What are the odds...

[dwil75]

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A question for those recently graduated path residents now looking for jobs...

In short, I'm a pathology resident who is married to another pathology resident. He's about to graduate, and I had completed one year of training at which time I took a leave (this year) to have a baby.

I want to restart residency this summer if possible; my question is, for those in the know, do my husband and I stand a decent chance of finding two jobs in the same city. We will be most likely be living in Texas or else somewhere in the midwest or southwest (not coasts) but we do not want to live "just anywhere"; being proximal to family is important to us both.

My former PD had expressed some concern over this issue of jobs when he learned of our marriage: I'm frankly so concerned about it that I am considering changing specialties. Thoughts? Can a married pair of pathologists find work together? (He's interested in private practice, I enjoy blood bank the most).

Thanks!

 

[Napoleon1801]

A question for those recently graduated path residents now looking for jobs...

In short, I'm a pathology resident who is married to another pathology resident. He's about to graduate, and I had completed one year of training at which time I took a leave (this year) to have a baby.

I want to restart residency this summer if possible; my question is, for those in the know, do my husband and I stand a decent chance of finding two jobs in the same city. We will be most likely be living in Texas or else somewhere in the midwest or southwest (not coasts) but we do not want to live "just anywhere"; being proximal to family is important to us both.

My former PD had expressed some concern over this issue of jobs when he learned of our marriage: I'm frankly so concerned about it that I am considering changing specialties. Thoughts? Can a married pair of pathologists find work together? (He's interested in private practice, I enjoy blood bank the most).

Thanks!

At my school, there's a Chinese couple that practices surgical pathology together. This being an academic center though...

 

[DOhopeful08]

i don't want to hijack this thread but how is the job market in Chicago?

 

[2121115]

To the previous poster, the job market in any large city (like Chicago) is going to be competitive. Don't count on anything.

To the OP: I think that finding a position in the same city is possible, however, to make it happen at least one of you (and probably both) is going to need to be at an academic institution. Stay as general as possible and be willing to fill whatever need they have for whatever they are willing to pay (which won't be much at an acaemic center). There are always non-tenure track positions at academic centers to sign out general surg path. Between the 2 of you, you could make 250K and have a nice lifestyle in a mid-sized city.

 

[DOhopeful08]

.

 

[OsteoGASDOC]

wow.. 4 years of medical school + 4 years of residency + 1 to 2 years fellowship and i won't be able to practice where i want??! I have officially crossed out path as a possible specialty.

 

[LADoc00]

wow.. 4 years of medical school + 4 years of residency + 1 to 2 years fellowship and i won't be able to practice where i want??! I have officially crossed out path as a possible specialty.

if that is want you need, yes DEFINITELY cross path out.

As to the original question: I actually do not think it is good for your relationship to work together. This isnt Little House on the Prarie.

That said, if money is not a concern you could always job share in a group.

 

[podtsan]

wow.. 4 years of medical school + 4 years of residency + 1 to 2 years fellowship and i won't be able to practice where i want??! I have officially crossed out path as a possible specialty.

yeah me too, because I'd rather be working 80+ hours, dealing with malignant patients, and sticking my finger up peoples bums...

 

[Torsed]

The good thing about pathology is that half the pathologists will be dead or retired in 10 years, rare to meet one under 45 or so. I think the demand will markedly increase. Reckon we see what happens. 😕

 

[coffee42]

It looks like job prospect is tough for couples in pathology. I don't know how job sharing would work, but it seems like it would put limit on your full potential. It would really suck after all these years of med school+ residency+fellowship and not land an ideal position. Is this pathology specific? I believe there are couples in pathology on this board, maybe he/she might chip in response later😛.

To the more senior pathologists here: Would it help if you graduate from brand name residencies like MGH/UCSF/JHU? Or no matter what, it will be difficult to find good jobs as a couple when you finish? For the academia side, I don't think academic centers have lots of positions to give away either, at least according to what I see on ads... Sigh.

 

[2121115]

The good thing about pathology is that half the pathologists will be dead or retired in 10 years, rare to meet one under 45 or so. I think the demand will markedly increase. Reckon we see what happens. 😕

Do not count on this. People have been saying it for years and it still hasn't happened. Particularly now with the economy in the tank and people losing half of their retirement savings, these pathologists are going to hang on until they actually die at the scope.

I agree with the previous poster that if you have your heart set on living in a certain city then run far far away from pathology. You can probably land a job in a general geographic area, but your are setting yourself up for fail if you want a particular city and nothing else. Pathology just doesn't work that way.

 

[dwil75]

Thanks for the input. I don't mind academics but my husband doesn't want to work in an academic center. What about one private practice job, and one flexible "anything" job, in Texas? Any thoughts? (in answer to LADoc, we aren't looking to work together... We just both want jobs somewhere within 30 miles of each other... Is there hope?)

 

[scurred]

just start your own lab...

 

[insertnamehere]

wow.. 4 years of medical school + 4 years of residency + 1 to 2 years fellowship and i won't be able to practice where i want??! I have officially crossed out path as a possible specialty.

That is true of ALL specialties except family medicine which would still be hard in a big city. Pathology actually has a good job market especially in certain areas (forensic path is starved for ppl to go into it, doesn't matter where).
To answer the original poster, like i said, it depends on the specialty and the job type. Pathology is a specialty with a glut of private lab jobs, but if you both want to work in academics in Dermatopathology, you should probably stay out of big cities. If you both want to go into Forensic path, you can go anywhere you want and not have to worry. Those are the two ends of the spectrum.

 

[HbyHA]

That is true of ALL specialties except family medicine which would still be hard in a big city. Pathology actually has a good job market especially in certain areas (forensic path is starved for ppl to go into it, doesn't matter where).
To answer the original poster, like i said, it depends on the specialty and the job type. Pathology is a specialty with a glut of private lab jobs, but if you both want to work in academics in Dermatopathology, you should probably stay out of big cities. If you both want to go into Forensic path, you can go anywhere you want and not have to worry. Those are the two ends of the spectrum.

I would not make the blanket statement you make about the job market in Forensics... I'm doing a Forensics fellowship, 2010. Yes, I could easily walk into a job when I finish... IF i can be flexible about location. There are lots of offices out there that may be starved for FP's but there are also quite a few that have real problems. Most positions are local government funded, so I envision these problems getting worse, as many big cities are trying to find ways to trim costs. Try convincing taxpayers that they need a quality death investigation system and to divert finances from other areas for it!!

I am tied to one big Northeastern city with a troubled OME and few other options. BUT, alot can change in 2.5 years, so here's hoping!

plus i truly believe that you shouldn't go into Forensics (or any field!!!) just because of the job market. How about going into a field because you'll actually look forward to going to work each (or at least most!) days? especially Forensics. if you're going to the office for a paycheck, you're NOT going to be happy. it can be a very emotionally challenging field to work in...

 

[js223]

just start your own lab...

isn't this ridiculously difficult in the bigger cities?