Careers in Pathology

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

Pathology is the study of disease

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 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 Histopathologists

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

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 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 Haematologists

Inter-personal skills Being able to empathise with patients Interpretative skills Good communication skills Skills required

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 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 Medical Microbiologists

Patience Curiosity Team player Persistent Good communicator Skills required

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 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 Clinical Biochemists

Communication skills An eye for detail Leadership skills Organisational skills Skills required

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 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 Immunologists

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

UK pathologists

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

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