Step III for pathologists

[Stinger86]

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Hey everyone-

My one burning question is whether or not a path resident/future private pathologist needs to take the USMLE Step III exam after his/her first year of residency. I may be completely misinformed, but I thought taking and passing the Step III was only required for drug-prescribing physicians and clinical certification.

It just seems to me that if the step III is required for all medical specialties, a path resident (with no transitional year of clinical experience) might have a distinct disadvantage. Of course, this disadvantage could possibly be mitigated by review books, etc., but I'm just curious if, as a path resident, I would have to take Step III at all.

(To give an example, I was told by a path resident that if you take and pass step III during your second year of residency, you can moonlight as a forensic pathologist on the side. Can anyone please explain what the step III has to do with this?)

Thanks! 🙂

 

[mrpeters714]

Pathologists need to be licensed just like any other practicing physician, so, yes, you need to take and pass step 3. It's just a little harder for pathologists because we don't see patients and forget all that stuff like when to start IV's and such. But, you only have to pass. The usual recommendation is to take Step 3 as early as possible in your first year before you forget all the stuff you learned in med school.

Also, yes, it is possible to moonlight as a pathologist. Usually, this will consist of grossing in specimens for outside path firms on evenings/weekends. And you can only allowed to do this if you have a medical license.

-mrp

 

[Stinger86]

Thanks for the response