Career Guide: Explore a Career as a Pathologist

Published on September 6

Pathologist

Job Description: What does a Pathologist do?

Pathologists are medical professionals who specialize in the research, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. Pathologists test the body for various ailments by analyzing bodily fluids such as blood as well as samples of tissue. Samples collected by them undergo specific lab tests which help in the formation of medical reports that help with disease diagnosis, and treatment. These professionals play a crucial role in the healthcare system, running tests for diagnosing critical ailments and assisting doctors in choosing the right course of treatment for the patients.

What Would I Do?

If you choose to become a pathologist, the range of your responsibilities will encompass the following tasks:

Meeting patients one-on-one to understand the symptoms that are causing them discomfort.
Take samples from the patients in the form of blood samples, urine samples, or tissue from the specific part of the body.
Conduct diagnostic tests including x ray examinations, and sample tests to identify symptoms.
Create analysis reports documenting details about the specimen collected, including which aspects are normal and which are abnormal.
Using report information to form a diagnosis about the potential cause of the ailment and what the ailment could be.
Recommending the appropriate course of action including whether to see a specialist, which medications to take in the meantime, and other valuable information to help the patient recover.
Keep researching (on a personal level) about which diagnostic methods can be advanced in what ways to help in the improvement of disease detection capabilities.

Am I Suited For This Job?

In order to understand whether or not this job is suitable for you, it is essential that you identify all that is needed in an individual to be suitable. This includes some personal traits as well as the ability to work around ailments and all that they bring. Consider the following requirements:

You should have expertise in conducting diagnostic tests from the samples collected from patients and co-relating them with the symptoms that they experience to form a diagnosis.
You need to have good communication skills in order to make patients feel comfortable in explaining their symptoms without fear of judgment.
Problem-solving and critical thinking skills are mandatory for identifying potential ailments and forming diagnosis as well as treatment plans to alleviate a patient's suffering.
Pathology is a stressful job, as such, it is essential that a pathologist have proper stress-handling capacity.
Attention to detail is a key attribute to identify even the most minute details which can impact the entire treatment strategy.
Observation skills of a pathologist need to be extremely accurate and strong.
Pathologists need to often collaborate with other specialists, so a collaborative working capability is essential.

Environment & Typical Day

On a daily basis, pathologists do a lot of different things which are required based on the patient in-flow. A typical day in the life of a pathologist, whether practicing independently or working in a hospital or health institution include goes something like this:

A pathologist’s day starts early, somewhere between 7:30 am and 8:30 am.
After reaching the office, pathologists would revisit their existing cases and edit reports as needed.
Thereafter they check with the staff for new appointments that need to be consulted and check the patients one by one.
They would collect the sample or instruct junior pathologists or residents, or other staff to collect the required samples.
The pathologists then conduct tests on the collected samples, placing priority on the more critical patients. A number of tests are conducted on each sample to ascertain the issue without doubt.
Following this, the diagnosis reports are created and readied to be discussed or shared with patients.

What Are The Wages And Benefits

The typical range of wages for pathologists can vary based on a number of variables. However, typically in Ottawa, a pathologist could potentially earn something around the tune of $522,764 annually. However, it is essential to note that this is the higher side of the salary and you need to be a very well-established pathologist, or at the top of your field to reach this level.

At the beginner level, you can expect your starting salary to be somewhere in the vicinity of $87,103 per year and as you grow and gain more experience, the salary keeps getting higher. On average, the experienced pathologists make around $116,977 per annum. The median range of salary in this job is around $241,372 per year.

What Is The Job Outlook In Ottawa

In Ottawa, the demand for pathologists is currently only increasing and it is expected to continue rising in the coming years. In terms of breakdown for the job market, consider the following stats:

Currently, there are roughly 16,950 individuals involved in this profession, particularly with specialization in clinical and laboratory medicine.
The median age of workers currently active in this sector is about 46 years old.
In general, the median age of retirement among general pathologists is 64 years.
Roughly 59% of pathology specialists who have an expertise in clinical laboratory medicine have their own practice.
Roughy 65% of the specialists work full time in this profession, whereas 35% work part-time.
With reference to gender distribution, there are about 56% men working in this profession and 43% women.

How Do I Become a Pathologist

Becoming a pathologist is a long road of extensive education and specialization. In order to become a pathologist in Ottawa, there are a number of educational and experience-based qualifications that you need to fulfill. Consider the following eligibility criteria.

You should have a completed high school diploma
You should have completed your bachelor’s degree from a college in Quebec along with a one-year pre-med course.
A following graduation degree from an approved medical school along with specialty training.
Taking certification exams from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Getting licensed by the pertinent territorial authority.
Completing roughly four to five years of specialty residency training for clinical medicine or for becoming a laboratory medicine specialist as per your goals.
Completing two years of subspecialty training for clinical medicine.

Where Would I Work?

If you are a pathologist, you will work in an office for the most part. You will also be working in a laboratory when conducting tests. Your potential workplaces can be:

A Hospital.
Your own clinic
Physician Offices

How Do I Find A Job?

In order to find a job as a pathologist, there are many avenues which you can take advantage of. Depending upon whether you choose to open your own practice or work in a hospital, you can find opportunities through the following options.

Online portals like Job Bank, Glassdoor, and Indeed
Online networking platforms like LinkedIn.
Hospital websites
University hospitals’ websites
Governmental job portals
Private physicians’ clinics or online websites.

Applying For A Job

When applying for a job as a pathologist, it is critical that you create a very professional first impression upon potential employers. This can be done by following the prescribed application procedure, which can vary for every employer, making it essential to read through their instructions carefully, and tailoring your resume to highlight your profile as the most suitable for the job in question.

Assess whether you have the particular specialization that the employers are looking for. For instance, if a recruiter is looking for an Anatomical Pathologist, you need to have a specialization in that domain.
Ensure that you read through all the minimum requirements for the particular job and have all the prerequisite qualifications such as degrees and certifications .
When you find a job that suits your expertise, read through the job description to know the key traits and qualifications that the hiring authorities are looking for.
Tweak your resume to highlight related experiences and qualifications. Ensure you design the resume in a chronological order from the latest experience and educational qualifications to the oldest.
Include all certifications and licenses you hold. Highlight any prestigious programs that you have been a part of, any scholarships you may have received, or any extra courses you may have taken to polish your skills further.

Where Can This Job Lead

An individual’s future as a pathologist in Ottawa will depend upon the path that they choose for themselves. For instance, an individual who has their own practice will be at the top of their career progression from the beginning. As their experience grows, they may become more renowned, however, in terms of promotions, there would be no designation promotions.

For those that work with a hospital or another health institution, the career progression will typically include gradual promotions from a junior pathologist level to a senior pathologist followed by a chief pathologist designation.

If a pathologist chooses to specialize in a particular kind of pathology, for instance forensic pathology or surgical pathology, the career progression will include opportunities and promotions associated with that role.

Pathologists can also gradually take key positions in organizations such as research specialists, hospital chairs, administrative roles, or medical director positions.