Pathologist
"Disease Fighters Extraordinaire " Annie Lippert
Basic Information About Pathologists:
- Pathologists study disease.
- They examine human tissue and fluid.
- You need about 13 years of training after high school to become a pathologist.
- On average, they will earn $255,400 a year.
- Most pathologists have a regular 40-hour work week.
- Many work in hospitals or clinics. Others work in laboratories or teach at universities.
- Some preform autopsies as part of their jobs.
- Pathologists are split into two groups- clinical pathologists, who mostly focus on laboratory medicine (Preforming autopsies, being in charge of blood banks, etc.), and surgical pathologists, who look at tissue from patients in surgery (finding out if tumors are cancerous, seeing the effects of a disease on the body, etc.).
- Pathologists sometimes watch how different types of medicine and therapy affect the human body. Is the medicine curing the disease, or harming the person taking it?
- The demand for pathologists is growing, with new diseases emerging. People looking for a job in pathology will most likely find good employment opportunities.
Pros and Cons of Pathology
-Pathologists get paid a lot of money.
-They work a regular 40-hour week.
-Pathology is something that I'm interested in.
-The outlook is good (The chances of getting employed are moderately high).
Cons:
-Thirteen+ years of post-secondary education is required.
-Other than being time consuming, that amount of education would cost tons of money that would take many years to pay off.
-Pathologists may be in contact with potentially fatal diseases.
-They could potentially get sick and die.
What do you need to do to succeed as a Pathologist?
Taking advanced core classes, and science classes like Biology, Human Anatomy, and Health Science would be helpful. In addition, keeping your GPA up and participating in after-school activities and clubs will help you get into a good college.
-College/University-
Getting a Bachelor's degree in Pre-Medicine and/or Pathology and Experimental Pathology will be key. During college, like in high school, keeping up your GPA and participating in after-school activities will help you get into medical school, to receive your doctorate. Three universities I am considering are:
1. Northern Michigan University, located in Maquette, Michigan, which has a Pre-Medicine program, and from which I would receive in-state tuition, since my parents are alumni.
2. University of Connecticut, Storrs, located in Storrs, Connecticut, which has a Pathology and Experimental Pathology program, but would be highly expensive, seeing as I would be paying out of state tuition.
3. Michigan State University, located in East Lansing, Michigan, which has a Pre-Medicine program, and would also serve as a very good location for medical school. However, I would be paying out of state tuition, and it is quite expensive.
-After College/University-
After finishing medical school, you still need to complete a three to five year residency, and pass a certification exam given by The American Board of Pathologists. After that, you are done with your lengthy education, and ready to be hired.
Associations/Professional Organizations for Pathologists
1. The American Society of Clinical Pathologists
Link to website- http://www.ascp.org
Phone number- (312) 541-4999
Address- 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1600 Chicago, IL 1600
2. Intersociety Council for Pathology Information
Link to website- http://www.pathologytraining.org/
Phone number- +1 301 634-7200
Address- 9650 Rockville Pike, Suite E133 Bethesda, MD 20814
The American Society of Clinical Pathologists
Intersociety Council for Pathology Information
Job Advertisement
Job opening: Pathologist
Would be working 40 hours a week, with a starting pay of $89.06 an hour ($255,400 a year).
To apply, you need to have a bachelor's degree in Pathology and Experimental Pathology, a doctorate degree, four years of residency, and certification from The American Society of Clinical Pathologists.
You will be working at Xxxxx Hospital, studying tissue and fluid from patients with various diseases. You will also be studying the effects that medicine has on those patients.
For more information on how to apply, call this number: (xxx) xxx-xxxx
Citations:
Picture 2: http://time.com/14705/giant-virus-in-permafrost/
Picture 3: http://onradiology.blogspot.com/2010/12/simple-identification-of-giant-cell.html
Picture 4: http://science.howstuffworks.com/anthrax.htm
Picture 5: http://www.ascp.org/About-the-ASCP
Picture 7: http://www.pathologytraining.org/
Picture 8 : http://www.iowapath.com/our-pathologists.html