Worst pathology insults heard during training..

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

LADoc00

Gen X, the last great generation
Removed
20+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2004
Messages
7,132
Reaction score
1,255
Dunno what made me think of this.

But I remember a surgery resident who told me on my first day of a vascular rotation when I told him I was app'ing to Path: "Oh, so you dont want to actually be a doctor, what are you doing here then?" the rest of the team got a good chuckle out of it.🙁

Other great pathology/medicine quotes:

A Nephrologist once told me of Pathology "You dont need to go to medical school for that".

A grad student advisor once told me "Medicine is for second rate intellects with first rate egos"

A random chick I met once told me "Pathology, why do that? Dont you want to use your MD?"

Good times, random people can really stoke the fire of the hate in your belly to achieve...

Members don't see this ad.
 
I always got this line from med school attendings "but your really good with people, why would you want to go into path?" I guess clinicians don't see themselvs as people.:luck:
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Actually most of the residents I've told either say "Good for you" or "That's disgusting". I think it's something a lot of docs never really considered doing so they're more surprised that you kind of dug deeper to find a specialty.
 
Actually most of the residents I've told either say "Good for you" or "That's disgusting". I think it's something a lot of docs never really considered doing so they're more surprised that you kind of dug deeper to find a specialty.

Speaking of that's disgusting... Am I the only one that practically makes clinicians hold the organs through peer pressure during autopsy conference? Usually I'm pretty annoyed that I had to do the post to begin with (usually for mundane reasons), and so I figured the least that they could do is hold the tissue they so desperately wanted to see...
 
Speaking of that's disgusting... Am I the only one that practically makes clinicians hold the organs through peer pressure during autopsy conference? Usually I'm pretty annoyed that I had to do the post to begin with (usually for mundane reasons), and so I figured the least that they could do is hold the tissue they so desperately wanted to see...

hahaha, retribution.

i also get the "good with people" line. hey, i'm sure most clinicians were once "good with people" early in their careers, back before they were overworked, underappreciated, under-compensated, and experienced backfires of good intentions over and over until they became the bitter, wrinkled, frustrated and vapid souls they are . . .

i can't believe those quotes that LAdoc posted. don't people realize that the vast majority of eponyms in medicine are in respect to pathologists? i would at least expect anyone with an MD to appreciate that . . .
 
Eh, people mock what they don't understand. I get the same thing with derm -- it's actually brutal during the intern year. Usually it's the d-bags who make fun of you and the ones you'd actually hang out with that are cool and supportive. During ACLS training: "why do you have to be here? heehhehehh" snickering bitches. once they realize what they're in for, they're the ones cryin'.😀
 
I got the usual "why do that? you're good with people."

Also, from an MSIV colleague, "thats just histology, like second yr med school".

A medicine intern "Pathology? HA! No one *wants* to do Pathology."

An underwriter at a bank rejected my physican lending application, saying "cadavers and specimens aren't people" :bang:

On the bright side, a quote from a surgical resident "Pathology? Wow! You'll have to know everything." Pretty insightful, eh?
 
Last edited:
I always like the, "Oh, so they let you up out of the basement for this conference, eh?"

If I have to hear one more person say, "A good day for you is when your patients wake up, huh?" Makes me want to feed the stereotype and go to the cafeteria for lunch holding a portion of skull and a circular saw. Pour my soup into this, will yah? Thanks ever so much.

LOLZ U SO CLEVR!!!!
 
Yeah, I've gotten the good with people line a lot. But, I try to tell them that in Path you work with people all the time. They'll appreciate it eventually.

Here are my favorites:

(From a CT surgeon on my last day of surgery as a 3rd year - I got the worst eval from him)

CT surgeon: So, are you interested in surgery?
Me: Yes and no. I'm going into Pathology, but I've enjoyed my rotation thus far.
CT surgeon: Oh. So anything I talk about today will be completely useless to you. The goal today is to not kill the patient.

ENT Resident: The only people who go into Path are either really smart or really lazy.

Pathology attending: I’ve never regretted it (going into Pathology).

