Specialist Pathologists doing general pathology

[maminr]

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Hi guys. I am just wondering how often do the specialist pathologists in USA, with a fellowship in a subspeciality, do also keep on doing their general pathology work afterwards? Is it common or rare? I mean as far as I know the post fellowship pathologists just do specialist work as a consultant? Or it depends on the area, kind of hospital etc? Thanks.

 

[pathstudent]

Hi guys. I am just wondering how often do the specialist pathologists in USA, with a fellowship in a subspeciality, do also keep on doing their general pathology work afterwards? Is it common or rare? I mean as far as I know the post fellowship pathologists just do specialist work as a consultant? Or it depends on the area, kind of hospital etc? Thanks.

It is very common. I don't know how subspecialized you mean. But there are only a few truly subspecialized departments in the country where all pathologists only look at 1 or most 2 organ systems for their careers. The vast majority of community hospitals and academic hospitals have some level of general sign-out.

Certainly if you do neuropath or eye path or something like that then you are more set up for doing only that.

 

[green mantis]

Certainly if you do neuropath or eye path or something like that then you are more set up for doing only that.

The ocular pathologists at my residency did more than just pathology; they were also faculty in ophthalmology, so they saw patients too. I don't think I've met anyone from this particular subspecialty who's pathology trained.


----- Antony

 

[yaah]

A lot of neuropath people cover eye path. I'm sure there's some derm people who do it too since there's a lot of overlap.

 

[caffeinegirl]

At Massachusetts Eye and Ear, eye path is part of the MGH Dept of Path. The attendings who cover eye path range from ophthos, dermpath, and neuropath attendings. The intraocular specimens, as well as globes, go to eye path. The eyelid stuff usually goes to dermpath. All the ophtho residents have required month long rotations in eye path...not the same for us path residents, who sometimes see these specimens during our daily unknown conferences.

 

[maminr]

Thanks for the info. By subspecialty I meeant like GIT path, Uropath, Gynae path etc.

Few more querries please:

1: while someone is doing a fellowship lets say in Uropath, does that doc see gen path during that 1-2 years of fellowship training? If he doesnt then does it not affect his gen path skills?

2: Is it possible to do subspecialise in 2 areas, like uropath and renal path?

Thanks.

By the way I am a trainee in Histopathology (anatomic path) in UK. Just trying to get information on fellowship training in USA.