Career: Pathologist

What is pathology?

Pathology involves the study and diagnosis of disease through the examination of organs, body tissues, bodily fluids, and in some cases may require a full body examination, autopsy. Pathologists can determine what is going on inside your body and create the best course of action to help your body recover. There are different branches of pathology; surgical pathology, cytopathology, and molecular pathology. Surgical pathology focuses on the examination of body tissue and organs with the naked eye or under a microscope for a definitive diagnosis. Cytopathology focuses on the diagnoses of diseases on the cellular level. It is usually used in the process of cancer diagnoses. Finally, molecular pathology highlights the study of disease through the examination of molecules within your organs, tissues or bodily fluids. 

What does a pathologist do?

A pathologist tests body fluids and tissue, which helps your doctor make a diagnosis about your health. The laboratory tests monitor the health of all patients who require medical assistance. Once your blood is drawn it is sent to a pathologist for examination. Through your blood many results can be determined such as a complete blood count (CBC), which could detect anemia or blood cancer. Another test that can be run by pathologists is the basic metabolic panel (BMP), which measures different chemicals in your blood, your blood glucose, calcium, and electrolytes. Your blood glucose levels can indicate signs of diabetes. Any abnormal calcium levels could be a sign of kidney problems, bone disease, thyroid disease, cancer, or another disorder. The BMP is usually performed using the plasma part of your blood. This specific test can give doctors information on you muscles (including the heart), bones, and organs, such as the kidneys and liver. There are many other tests that could be run on your blood which could mean a myriad of different things. A test run on a sample of body tissue could give a definitive diagnosis. The sample of body tissue is a biopsy. With the biopsy taken from your body, it will be examined by a surgical pathologist.

How to become a pathologist and the salary.

Pathologists require a medical degree. After completing university-level classes in high school, consisting of English, Chemistry, Biology, and Math, the acceptance into a recognized science program at post secondary is required. Finally completing a four-year program and receiving a Bachelor degree in science, admission into medical school is the next step to becoming a pathologist. Following medical school, a residency program of 2 to 4 years must be taken in order to focus and study in-depths, pathology. After the couple of years in residency are complete, the individual has become a recognized pathologist. If one wishes to specialize in a specific branch of pathology, a 1 to 2 year fellowship may be taken. The different branches one may specialize in are; cytopathology, forensic pathology, neuropathology, endocrine pathology and many more. The average salary for a pathologist is approximately $128,000.

Sources:

“What Is Pathology?” McGill Library, 28 Jan. 2015, www.mcgill.ca/pathology/about/definition.

CellNetix. “What Does a Pathologist Do? | CellNetix Pathology & Laboratories.” Cellnetix - CellNetix Pathology and Laboratories Is an Anatomic Pathology Group Located in Washington Serving Communities and Hospitals in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska., cellnetix.com/what-does-a-pathologist-do/.

“Blood Tests.” National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/blood-tests.