Careers in Medicine: Specialty Information

Pathology

Nature of the work

A pathologist deals with the causes and nature of diseas and contributes to diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment through knowledge gained by the laboratory application of the biologic, chemical, and physical sciences. This specialist uses information gathered from the microscopic examination of tissue specimens, cells, and body fluids, and from clinical laboratory tests on body fluids and secretions for the diagnosis, exclusion, and monitoring of disease.¹

Pathologists can receive training in the following subspecialties:

Training/residency information

Residency training for pathologists is three to four years. Residents can receive their training in either combined anatomic pathology and clinical pathology (which requires four years of training), anatomic pathology only (requiring three years of training), or clinical pathology only (three years of training). Practice in a pathology subspecialty requires one additional year of training (two additional years for neuropathology).

Salary information

The annual salary for pathologists ranges from $239,000 to $331,842.²

For more information

• American Board of Pathology
• American Society for Investigative Pathology
• American Society for Clinical Pathology
• College of American Pathologists

References
1 The American Board of Medical Specialties. Guide to Physician Specialties. Evanston, IL: American Board of Medical Specialties; February 2008.
2 2008 Physician Compensation Survey [special feature]. Modern Healthcare. July 14, 2008: 28-32.

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