Why not Pathology?

[Unty]

My opinion as a rads resident:

Look at where the two specialties work. Pathologists work in odd-smelling labs, and often have to go do gross dissections of surgical path.

Radiologists have comfortable chairs in an office-building type room, with coffee and snacks nearby.

The working environment is very different, and that matters!

Pathology is seeing a decrease in number of US grad applicants. This post explains why. Medical students, residents and Attendings don’t even know what we do and our lifestyle. Sad for our field!

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[orthogenes]

There is pathology weird and there is radiology weird. I considered both heavily through medical school.

Turns out I'm radiology weird. You just have to find your people. Diagnostic medicine is fun, so find your people and learn and flourish.

 

[Pathdoc retired]

Hi, recently retired pathologist chiming in on pathology as career. After 27 years of practice, I can only tell any student that will listen that they should NEVER go into pathology!!! I deeply regret that choice and will take every opportunity to discourage anyone from following my mistake. Path is an underappreciated (?unappreciated) specialty, treated poorly and unprofessionally by "colleagues" and administrators both. For some reason, radiology is far more respected than is pathology (i.e. rads always show their images at tumor board, path is often dissed and openly so, at same conference.) By all means go into radiology instead, I very much wish I had!

 

[90sportsfan]

Hi, recently retired pathologist chiming in on pathology as career. After 27 years of practice, I can only tell any student that will listen that they should NEVER go into pathology!!! I deeply regret that choice and will take every opportunity to discourage anyone from following my mistake. Path is an underappreciated (?unappreciated) specialty, treated poorly and unprofessionally by "colleagues" and administrators both. For some reason, radiology is far more respected than is pathology (i.e. rads always show their images at tumor board, path is often dissed and openly so, at same conference.) By all means go into radiology instead, I very much wish I had!

From what I have heard, the challenging part about Pathology is the lack of available jobs. I have read that you pretty much need to do 2 fellowships and then you have to be open to working anywhere in the country, as it is highly unlikely that you will be able to just find a job in a major city/suburb. Making the final call on cancer/not-cancer (malignant/benign) seems like it could be really stressful too and I've heard about some big payouts that can result from mistakes (understandingly). I enjoyed my Path lectures, but my mind seems more visual and so I'm attracted more to radiology. It doesn't hurt that there are a lot more radiology jobs out there. It seems like with more biopsies and specimens, and a focus on diagnostics/technologies/early detection, that Path would and should at some point increase in popularity.

 

[Splenda88]

Hi, recently retired pathologist chiming in on pathology as career. After 27 years of practice, I can only tell any student that will listen that they should NEVER go into pathology!!! I deeply regret that choice and will take every opportunity to discourage anyone from following my mistake. Path is an underappreciated (?unappreciated) specialty, treated poorly and unprofessionally by "colleagues" and administrators both. For some reason, radiology is far more respected than is pathology (i.e. rads always show their images at tumor board, path is often dissed and openly so, at same conference.) By all means go into radiology instead, I very much wish I had!

It's probably different culture in different part of the country. I don't know about administration, but path is well respected by colleagues where I am.

 

[2brads]

Can someone explain how RVU's work for pathology? Is it like, "Livers are x and thyroids are x/2, etc" or is it more like how many stains/markers were performed?