Whats your favorite task as a pathologist?

[Strength&Speed]

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Since we asked the worst, i figured I'd ask the best. I realize this is completely subjective. But perhaps some general principles will emerge.

 

[deschutes]

#1: Using my occipital lobe!

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Looking down the microscope and seeing cool cases.

I also enjoy being in the frozen section room.

 

[Pingu]

I also enjoy being in the frozen section room.

I like this too, but there are times when the ringing phone (our call for frozens) just makes me cringe.

I just like looking down a scope and saying 'oooh' because I know what it is and it's just cool. I'm really really bad with words when it comes to describing my feelings for pathology.

 

[Pingu]

Back on Gyn Path! ***** Heaven!

Or When Ovaries Attack, the BWH edition!

 

[deschutes]

I just like looking down a scope and saying 'oooh' because I know what it is and it's just cool.

While I was on interviews, I witnessed a senior silver-haired pathologist cooing at a Reed-Sternberg cell. 😉 She even had a Southern accent. Pingu, behold the future!

You are all making me green with envy. Just wait till you get hit with more non-hemepath CP.

 

[Mrbojangles]

Figuring out first time diagnoses and collating what you've read in the past to what you see presently is pretty cool. Alot of the time when you get big specimens the story is already half told because there was a prior biopsy.

 

[Mr. Plow]

Providing patients and their physicians with answers, i.e. being the diagnostician.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Or When Ovaries Attack, the BWH edition!

Unfortunately, I'm off Gyn for several weeks. On to the big bad surg path week and weekend. This weekend is gonna blow. No watching football for senor Andy here.

NO ME GUSTA!

 

[yaah]

Finding the lymph node micrometastasis that everyone else missed.

 

[Strength&Speed]

That is a good goal. My mom was potentially helped by this.

 

[deschutes]

#2: Finding out how slides are made - i.e. what goes on from the moment the cassette leaves the bench to the moment they end up on my desk.

 

[b&ierstiefel]

Finding the lymph node micrometastasis that everyone else missed.

Doesn't happen often but I've come across this when seeing a few consult cases. It is rewarding to see that your hard work and the extra few minutes you spend being careful pays off!

I also love being able to diagnose a more or less rare tumor. Adds spice in my day!

 

[yaah]

Doesn't happen often but I've come across this when seeing a few consult cases. It is rewarding to see that your hard work and the extra few minutes you spend being careful pays off!

I also love being able to diagnose a more or less rare tumor. Adds spice in my day!

Yeah, one of the highlights of my room one month was a biopsy of a thigh mass and I looked at it and thought it was alveolar soft part sarcoma - showed it to other residents they thought it wasn't. Attending thought it was. Score.

 

[EvilNewbie]

Taking my pathology boards and finishing the residency so I can go to WORK! Woohoo!