•Medicine resident: Wow. That’s not one you hear a lot.
–
•

OB/Gyn attending: Pathology, now that’s a wonderful specialty

Orthopaedics attending after our 20th case and it's 8:30pm: I wish I would have done Pathology.
 
"Pathology is something you can do an actual residency in?? I thought it was just a hobby of some doctors."
 
Dunno what made me think of this.

But I remember a surgery resident who told me on my first day of a vascular rotation when I told him I was app'ing to Path: "Oh, so you dont want to actually be a doctor, what are you doing here then?" the rest of the team got a good chuckle out of it.🙁

I hope your repartee consisted of words small enough for them to understand.



Our dean seems to think AP/CP training is 3 years. I could see the light bulbs flicker above the heads of a couple of lazy classmates when she made that announcement. For whatever reason, I keep running into surgeons who believe that pathology does not entail a residency, as if they could have used their medical diplomas to start signing out cases instead of pursuing graduate training.

Simply amazing!

Most people in the academia fortunately are familiar with pathology and the fairly standard 5 - 6 years of training it entails (considering most young pathos are double boarded with at least one year of fellowship). At my institution, pathologists are respected. The surgeons I encountered on my rotation where very enthusiastic about my career decision although a few of them tried talking me into surgery. Only one resident was immediately turned-off when she heard that I was going into pathology.

I've gotten the "good with people" line a few times myself. I hope that all of my future co-residents have also been told that a few times before I have to spend the better part of 4 years with them 🙂



At the very least, myths and negative press for pathology help steer away a number of applicants that have no real interest or insight into the profession and come in search of an "easy lifestyle," "high salary," and whatever other ideas bitter and regretful attendings from other fields have filled their heads about pathologists.

See, it's win-win.
 
Surgeon: Pathology huh? I guess the world needs good pathologists...
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Surgeon: Pathology huh? I guess the world needs good pathologists...
I heard one similar to that during my third year. On my surgery rotation, some random attending not on our team wandered into the clinic one day, sat four or five medical students down (me included), and asked what we wanted to do.

Med student #1: "Peds."
Attending: "Bah, what a worthless field. You just play with kids. Anyone could do that. I don't even want to talk to you anymore."
Med student #2: "Internal medicine."
Attending: "All talk and no action. You'll probably bore your patients to death. You're almost boring me to death right now."
Med student #3: "I wanna do surgery!"
Attending: "You? That would be a disgrace. You couldn't handle it, kid. Surgery is for the real men. Just walk away before I start laughing."
Med student #4 (me): "Pathology."
Attending: "Pathology? What a ... wait. Actually, no, we need good pathologists. OK, you're cool."

This was followed by five seconds of all the students being stunned -- me happily, the other three just confusedly. The attending just left. Next time I saw him, he was a jerk to me, but that was clearly his default setting.
 
Cardiologist: "200 K to be a f***ing pathologist?!?!?!"

Internal medicine resident: "That's allied health. You might as well be a pharmacist."
 
So during my CP interview with this PhD faculty, she asked a few questions that I thought was weird, maybe you guys can tell me if i'm too sensitive:

1. From your application and LORs, it would seem like you are more likely to go into something that's not pathology!

2. I find that Pathology is not like OB/GYN, so the people who go into Pathology do not seem to be very hard working!

Well, I tried my best to explain that I'm thankful that my attendings thought that I have good bedside manner and that I'm personable and I have excellent communication skills which would help me work well with my colleague. I said something to explain that I am hard working, which she didn't really seem to care.

So WHAT would you guys say if an interviewer asks you these questions?
Is this person misrepresenting that program? should the PD know about this?
 
thanks all who have so far contributed to this cathartic healing thread..🙂
 
I am re-applying to that program, so in case I run into that person again with those questions, what would be the most appropriate response?
 
So during my CP interview with this PhD faculty, she asked a few questions that I thought was weird, maybe you guys can tell me if i'm too sensitive:

1. From your application and LORs, it would seem like you are more likely to go into something that's not pathology!

2. I find that Pathology is not like OB/GYN, so the people who go into Pathology do not seem to be very hard working!

Well, I tried my best to explain that I'm thankful that my attendings thought that I have good bedside manner and that I'm personable and I have excellent communication skills which would help me work well with my colleague. I said something to explain that I am hard working, which she didn't really seem to care.

