Undecided 3rd Year MS interested in learning about Pathology. Recommend any rotations (From NY)

[tmandudeguy]

Hey all!

So Im a 3rd year medical student. Im also a DO if that makes any difference. Ive been quite undecided all year but always thought in the back of my head that Id pursue Oncology. I've always had a passion for learning about about cancer biology and the novel immunotherapies coming out to treat them. However after an unexpected IM rotation Im a little more weary of going into medicine. I have an interest in Rads as well, but my brother who is a Pathologist is trying to encourage me to atleast try the field out and learn more about it. We have minimal histology exposure in our curriculum and Im just trying to read a bit on my own and hoping to do a rotation in it. Can anyone recommend any good experiences they had in any particular Pathology rotation that they think a student with minimal exposure like me can go in and see whether this is something I like or not? Places in the northeast would be preferable (Im from NY)

Thanks!

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[ClinPathDO]

Hey all!

So Im a 3rd year medical student. Im also a DO if that makes any difference. Ive been quite undecided all year but always thought in the back of my head that Id pursue Oncology. I've always had a passion for learning about about cancer biology and the novel immunotherapies coming out to treat them. However after an unexpected IM rotation Im a little more weary of going into medicine. I have an interest in Rads as well, but my brother who is a Pathologist is trying to encourage me to atleast try the field out and learn more about it. We have minimal histology exposure in our curriculum and Im just trying to read a bit on my own and hoping to do a rotation in it. Can anyone recommend any good experiences they had in any particular Pathology rotation that they think a student with minimal exposure like me can go in and see whether this is something I like or not? Places in the northeast would be preferable (Im from NY)

Thanks!

Apply for an elective rotation through vsas, I'm a DO and rotated at montefiore in the Bronx.

 

[tmandudeguy]

Right, but I was wondering if there were any particular away rotations you guys could reccomend for someone like me whose trying to decide whether this is something I want to pursue. Ive had like zero path exposure so far =/

 

[pathslides]

Right, but I was wondering if there were any particular away rotations you guys could reccomend for someone like me whose trying to decide whether this is something I want to pursue. Ive had like zero path exposure so far =/

What do you mean particular away rotation? Pick a hospital in NY that takes visiting students and has a path residency program and ask to do a path rotation. Your "particular" rotation is a general surgical pathology rotation.

 

[ClinPathDO]

What do you mean particular away rotation? Pick a hospital in NY that takes visiting students and has a path residency program and ask to do a path rotation. Your "particular" rotation is a general surgical pathology rotation.

Agreed use the online website VSAS and apply to away general pathology rotations.

VSAS Home Page

 

[tmandudeguy]

Thank you for the replies guys! I guess I'm being a little unclear as to what I mean by particular rotation. I know you use VSAS to do an away rotation in Pathology. What I was wondering was if there were any particular hospitals or rotations you did IN PATHOLOGY that you enjoyed. From personal experiences I've found that doing the a particular rotation such as IM at one program can be very different from doing IM at another program. So I just wanted to know if you had any good learning experiences at any particular pathology program.

 

[Alteran]

Thank you for the replies guys! I guess I'm being a little unclear as to what I mean by particular rotation. I know you use VSAS to do an away rotation in Pathology. What I was wondering was if there were any particular hospitals or rotations you did IN PATHOLOGY that you enjoyed. From personal experiences I've found that doing the a particular rotation such as IM at one program can be very different from doing IM at another program. So I just wanted to know if you had any good learning experiences at any particular pathology program.

The overwhelming majority of programs are only generally going to give you two options as a visiting medical student rotating in pathology: Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology. Over 90% of med students choose the AP rotation over the CP rotation. As to what happens on the AP rotation with respect to breadth of exposure, lectures, and case material is all program dependent. However, you will basically just be expected to show up, show/feign interest in the material at the scope, and try not to fall asleep at sign out. You may or not be expected to put together a brief presentation at the end of the rotation over something you found interesting during your time there. Larger programs may give you the option of spending more time in one subspeciality than another, but most medium size programs will just have you sit at the general sign out for your time there, see a couple of frozens, and get some exposure to grossing without actually doing the grossing.

The only CP rotation I would recommend a medical student do would be hemepath, though some departments consider hemepath an AP specialty. Any other CP specialty as a medical student would honestly be a waste of your time.

 

[tmandudeguy]

The overwhelming majority of programs are only generally going to give you two options as a visiting medical student rotating in pathology: Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology. Over 90% of med students choose the AP rotation over the CP rotation. As to what happens on the AP rotation with respect to breadth of exposure, lectures, and case material is all program dependent. However, you will basically just be expected to show up, show/feign interest in the material at the scope, and try not to fall asleep at sign out. You may or not be expected to put together a brief presentation at the end of the rotation over something you found interesting during your time there. Larger programs may give you the option of spending more time in one subspeciality than another, but most medium size programs will just have you sit at the general sign out for your time there, see a couple of frozens, and get some exposure to grossing without actually doing the grossing.

The only CP rotation I would recommend a medical student do would be hemepath, though some departments consider hemepath an AP specialty. Any other CP specialty as a medical student would honestly be a waste of your time.

Thank you this is very helpful! I do have a personal interest in heme path so maybe ill keep an eye out on that. Are there any particular programs youve had personal experiences with that you would recommend for rotations? I know alot of peers that use pathology as an "easy" rotation to not do anything in. But Id like to go in and meet people who are willing to teach someone genuinely interested in pursuing the field.

 

[tmandudeguy]

This is great advice, thanks! I appreciate the input. I havent taken Step 1, but Im looking to take Step 2 so that I have atleast one USMLE grade they can compare me with.

 

[tmandudeguy]

For pathology step 1 is more useful, just fyi.

No You right... its just that I feel the time has passed for me to be able to take that exam. Have so much on my plate right now with 4th year approaching. Im hoping if I do really well on Step 2 they may atleast take a second look at me