some random career thoughts...

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Hey everybody, I'm a long time lurker and just recently started posting a little bit. I have recently been giving some thought to my future in pathology and where I see myself going and I'd appreciate comments from you guys, mainly to give me some more perspectives to consider. First a little background - I'm a resident at one of those "big name" programs that always tends to show up on the "top 10 lists" that people seem to make. I feel like I have very good AP (e.g. surg path, cyto) training and lately I've decided that private practice is the route for me. So here are my questions/thoughts...

I tend to enjoy most every area of pathology and I feel like I am equally interested in surg path and heme path. I'd like to end up practicing in the midwest or south/southeastern regions in a mid-size city. I'm interested in comments on the value of heme path in this situation. I've done some internet research on private groups in these areas and not many of them seem to have people who are heavy into hemepath. They seem to be all cytology/general surg path/derm heavy. Is this an accurate assessment? Do hospitals in these size cities not have enough material (marrows, need for flow, etc) to warrant having a hemepath person or are there just not that many hemepath trained people out there? Would I be better off doing a focused surgpath fellowship year (like 6 months gen surg and 6 months concentrated in GI, breast, or GU or whatever) such that I could say I had specialized training in GI, breast, etc?

If I had a major difference of interest in one or the other obviously I'd do that thing, but if I am equally interested in both, all things being equal I'd like to choose the route that would give a better shot in a private group. I did a search and most of the threads were a few years old (e.g. 2004/2005) though. I think it would be cool to do a little of everything, sign out general surg path, sign out hemepath, sign out some cytology, help manage the cp labs, do a little blood bank, etc, etc. And I know some will say "find out what you're interested in and do that, don't do something to make yourself marketable" but I'm more just throwing some thoughts I had out there for comments, rather than basing my career path on other people's opinions. 😀

I'd be interested in any comments you guys have.

 

[pathstudent]

a hemepath fellowship + a surg path fellowship will make you an incredibly desirable applicant.

Alternately you can just do the hemepath fellowship, and given that you are from a "top ten" program, you would land a job in any region in the country.

It depends on what your comfort level is. If you are able to deal with the pressure of learning on the job, then just do hemepath and go for it. If you feel more comfortable honing your skills and refining your write-ups, then do a year of surg path too. BUt either way you will still be learning on the job no matter how long you train or what type of setting you work in.

 

[Pathoresident]

I agree. If you can combine Heme with Surg path fellowship, this will increase your chances.