So You Want to Be a PATHOLOGIST [Ep. 34]

So you want to be a pathologist. You detest the idea of being around other human beings and find solace in staring down a microscope. Let’s debunk the public perception myths and give it to you straight. This is the reality of pathology.

Huge shout out to Dr. Cindy Wang from the YouTube channel H&E Life for helping in the creation of this video. Links to her YouTube and other social media accounts below.

Pathology is the field of medicine concerned with the study of body tissues and body fluids. Pathologists examine specimens to give tissue diagnoses as well as manage all of the clinical labs ordered by other physicians – from microbiology, to hematology, to chemistry, and everything between.

After medical school, pathology residency is 3-4 years depending on which pathway you choose. The majority of pathology residents complete combined anatomical and clinical pathology residency which is four years long; however, there are separate anatomic and clinical residency programs as well which are three-years long.

Medical students best suited for pathology are science-focused who don’t mind skipping out on patient care. They tend to be detail-oriented, enjoy working independently and, unlike perhaps most medical students, actually enjoy histology.