures (radiology is becoming even more procedure oriented every year). If I wanted to do procedures for a living I would have gone to PA school, saved some money and some time, and not have to worry about the doctor stuff.
3) Too vague. Radiology is good at diagnosing bone tumors, and neurologic lesions, but too much is just vague. "Could represent this vs that." I know that many radiologists say this is not true, that they often know exactly what something is. Fine. But they don't ever say that in a report. It's always, "Could represent."
4) Too many shadows and dark rooms.
5) Too much squinting.
6) They make too much money. 🙄

I think I probably would have learned to enjoy radiology had I decided to go into it, but in truth I would have preferred IM or general surgery to radiology. Some things just don't appeal to certain people. And certain fields just did NOT appeal to me. Radiology. Dermatology. Orthopedics. OB/gyn. Strange that there are some highly competitive fields in there...I guess that either means I am non-competitive or that I am so competitive I don't want my ego bruised by competing with those people. I prefer the former though. I also don't really like working with hypercompetitive people.