Tumor Pathology slides making me frustrated

[def1]

We are currently going over Bone and Soft tissue tumors and I understand the clinical presentations well but I have a difficult time distinguishing between different tumors based off slides.

I am in a integrated curriculum so we are learning pathology and histology concurrently, so I feel like my knowledge of normal histology isn't good to begin with.

Any useful tips? Also how much does Step 1 test over pathology slides?

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[evilbooyaa]

Any useful tips? Also how much does Step 1 test over pathology slides?

Can't really help you with the rest of your post as I kind of sucked at microanatomy as well, but the answer to the bolded is:

Not a lot. There will be some questions obviously, but they will generally give you more information than just a pathology slide and say "what is this".

 

[kexy]

We are currently going over Bone and Soft tissue tumors and I understand the clinical presentations well but I have a difficult time distinguishing between different tumors based off slides.

I am in a integrated curriculum so we are learning pathology and histology concurrently, so I feel like my knowledge of normal histology isn't good to begin with.

Any useful tips? Also how much does Step 1 test over pathology slides?

If you have problems with histology, I would try to learn the verbal descriptions of and buzzwords for the tumor histopath, find 1 good example of that description (like on google images) and commit it to memory, and then hope you're given a pretty representative example on a test.

For example, instead of staring sadly at a giant sea of purple and pink junk, learn what "palisading nuclei" look like, and remember that they are seen in BCC, learn that Ewing's is a small round blue cell tumor, etc. Memorizing these little verbal descriptions won't get you every question, but they are way easier than just trying to "read" whatever slide you're given, which often feels like reading tea leaves. Hope that kind of helps.

 

[def1]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice

 

[Fatalis]

depending on how much time you have for this;
google the first 5-10 images of a pathology, place each image in a seperate power point slide and do this for each pathology then mix up the order [label each slide as the correct pathology, it should appear after you hit enter] go through it a few times and you should start seeing some patterns. It does take up some time but its a good technique to spot the pathology and also you can ask yourself questions about the pathology as your going through it

 

[JP2740]

I think the slides on the actual step 1 were more of a help than a nuissance

 

[tantacles]

depending on how much time you have for this;
google the first 5-10 images of a pathology, place each image in a seperate power point slide and do this for each pathology then mix up the order [label each slide as the correct pathology, it should appear after you hit enter] go through it a few times and you should start seeing some patterns. It does take up some time but its a good technique to spot the pathology and also you can ask yourself questions about the pathology as your going through it

I'm going to start doing this. It seems like great advice. I'll report back after our next big path exam.

 

[roinom]

I have been to some bone and soft tissue tumor conferences, and even the pathologists seems to have some problem being certain if slides are your only clue.

Anyhow, that does not say you shouldn't learn, just be aware that it is a quite hard part, in my opinion. Also, the method Fatalis suggested is very nicetly, I actually did it for a while but came to realize that it took too much time.