So WHAT would you guys say if an interviewer asks you these questions?
Is this person misrepresenting that program? should the PD know about this?


drawing from personal experience:

1. My road's taken twists and turns, some more expected than others. I agree with what you're saying and that's why I did a PSF to solidify my interest.

If you don't have loads of path experience, you could highlight what experience you do have... electives, relevent research, aspects of previous career that you would expect to find in the practice of pathology, etc.


2. True, the training for most OB/GYN docs is grueling and I have a lot of respect for their profession. You're comparing apples and oranges however. While a majority of pathologists enjoy a more comforatable lifestyle than the average obstetrician gynecologist, each individual is different in terms of ambitions and effort. I would also distinguish "hard work" from challenging work, efficient work, or long hours. Everyone in medicine works hard. Our training is remarkably complicated and expensive for a reason! Clinicians do a lot of running around to put out fires during the day that exists to a much lesser extent pathology. That's why they tend to be out the door much later... at least as residents. Pathologists have a lot of material to master - it takes a lot of reading and practice to get to a point where we're able to sit in front of a scope and zip through cases. Loads more information if they're also boarded in clinical pathology.
 
Where I went to med school the path dept had the best space on campus, brought in serious money, and were generally very well respected. I did not encounter discouragement from other physicians and a number of them told me that they wished they had considered path.

As a resident it has also not been bad, but then we work with the same people on a regular basis, I would not expect a cardiologist to have any clue about what we do ... until he develops a brain tumor and sees us down in the OR telling his neurosurgeon the diagnosis.
 
I am re-applying to that program, so in case I run into that person again with those questions, what would be the most appropriate response?

Your ? is off topic, but I'll offer what I can.

Sounds like a bitter PhD (who wished they were an MD, IMHO) attempting to find fault. Since this is a CP faculty person, a suggested response to these needling bits could be -

These LORs reflect *both* your strong work ethic *and* your commitment to helping others on your way to becoming an outstanding pathologist. Much of what you do in this clinical lab has relevance and is valued by our colleagues in fill-in-the-blank clinical service. Etc.

Try to put yourself in the best light and wax the ego at the same time. It works.

I'm concerned that they might hold your previous interview experience against you despite your best efforts at a second try, those files don't evaporate...
 
Last edited:
thanks all who have so far contributed to this cathartic healing thread..🙂

It's a comfort that no one is immune from this kind of stuff.

To be fair, I have said some very disparaging things about other medical specialties, but NEVER to their faces.
 
Last edited:
It's a comfort that no one is immune from this kind of stuff.

To be fair, I have said some very disparaging things about other medical specialties, but NEVER to their faces.


I think it's truly "poor form" that doctors insult each other's specialties. Even jokes can be taken very abrasively. Where's the love?
 
I think it's truly "poor form" that doctors insult each other's specialties. Even jokes can be taken very abrasively. Where's the love?

I tend to agree when I overhear attendings airing disparaging comments about colleagues in other specialties.


EDIT: but I'm a student and at this point, it's difficult not to be biased by the attitudes and opinions of my residents and attendings, including those that are disparaging and ill-informed. I'd appreciate it if the surgery resident (for instant) sold me on surgery instead of propagating myths that pathologists are lazy bumbs who earn tons of money. Sometimes people joke and that's cool but it's silly when people start to believe gross exaggerations and base career decisions on them!





The bottom line is that every one of us is working for the patient. Patients don't care how much sleep their physician forfeits or how intensive a training their physician endured in residency as long as they receive the information and care that they desire.

We each possess talents and interests that distinguish us from one another and hopefully we each find our way to the most fitting specialty.

Long gone are the days when one person could do it all. One speciality cannot do without the others. We're all in this together.
 
Last edited:
So during my CP interview with this PhD faculty, she asked a few questions that I thought was weird, maybe you guys can tell me if i'm too sensitive:

1. From your application and LORs, it would seem like you are more likely to go into something that's not pathology!

2. I find that Pathology is not like OB/GYN, so the people who go into Pathology do not seem to be very hard working!

Well, I tried my best to explain that I'm thankful that my attendings thought that I have good bedside manner and that I'm personable and I have excellent communication skills which would help me work well with my colleague. I said something to explain that I am hard working, which she didn't really seem to care.

