pathology myths. facts and figures 25,000 staff
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Pathology Myths Pathology Myths
Facts and figures Facts and figures
Facts and figures Facts and figures
25,000 staff
Facts and figures Facts and figures
25,000 staff
£2.5 billion
Facts and figures Facts and figures
25,000 staff
£2.5 billion
4% NHS budget
• Patient surveys
• MORI Poll
• Focus groups
• Questionnaire for pathologists
Perceptions of pathologyPerceptions of pathology
Pathology is all about dead bodies
Pathology Myth 1 Pathology Myth 1
• “It’s the morbid side. How lovely!”
• “I’m a doctor and I don’t want to deal with people so I’ll deal with dead people.”
• “It’s quite lonely. You’re left in the morgue with dead bodies.”
Focus group comments Focus group comments
death diagnosis blood crime disease genetics cancer infection
perc
enta
ge
What does a pathologist do?
MORI Poll 2005 MORI Poll 2005
Forensic pathology 1%
Other specialties
77%
Pathology facts Pathology facts
Pathology is just one specialty
Pathology Myth 2 Pathology Myth 2
Histopathology
Histopathology
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
19 different specialties19 different specialties
Histopathology
Histopathology
CytopathologyCytopathology
Dermatopathology
Dermatopathology
Forensic Pathology
Forensic Pathology
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Oral Pathology
Oral Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
19 different specialties19 different specialties
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Histopathology
Histopathology
CytopathologyCytopathology
Dermatopathology
Dermatopathology
Forensic Pathology
Forensic Pathology
HaematologyHaematology
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Oral Pathology
Oral Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
Transfusion Medicine
Transfusion Medicine
19 different specialties19 different specialties
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Histopathology
Histopathology
CytopathologyCytopathology
Dermatopathology
Dermatopathology
Forensic Pathology
Forensic Pathology
HaematologyHaematology
Medical Microbiology
Medical Microbiology
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Oral Pathology
Oral Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
Transfusion Medicine
Transfusion Medicine
VirologyVirology
19 different specialties19 different specialties
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Histopathology
Histopathology
Clinical Biochemistry
Clinical Biochemistry
CytopathologyCytopathology
Dermatopathology
Dermatopathology
Forensic Pathology
Forensic Pathology
HaematologyHaematology
Medical Microbiology
Medical Microbiology
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Oral Pathology
Oral Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
ToxicologyToxicology
Transfusion Medicine
Transfusion Medicine
VirologyVirology
19 different specialties19 different specialties
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Metabolic medicineMetabolic medicine
Histopathology
Histopathology
Clinical Biochemistry
Clinical Biochemistry
CytopathologyCytopathology
Dermatopathology
Dermatopathology
Forensic Pathology
Forensic Pathology
GeneticsGenetics
HaematologyHaematology
Histocompatibility &
Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Immunogenetics
ImmunologyImmunologyMedical Microbiology
Medical Microbiology
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Oral Pathology
Oral Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
ToxicologyToxicology
Transfusion Medicine
Transfusion Medicine
VirologyVirology
19 different specialties19 different specialties
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Metabolic medicineMetabolic medicine
Histopathology
Histopathology
Clinical Biochemistry
Clinical Biochemistry
Clinical Embryology
Clinical EmbryologyCytopathologyCytopathology
Dermatopathology
Dermatopathology
Forensic Pathology
Forensic Pathology
GeneticsGenetics
HaematologyHaematology
Histocompatibility &
Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Immunogenetics
ImmunologyImmunologyMedical Microbiology
Medical Microbiology
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Oral Pathology
Oral Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
ToxicologyToxicology
Transfusion Medicine
Transfusion Medicine
VirologyVirology
19 different specialties19 different specialties
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Metabolic medicineMetabolic medicine
Histopathology
Histopathology
Clinical Biochemistry
Clinical Biochemistry
Clinical Embryology
Clinical EmbryologyCytopathologyCytopathology
Dermatopathology
Dermatopathology
Forensic Pathology
Forensic Pathology
GeneticsGenetics
HaematologyHaematology
Histocompatibility &
Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics Immunogenetics
ImmunologyImmunologyMedical Microbiology
Medical Microbiology
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Oral Pathology
Oral Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
Paediatric Pathology
ToxicologyToxicology
Transfusion Medicine
Transfusion Medicine
Veterinary PathologyVeterinary Pathology
VirologyVirology
19 different specialties19 different specialties
NeuropathologyNeuropathology
Metabolic medicineMetabolic medicine
Pathologists don’t take care of patients
Pathology Myth 3 Pathology Myth 3
• “It’s more of a science. They don’t want to deal with people, they want to deal with causes.”
