Clerks: Consider a career in Pathology

[Guest Buffy Pool]

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[unknown user 7]

Thanks Buffy Pool. Good to know.

 

[peachy]

Thanks for putting together a great post about pathology! I've stickied it so that it stays at the top of the forum.

[White-Tiger]

I've got a question regarding the "General Pathology" career path. After looking through the CaRMS website, it seems only the university of Saskatchewan offers this program, and there is only one spot?!

I've looked in the four quebec schools (McGill, Montreal, Laval and Sherbrooke) and they only seem to offer Anatomical Pathology and Medical Microbiology.

 

Now, I'm pretty sure that more than one general pathologist is trained per year in Canada. So...would someone graduating from McGill's program be considered an Anatomical Pathologist or a General Pathologist?!

 

Here's the program description directly from McGill's website. It seems to include rotations in many different aspects of Pathology, not simply autopsies and whatnot.

 

 

"This is a five-year program for medical graduates entering pathology directly from medical school via CaRMS.

 

The PGY-1 year is a clinical year devised by the Pathology Program Director and the individual resident. Rotations are flexible, however, will usually consist of various medical and surgical specialties of more immediate concern to pathology. Candidates who already have had one year of clinical study may enter the second year of the program.

 

During the PGY-2 to PGY-3 years, the rotational content consists of the following: 3 mandatory periods in autopsy pathology, 21 mandatory periods in surgical and subspecialty pathology, starting with 2 periods of introduction to surgical pathology, a series of one-period rotations in the various subspecialties and finishing with a 3-period rotation of integrated surgical pathology.

 

In the PGY-4 year, there are 4 periods in cytopathology, 2 periods in forensic pathology, 2 periods in pediatric pathology, 2 periods in neuropathology, 1 period of cytogenetics and 1 period of advanced technology, all mandatory.

 

During PGY-5, 6-12 periods in one or two of the following are suggested: clinical or anatomical pathology, clinical medicine, clinical or basic research as a block or integrated with other rotations.

[Satsuma]

Hey there,

 

I don`t think anatomical and general pathology are identical although there is some overlap.

 

Patho is also under the heading Laboratory Medicine for Carms. You could have a look at the programs listed there, if you haven`t already.

[bayervillager]

Hi Buffy Pool! Thanks so much for your detailed information on pathology. While the lack of a patient contact is a bit of a downer, pathology as a career looks really cool. Frozen sections and grossing the specimen sounds very neat!

 

I've got 2 questions though, if it's not too much trouble for you Buffy Pool. First, what exactly is a smaller centre with a regional laboratory? Does that mean a city like Peterborough or Kingston or Brampton? Or does that refer to a even smaller setting like say... North Gower or Merrickville? The other thing is, how often would a general pathologist in one of those regional laboratories be called on to do an autopsy, and how often would a general pathologist have to testify after handling an autopsy? The autopsy part doesn't sound so bad, but testifying in a court sounds kind of scary to me...

 

Once again, thanks so much for your detailed information on Pathology!

[sirdraconon]

Thanks for the excellent post Buffy Pool.

 

I'm a Canadian med student... I understand that in the US, the residency program for AP is only 3 years long, compared to the 5 years in Canada. There isn't a requirement to do a rotating clinical year in the US. Would it be possible for me to do residency in the states and then come back to practice Pathology in Canada?

[bayervillager]

Thanks so much Jennifer, for all of your responses!

[Jazz]

Thanks for your posts Jennifer,

 

I currently doing an elective in pathology, and considering applying to path for Carms this yr. I am interested in general pathology, the variety and broad training is very appealing. I also would rather work in a community center. However, many residents I've talked to (AP residents) says how gen path is an impossibly difficult exam, passing rate is 50%, almost everyone switch to AP, etc. What's your view on that? Is the passing rate that low for Canadian graduates as well? Thanks for your time.

[Bancroft]

Hello Buffy Pool!

 

I am quite interested in the field of pathology, but have been getting some conflicted advice from a friend doing path in the U.S...I could really use your perspective.

 

First, he mentioned to me that their AP program is 3 years and their AP/CP program is 4 years. Therefore, he said, most pathology residents opt for AP/CP down there because it allows you to do more, gives you training that is broad enough to run a lab in private practice, and ultimately makes you more marketable when looking for a job (for just 1 more year). When I asked for his advice on the Canadian system, he told me to do the AP/CP equivalent here (which I guess is GP) hands down for these very reasons. My question is, do you agree with his logic? Have you found the skills of a GP to be in more demand in Canada than an AP?

 

Second, I hate to ask this, but I would like some clarification on salary. He mentioned to me that a LOT of 1st & 2nd year residents in the U.S. start gunning hard core for fellowships in Dermpath and GI path. Supposedly, Dermpaths get paid astronomically higher than other pathologists (sometimes 2 to 3 times more). However, when I look at paths in Canada they all seem to be between $200K-$330K as per Ontario salary disclosure rules. Do you find that certain fellowships (like Dermpath) gift you a much higher salary in Canada? Or, as some have told me, pathologists in Canada have to individually negotiate their salaries, so if you can play hardball, you'll get paid more? Others again, have told me that how much you get paid in Canada does not depend on your skills or experience, but on whether you land a job in a high volume center or hospital with a lot of money? Buffy Pool, what do you think?

 

Finally, as I am an aspiring pathologist, I was thinking of doing electives in Ottawa (1st choice) and Toronto (2nd choice)...are either of these programs good? Either of them tough to get into? Ever known a path applicant (who really wanted path) to be turned down?

 

Any insight you could give me would be really appreciated...I'm just a lonely ol' med student relentlessly pursuing the truth (hence, my interest in path:-)

 

Bancroft

[Bancroft]

Thank you Buffy Pool. Your post has been very helpful to me, and I appreciate the time you have taken.

 

B.

[blinknoodle]

In Ontario, at least, all pathologists are salaried at the roughly the same rate, with fluctuations due to bonuses from academic positions. I think this just started this year.

[noncestvrai]

Buffy tell us about the stronger programs you know about.

 

thx

 

noncestvrai

[ubcredfox]

If someone has Buffy Pool's original post on Path, could you kindly re-post it? All I see is "......" I'd like to be in the know re: Path as a career

 

Thanks.

[Ian Wong]

Unfortunately, BP requested that her account be deleted a few months back. Along with that, her posts seem to have been removed as well. I don't think there's any way to retrieve them.

 

Ian

[ubcredfox]

Tough break.