So WHAT would you guys say if an interviewer asks you these questions?
Is this person misrepresenting that program? should the PD know about this?

What would have been nice to say was "I have no idea what the eff you're talking about" and just sit back in your chair.
 
It sounds like I am being vilified for my candor. Think of the poor patients! Can't we work together?! Why, shame on me 😳😳😳

Should we all play nice? Sure we should, but it doesn't always happen in medicine, and it's rarer still in the real world. Trust me.

In the spirit of jest I have made fun of other specialties too, never to anyone's face unlike most of the scenarios in the thread. Turnabout is fair play, and to think otherwise would be hypocritical. Only an extraordinarily sensitive person or a total head case would let any of this stuff rise above the level of a joke.

The mockery is based in ego, and every practicioner within each specialty thinks that their field is the greatest ever. Only the pathologists have it right tho :laugh:
 
I feel alone getting these disparaging comments, but it looks like I'm not the only one.

From family: "But you won't be a real doctor!" and "Aren't you enough of a loner as it is?"

From a medicine attending: uncontrolled roaring laughter (I actually got along with him quite well. He must have thought I was joking...)

From an ortho attending: "Really??!! Well, umm, I guess here are some interesting things about pathology. Can't think of anything right now though... (2 weeks later) ... You could do a PhD?"

From fellow students: "But clinical medicine is what medicine is all about!" and "You're weird."

From an ENT resident (this one was positive): "You'll be doing this for a long time, so you may as well choose something you like."
 
I feel alone getting these disparaging comments, but it looks like I'm not the only one.

From family: "But you won't be a real doctor!" and "Aren't you enough of a loner as it is?"

So, what if I'm not gonna be a "real" doctor? I could have easily picked engineering or finance as my career. Instead, I'm developing an expertise to diagnose illness and help tailor treatments to individual patients. If that ain't cool, then I don't know what is.

Not sure how pathos always get associated with loners?

From a medicine attending: uncontrolled roaring laughter (I actually got along with him quite well. He must have thought I was joking...)

Uncontrolled, roaring laughter? Guy sounds weird.


From an ortho attending: "Really??!! Well, umm, I guess here are some interesting things about pathology. Can't think of anything right now though... (2 weeks later) ... You could do a PhD?"

You can pursue a PhD and training in orthopedic surgery as well. I take it this surgeon wasn't an orthopedic oncologist. Bone and soft tissue pathology is fascinating!
From fellow students: "But clinical medicine is what medicine is all about!" and "You're weird."

Lets see how far medicine gets with just clinicians and no pathologists. In my opinion, that would be kind of weird.
From an ENT resident (this one was positive): "You'll be doing this for a long time, so you may as well choose something you like."

Best advice I've heard.
 
I feel alone getting these disparaging comments, but it looks like I'm not the only one.


hence the point of this thread. You'll never walk alone, sortaspeak.


liverpool-120x120-en.jpg


When you walk through the storm

Hold your head up high,

And don't be afraid of the dark.

At the end of the storm is a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of a lark.


Walk on through the wind,

Walk on through the rain,

Though your dreams be tossed and blown.

Walk on walk on, with hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone
 
So, what if I'm not gonna be a "real" doctor? I could have easily picked engineering or finance as my career. Instead, I'm developing an expertise to diagnose illness and help tailor treatments to individual patients. If that ain't cool, then I don't know what is.

Their beef is that I won't be treating them on the side. And they equate pathology with mortician.

Not sure how pathos always get associated with loners?

We don't see live patients so, of course, we don't talk to anyone all day 🙄, hence the perfect specialty for loners (along with rads).

Uncontrolled, roaring laughter? Guy sounds weird.

I know it's hard to believe, but he was totally normal until this point. After that episode, he was really uncomfortable. This is what makes me think he thought I was joking.

You can pursue a PhD and training in orthopedic surgery as well. I take it this surgeon wasn't an orthopedic oncologist. Bone and soft tissue pathology is fascinating!

