What will happen in 2006

[newdoc2b]

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I know that the job market for pathologists are great but what's going to happen in 2006 when 2 classes graduate ? there will be like 1200 people looking for a position since about 600 graduate each year. Of course some of them will go into fellowships. But then there still will be more competetion the following year or the next. Probably by 2008 a lot of positions will be saturated and it will become once again difficult to find a job after finishing residency and one would have to do fellowship after fellowship waiting for an opportunity. What do you think about this Great Pumpkin ?

 

[GreatPumpkin]

Yes, this is something I have been thinking about since I am right in the middle of this being one of the last 5 year residents. I do believe most of the 4 year folks will be looking for fellowships, so the big crunch may be for fellowships mostly the first year. Some programs are planning on adding fellowship spots to try and make room. But, you can bet cytopath and dermpath fellowships will be very very competitive.

The job market has been pretty decent for path, at least from what I have seen. Hopefully with the economy getting better overall the path market will be real strong by the time we all graduate.

I am not real worried for myself, MCV is a strong program with good contacts in the region and national, I should not have any problems. I am also really looking for a small town type job which are generally undesirable to many people. I am also not going to limit my search to any specific region of the country I will move where the jobs are. The people that have the most problem with jobs are the ones that only want to live in one place and limit their options.

But, all this is speculation only time will tell.

 

[rirriri]

some non-Pathology people that i've talked to are saying that Pathology is ready for take off.

There is a whole generation of Pathologists considering retirement in the next few years....and since there is a dramatic increase in Pathology interest over the last few years, i think that the field will become pretty competitive in general in the next 5 years.

Funny how in the mid-90s...there was NO DESIRE for anyone to do Path.

Funny how in the early 90s...there was NO DESIRE for anyone to do Radiology.

Radiology slowly developed into the monster it is today...i personally feel that Pathology is heading in that direction. Just my opinion.

cheers!

 

[GreatPumpkin]

I don't see path becoming anything like rads, because I don't think the money will ever be to the level we are hearing about in rads. And, I think that is one of the main things pushing intrest in both gas and rads.

I still don't think the path intrest this year will increase at the rate it did last year. The increase in US grad matched was pretty high last year compared to previous years. But, we will see.

 

[Doctor B.]

Yes, the dual class competition has got me a little worried since I'll be right in the thick of it. Plus, starting with my class, we will have to recertify every 10 years. I wish I'd have been born earlier.

 

[GreatPumpkin]

Originally posted by BCMD
Plus, starting with my class, we will have to recertify every 10 years.

My hope is to be so wealthy I can say forget you American Board of Pathology and retire! hehe.

I do think it is sucky how they exempted all of the current members and stuck it to us. Someone should sue the ABP due to equal protection or something.

 

[oldandtired]

"There is a whole generation of Pathologists considering retirement in the next few years"

I hear this about every field. For the most part it never materializes. The old farts dont mind working 10-3 while dumping everything on the newly minted grads.

 

[madlovescience]

You guys have me really worried... I'm taking a rather non-traditional road to med school, right now I am working on the BS degree that will let me become a medical technologist ( I work full time, too), and I hope to attend med school after that for pathology. I'm attracted to path because I like the nature of the work. I'm actually worried that path will become like radiology and be crazy competitive by the time I finally apply to med school in a few years! Am I worried about nothing? Is it too soon to tell?

 

[pathstudent]

Dude,

If path is competitive then learn how to compete. Just work hard. That is all it takes to rock medical school. You don't need to be a genius like you do if you want to be chair of quantum mechanics at Oxford. If you are worried that path is competitive, that would infer that you don't think too highly of yourself as an applicant. That seems like a "loser" attitude. We don't need any losers in path. So rise up!

But to answer your question, pathology will never be that competitive. Most medical students intensely dislike pathology and do not ever even consider it for residency for two seconds. In fact most doctors have no idea what a pathologist does. Most other docs think just like the general public, dead patients.

You also imply that radiologists are somehow superior to path people. That is ridiculous. I could easily match in radiology and so could most any non-mediocre student.

 

[GreatPumpkin]

Yeah, I think you are jumping the gun. Worry about doing well in MT school then worry about getting into med school. Path will be here and I doubt it will ever get to the level rads is right now.

Btw, many people go to med school via the other health care routes. So you are not that non-traditional. One of the women in my program was an MT first. And, one that just graduated was an MT.

I was in the Navy nuclear power program prior to college and med school, now that is a jump. hehe. Guess I should have went into Rad Onc. 🙂

Good luck.

 

[pathological]

At my path program, one attg. was a med. tech. prior to becoming a patholgist, and one resident was also. Also, one med. tech is currently in med. school.

 

[madlovescience]

I never meant to imply that radiology is better than path. Nor do I feel that I have a loser attitude. I was just asking your opinion.

 

[pathdr2b]

One of my many previous careers was as an MT, and because of that expereince, almost completely dismissed Pathology altogether( I hate CP with a passion already).

 

[madlovescience]

lol Maybe so... But I enjoy working as an MLT and I want to learn more. It's nice to know that I'm not the only person doing things this way.

 

[GreatPumpkin]

And, you will have the added bonus of knowing the CP stuff better than probably 90% of the senior residents at your program before you even start. hehe.

 

[Doctor B.]

That's true. I find it hard to learn CP because I just don't enjoy it very much.