• “You have your consultant there. You never actually see the pathologist.”
• “It would be nice if pathologists were involved in patient care but I’ve never seen one.”
Focus group comments Focus group comments
• Many pathologists work with patients in clinics or on the wards
• Even lab-based pathologists usually spend some time with patients, for example explaining test results
• The vast majority of all pathologists’ work is done for the benefit of living patients
Pathology facts Pathology facts
Pathologists work alone in labs doing tedious repetitive jobs
Pathology Myth 4 Pathology Myth 4
• “It’s a boring job. All you’re doing is testing stuff in a lab all day.”
• “It’s just putting things in a machine and reading the results, you don’t have to think about it”
• “You do the same thing all day, every day”
Focus group comments Focus group comments
• Pathologists are members of multi-disciplinary teams and work with others to care for patients
• Pathologists rarely work in isolation
• Pathology is varied and interesting with many of the more repetitive jobs now done by machines
Pathology facts Pathology facts
Pathologists don’t diagnose cancer
Pathology Myth 5 Pathology Myth 5
• Almost all cancers are diagnosed by pathologists
• Diagnoses may be made by testing blood, urine or other fluids or from a biopsy
• Pathologists tell other doctors what type of cancer you’ve got and how far it has spread so they know what treatment to offer
Pathology facts Pathology facts
You have to be a doctor to work in pathology
Pathology Myth 6 Pathology Myth 6
• The majority of people who work in pathology are not doctors
• There are opportunities for scientists as well as support staff
• There are nearly 20,000 scientists working in the specialty
Pathology facts Pathology facts
• Medical school
• Foundation training
• Pathology training
• Research
• Minimum = 12 years
Pathologist training Pathologist training
Clinical Scientist training Clinical Scientist training
• Science degree
• Postgraduate degree
• Basic training
• Specialist training
• Minimum = 10 years
Biomedical Scientist training Biomedical Scientist training
• Science degree
• Basic training
• or
• Straight from A levels
• “Learn and earn”
• Continuing education
• Minimum = 5 years
Other opportunities Other opportunities
• Cytoscreener
• Lab assistant
• Administration
• IT
• Trials co-ordinator
Medical students don’t need to learn pathology
Pathology Myth 7 Pathology Myth 7
• Many medical schools no longer have a separate undergraduate pathology course
• 70% of diagnoses in the NHS involve pathology
• Medical student essay prize
Pathology facts Pathology facts
PLASTICSURGERY
SURGERY
ENT ONCOLOGY
GYNAECOLOGY
RHEUMATOLOGY
EMERGENCYMEDICINE
PAEDIATRICS
MEDICINE
ORTHOPAEDICS DERMATOLOGY
GENERALPRACTICE
UROLOGY
PATHOLOGY
• 500 million biochemistry tests
• 130 million haematology tests
• 50 million microbiology tests
• 13 million histology slides
• 4 million cytology slides
• = 14 tests for every person in the country each year
Pathology facts Pathology facts
• “It’s interesting how they find out what diseases are and work out a cure.”
• “It’s clever and varied, you unravel the puzzle.”
• “It made pathologists seem more interesting.”
• “The path report is essential to any diagnosis or treatment.”
• “Pathology is using science to be helpful and useful.”
Focus group comments Focus group comments
• IVF
• Pregnancy test
• Antenatal tests
• Heel prick test
Pathology for lifePathology for life
• Vaccinations
• Antibiotics
• Allergies
• Leukaemia
Pathology for lifePathology for life
• Lumps and bumps
• Appendicitis
• STIs
• Blood transfusion
Pathology for lifePathology for life
• Cervical smears
• Breast screening
• Moles
• Anaemia
Pathology for lifePathology for life
• Prostate cancer
• Bowel cancer screening
• Infections
• Blood tests
Pathology for lifePathology for life
• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Organ function
• Autopsy
Pathology for lifePathology for life
• Pathologists work for the benefit of the living• There are 19 different pathology specialties• Many pathologists work with patients• Pathologists are team players• Pathology is an interesting and exciting
career• Pathologists diagnose cancer• You don’t have to be a doctor to work in
pathology• Pathology is a popular specialty• A knowledge of pathology is essential for all
doctors
Pathology facts Pathology facts