If you’ve ever wondered what a pathologist does and how to become one, then this blog post is for you.
Pathologists are responsible for performing autopsies on deceased people to determine what caused their death. This can be a rather gruesome job, but it’s also one of the most important medical fields.
What Is Pathology?
Pathology is a medical discipline that deals with the diagnosis of disease. Most commonly, pathologists deal with the study of tissues, blood, and other bodily fluids.
What Does A Pathologist Do?
A pathologist is the medical examiner of a death. Their job is to determine what caused the death of a person. Pathologists perform autopsies on dead bodies before they can perform further testing on the remains.
However, more than half of all deaths are “sudden” in nature, meaning they occur without any known cause. This makes autopsies even more critical because they can reveal clues about what brought on these sudden deaths.
How To Become A Pathologist?
You Have to Earn an Undergraduate Degree in Any Area Of Science or Health.
This is usually a four-year program at a college or university. While in school, you’ll also have to do an internship with an established pathologist that will help prepare you for your career.
After receiving your bachelor’s degree, you can then go to medical school and earn your Doctorate of Medicine (M.D. or D.O.) degree and acquire a speech pathology license from a reputable place like Speech Pathology Graduate Programs.
To become a pathologist, you’ll need to do a residency in pathology at a hospital to prepare yourself for your career as a pathologist.
You’ll Need to Have Some Clinical Experience Before You Enter Medical School or Residency
Most medical schools require that applicants make an extensive application in their school’s field of study. You should also have credits from taking the USMLE (the United States Medical Licensing Exam).
The USMLE is given to medical students so that they can practice and perfect their skills. This step is crucial because it helps you to understand what it takes to be a pathologist.
You Need to Pass the Exam to Become an Official Pathologist
After completing your residency, you’ll need to take the board exams for your license as a pathologist.
You have two options: either the American Board of Pathology or the American Board of Medical Specialties. The board exams involve an eight-hour examination that tests your knowledge and skills from your residency.
You’ll Need to Understand How to Perform Autopsies
After you’ve completed your residency, you’ll probably be allowed to perform an autopsy on a human subject. This is a huge responsibility and requires substantial anatomy, pathology, and clinical and legal information.
For example, you must know how to draw blood for testing purposes – this is called the venous capillary refill time – and understand specimens on a microscopic level.
You’ll Need to Be a Good Researcher
As with most jobs, you must also be able to find the information you need. Pathologists generally spend a great deal of time researching cases they’ve worked on and collecting information for upcoming cases.
This is a vital part of their job because they need to know the latest findings in science and medicine.
Conclusion
A pathologist’s job can be quite scary and creepy because of the nature of their work. However, it’s also one of the most important jobs in the medical field because it helps people understand why they’re sick and what they can do about it.
Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to affect countless lives positively by providing them with the critical information they need to improve their health.
