Careers in Pathology

1. Careers in Pathology

2. “Is it the work you see on TV programmes like Silent Witness and CSI?” “60% of people believe that pathologists only cut up dead people.” “Less than 33% know that pathologists diagnose diseases of living people.” What is pathology?

3. Pathology is the study of disease

4. Histopathologists • Look at tissues and cells removed from patients • Use microscopes and a trained eye to discover disease • Tell the patient’s doctor what is wrong

5. Histopathologists • Diagnose cancers and other serious illnesses... ...but they also often have good news • Carry out post mortem examinations to find out why someone has died

6. Good attention to detail • Able to work well under pressure • Good communication skills • Able to work as part of a team Skills required

7. Haematologists • Study and treat diseases of the blood cells and bone marrow • Diagnose and treat blood clotting abnormalities • Are responsible for ensuring that blood transfusions are safe

8. Haematologists • Care for people with anaemia, leukaemias, thrombosis and bleeding problems such as haemophilia • Work in labs diagnosing disease, as well as caring for patients

9. Inter-personal skills • Being able to empathise withpatients • Interpretative skills • Good communicationskills Skills required

10. Medical Microbiologists • Used to mainly work in labs but are now out on the wards seeing patients • Give advice about many infection control issues • Give advice on the correct treatment of infections

11. Medical Microbiologists • Collaborate with colleagues and deal directly with patients, as well as work in the lab • Make new and unexpected discoveries impacting on patients’ health

12. Patience • Curiosity • Team player • Persistent • Good communicator Skills required

13. Clinical Biochemists • Diagnose diseases where the body’s chemistry goes wrong • Test body fluids such as blood, urine, saliva and spinal fluid • Work in the lab as well as directly with patients

14. Clinical Biochemists • Spend time looking at patients’ test results to see what is normal and what is abnormal • Abnormal results will be discussed with patient’s doctor

15. Communication skills • An eye for detail • Leadership skills • Organisational skills Skills required

16. Immunologists • Deal with a wide range of clinical problems, including genetic and acquired immune deficiencies • Work in many different areas of biomedical research, as well as in healthcare

17. Immunologists • Investigate why the immune system can attack the body's own tissues • Develop vaccines to combat diseases like HIV • Study the causes of allergies • Investigate ways to stop the body rejecting transplants

18. Communication skills • Management skills • Excellent ability in biology • Problem solving • Able to work independently Skills required

19. UK pathologists

20. Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Genetics Veterinary Pathology Transfusion Medicine Haematology Histopathology Metabolic medicine Clinical Biochemistry Oral Pathology Medical Microbiology Clinical Embryology Immunology Cytopathology Dermatopathology Virology Toxicology Forensic Pathology Paediatric Pathology 19 different specialties Neuropathology

21. Pathology – the essential service .Pathology is involved in over 70% of diagnoses... ...that’s 14 tests for every person in the countryeach year 400 million biochemistry tests 120 million haematology tests 30 million microbiology requests 13 million histopathology slides Pathology Services in England & Wales (2002/03) Source: Audit Commission