He is a typical "Bone Broke, Me Fix" orthopod. At least he spoke in full sentences.

Lets see how far medicine gets with just clinicians and no pathologists. In my opinion, that would be kind of weird.

I don't even answer anymore. I'm not forcing them to like pathology, just to appreciate the fact that they'll all be clamoring for my services sooner or later :laugh:

Best advice I've heard.

yup.
 
hence the point of this thread. You'll never walk alone, sortaspeak.


liverpool-120x120-en.jpg


When you walk through the storm

Hold your head up high,

And don't be afraid of the dark.

At the end of the storm is a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of a lark.


Walk on through the wind,

Walk on through the rain,

Though your dreams be tossed and blown.

Walk on walk on, with hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone

I know this is off topic, but I've always found it funny that Liverpool FC chose a song from the American musical Carousel to belt out in a drunken stupor when they're beating up on Everton or the Geordies.

Some of the best specialty related jokes I've heard:

How do you tell an extroverted pathologist?
He's the one who looks at your shoes.

What is the number one cause of death for pathologists?
Being hit by radiologists in the hospital parking lot at 3 pm.

How do you hide a dollar from a radiologist?
Put it on the patient.
How do you hide a dollar from a surgeon?
Put it in the chart.
How do you hide a dollar from a dermatologist?
You can't hide a dollar from a dermatologist.
 
From my family: ...blank stares & looks of confusion.

From a urologist: "So you're gonna be like DeVito in 'Half baked'."

(positive) From a plastics guy during 4th yr rotations after we wrapped up surgeries every night at 10pm: "Path is looking pretty good right about now."

Most of the radiologists I've encountered seemed to like path, and many had path as #2 on their list if they didn't do rads.
 
Guest at a dinner party, while everyone was trying to eat: Oh, pathology? So you don't actually see people, you just see chunks of people..."
 
Your ? is off topic, but I'll offer what I can.

Sounds like a bitter PhD (who wished they were an MD, IMHO) attempting to find fault. Since this is a CP faculty person, a suggested response to these needling bits could be -

These LORs reflect *both* your strong work ethic *and* your commitment to helping others on your way to becoming an outstanding pathologist. Much of what you do in this clinical lab has relevance and is valued by our colleagues in fill-in-the-blank clinical service. Etc.

Try to put yourself in the best light and wax the ego at the same time. It works.

I'm concerned that they might hold your previous interview experience against you despite your best efforts at a second try, those files don't evaporate...


VERY WELL PUT!

I told my friends about this person and they said the exact same thing, that she is just bitter!

Thanks Psychopath and Lib for your advice!
 
At the U. of C., the attendings more or less ignored me when I declared that I was going into pathology. The internal medicine docs might have been the worst.
The residents were a mixed bag: while the IM and peds residents were still snotty, the anesthesiology and surgery residents were actually pretty cool with it (Of course, their approving comments were usually made after they had pulled all night call.).
 
Sign hanging over a pathology office:

Our day begins when yours ends.

🙄
 
Somewhat related.

Seinfeld considering dermatologists to not be "life-savers," then someone reminds him of skin cancer. However, I suppose the pathologists do the diagnosing ...
 
Somewhat related.

Seinfeld considering dermatologists to not be "life-savers," then someone reminds him of skin cancer. However, I suppose the pathologists do the diagnosing ...

You mean, "Pimple Popper, M.D."? The best part of that episode is when Kramer pretends to be the dermatologist so George can get a picture of his boss from Krueger Industrial Smoothing.
 
I was hoping to hear some interesting stuff when I saw the original post. However, I've come away some what disappointed. I was expecting to hear phrases such as:

"My monkey can gross better than you. I don't need someone who's medically trained to do your quality of work."

I think the worst one I've heard is:

"I guess you can take the rest of the day off now." This was from an attending to a resident after the resident cut herself grossing.


----- Antony
 
One of my favorites was from a pathology residency director at a community hospital who told me that any time he received an application from a USMG he wondered what was wrong with the person as he believed Deans pushed med students into path after they proved they couldn't deal with the social aspects of clinical medicine.
 
