Pathology
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"Typically, we interview about 10% of the applicants."
- University of Pittsburgh Department of Pathology
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Why pursue Pathology as a career?
2010 Pathology Salary
Overview of Residency Training
To become a pathologist, three or four years of residency training are required. According to the AMA and AAMC, there are over 2,300 residents training in 149 ACGME-accredited pathology residency programs. Sixty-two percent are USMDs, 32% are international medical graduates, and 6% are osteopathic graduates.
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Pathology residents in the United States |
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# of total residents |
% USMDs |
% IMGs |
% osteopathic graduates |
|
2,358 |
62% |
32% |
6% |
| Data adapted from Brotherton S, Etzel S. Graduate medical education, 2009 - 2010. JAMA 2010; 304(11): 1255 - 1270. | |||
2010 Match Data
In the 2010 NRMP Match, most U.S. seniors who applied to pathology matched. Only 4.9% of U.S. senior medical students failed to match. The numbers are far worse for international medical graduates (IMGs). IMGs are considered independent applicants, and, in 2010, 56.1% of independent applicants failed to match.
Why pursue Pathology as a Career?
Pathologists discuss reasons why they chose to pursue a career in pathology:
Nancy Rosenthal, MD
Leslie Bruch, MD
Michael Knudson, MD
2010 Pathologist Physician Compensation/Salary
Find out how much a pathologist makes
Subspecialties of Pathology
Subspecialties in which pathologists can pursue fellowship training leading to board certification include blood banking/transfusion medicine, chemical pathology, cytopathology, dermatopathology, forensic pathology, hematology, medical microbiology, molecular genetic pathology, neuropathology, and pediatric pathology.
Excelling in your Core Clerkships
In a recent NRMP survey of pathology residency program directors, 52% cited "honors in clinical clerkships" as a factor in selecting applicants to interview. Our book, Success on the Wards: 250 Rules for Clerkship Success shows students proven strategies for success in core clerkships. Nineteen U.S. medical school have made our book a required or recommended text for third-year medical students. Read reviews of the book and Q & A with the authors. The first chapter is available free to read. The book can be purchased through our online store or at Amazon.
Pathology Residency Application
Almost all residency programs require applicants to submit their completed application through the Electronic Residency Application Service, also known as ERAS. ERAS does not, however, allow applicants to submit their curriculum vitae or CV as part of this application. Instead, ERAS requires all applicants to transfer information from their CV to the ERAS Application Form. It is the ERAS Application Form that is then sent to programs for review along with the the rest of your application.
Once the application is received, program directors will read it closely and carefully. The application will be used to assess the quality of your written communication skills. Programs place considerable emphasis on communication skills because effective communication has been shown to directly affect the quality of care given to patients.
Therefore, it is imperative that all information in your application is well communicated and error-free. In our experiences reviewing and editing applications, errors are common.
We have considerable experience reviewing and editing the ERAS Application Form can make sure that your application is polished, professional, and powerful.
Our ERAS Application Review/Editing Service can be purchased through our online store. All clients will work directly with Dr. Samir Desai, author of The Successful Match.
Important Information for the Aspiring Pathologist
The future of pathology depends on our adaptability
Perspectives on our future in pathology
Pathology: a career in medicine
Strategic challenges facing hospital-based pathology and lab medicine groups
Why choose pathology?
Why choose pathology as a specialty?
A career in pathology (student BMJ)
Improving training in laboratory medicine