Cardiologist: "200 K to be a f***ing pathologist?!?!?!"

Internal medicine resident: "That's allied health. You might as well be a pharmacist."

This coming from a whole group of people who just order every test under the sun and then get the pathologist on CP call to figure out what the results mean because they're totally clueless.
 
I fee left out, as I cannot recall a single pathology inspired insult during medical school. When clinicians would ask me my specialty preference and I'd tell them, they'd invariably look at me, rather bleary-eyed, and mutter something about how pathology is a great field.
 
I think they're all jealous. They all chose the wrong track and wish they could be in our field.

😀

With the exception of the few that just can't handle the microscope (kinda like being an opra singer and being tone deaf) or are ignorant.
 
ENT: Ew, why would you want to do that?
Me: (Said something about consulting with a variety of specialties)
ENT: I don't know who told you that, but that's not true. We never see the Pathologist. Maybe once in a while for a thyroid FNA, but that's it.

But alas, this guy was not only for Pathologists.

Other student: Emergency Medicine
ENT: You'll burn out.
 
This morning, waiting on a VA laundry room staffer...

Staffer, slowly reading off the sheet: "So you're in pathology?"
deschutes, patiently: "Yes."
Staffer: "So you want to be a mortician, huh?"
deschutes, firmly: "Absolutely not. If I wanted to be a mortician, I would have gone to mortician school."
Staffer: "Oh."
deschutes: "We direct the hospital lab services."
Staffer: "Oh."

Just another story to help keep the thread going.
 
i've told this story on this forum before, but it fits and is classic.

i'm in line getting coffee. i'm in scrubs, white coat, stethoscope around my neck. a very smug attending come up next to me in line and starts eyeballing my name tag that indicates i'm a "medical student".

"medical student" he says with a grin . . . "and what kind of doctor do you want to be when you grow up?"

::::what an *****hole::::

i politely reply "pathologist"

"What?" he balks "You don't like people?!?!?!?!"

i ever so subtly turn my head and calmly reply: "Nope"

end of conversation.
 
hence the point of this thread. You'll never walk alone, sortaspeak.


liverpool-120x120-en.jpg


When you walk through the storm

Hold your head up high,

And don't be afraid of the dark.

At the end of the storm is a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of a lark.


Walk on through the wind,

Walk on through the rain,

Though your dreams be tossed and blown.

Walk on walk on, with hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone


Tru dat.

Back to the main point:

Surgery rotation. Surgery interns alpha and beta are talking about the surgery intern omega:

Alpha: Omega is dropping. He's already talked to the chair.
Beta: Why is he dropping?
Alpha: He doesn't have high work ethics, so he'll do pathology or something like that.
 
The "bad gross" business mentioned in an earlier post struck something... the big X over my grosses, and being sent back to the buckets over and over again. Ahh, the good old days!

Keep the diagnostic terms out of your gross descriptions, and for God's sake don't cut *anything weird* without calling someone senior for guidance. These two defensive moves are generally helpful in avoiding path attending wrath and most associated grousing.

I once heard "English is your first language, isn't it?" from an attending who was less than pleased with the write up I had done on a case.
 
I think it's truly "poor form" that doctors insult each other's specialties. Even jokes can be taken very abrasively. Where's the love?

Yep - I just got back from a doctor's appointment (I was the patient). I had never seen this physician before. We have an EMR here and the chart is labeled BEARY MD.

So then he asked me what specialty I am in and I said pathology. To which he said "You can learn pathology on TV anymore. Do you watch Bones?"

😡
 
Yep - I just got back from a doctor's appointment (I was the patient). I had never seen this physician before. We have an EMR here and the chart is labeled BEARY MD.

So then he asked me what specialty I am in and I said pathology. To which he said "You can learn pathology on TV anymore. Do you watch Bones?"

😡

That is frustrating. As pathologists, we will always have to deal with this and you just have to get used to this and take it in stride without it aggravating you too much. However, many criticisms come from clinicians who are not the best informed. From my experience, the very skilled, experienced clinicians respect the role of pathologists and understand the capabilities of pathology (and other subspecialties).
 
Top