A pathologist is the specialists who conduct various tests and examine the cause of a particular disease to inform the respective doctors on medication and cure. The human body is one of the most perfect yet sophisticated working machines existing in the universe so far. It has all the required system inbuilt. The man has created many machines keeping working of the human body in mind. Yet there are some features in the human body that cannot be inculcated into virtual machines made by him. One such feature is the immune system. This is the only working machine which has its own well developed immune system. Like any other man-made machine this also gets wear and tear and need repairs at times. And the person who is apt to repair this machine is known as Doctor. But now with time and changing living and environmental conditions because of human being’s own misdeed to a larger extent, this most efficient machine keep on developing snags every now and then. In fact, even at its inception i.e. at the time of birth, it starts malfunctioning. As some of these diseases are new to the mankind they need to be properly diagnosed.
There is an immense amount of research involved in the profession. So to be a pathologist requires a lot of hard work, dedication and spirit to sever the society although with good remuneration in lieu of providing its services. Besides one should have discipline, patience, commitment to excel in their respective field and self-confidence. If you have all these qualities in you then you are fit for being a pathologist as it is such a field that a mistake of yours can take a precious life and ruing a full family.
Pathologist Eligibility
To become a pathologist, you require a science background with physics, chemistry and biology combination. Thereafter you should first complete the MBBS degree from a reputed medical college. Once you have done so, you can opt for specialization in Pathology. Or you can also directly choose to do pathology at the undergraduate level.
For Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree:-
1. Educational Qualification
To be eligible for joining MBBS course one should be 10+2 Class pass with Physics, Chemistry and Biology (PCB) as main subjects and for institutions with at least 60% marks.
Pathologist Required Skills
- Pathologists should have qualities like accurate, with an eye for detail; analytical, with problem-solving skills and able to work well under pressure.
- They also possess skills like excellent at data analysis and interpretation; good at communicating and good at report writing.
- They should have detailed knowledge of physiology, pathophysiology and all medical sciences.
- They should be able to understand the nature, cause, development and clinical management of diseases in people and the structural and functional changes caused by them.
How to become a Pathologist?
One has to follow below-given steps for becoming a Pathologist-
Step 1
Interested candidate has to appear in an entrance test conducted by the various state and Independent bodies like PMT, taken by Punjab Government and CBSE-PMT (pre-medical test) taken by the Central board to admit candidates in various medical institutions attached with it according to the rank of the candidate in the entrance exam.
CBSE PMT, conducted by the CBSE, is a highly-coveted national level entrance exam. It is conducted in two stages, the preliminary and the final exam. The exam is objective type and tests you rigorously in subjects like physics, chemistry and biology. Since negative marking is the rule here, the test is extremely competitive.
Separate test are conducted by some of the highly rated medical institutions like AIIMS, PGI, GMCH, AFMC Pune etc
These exams are generally held in the month of May-June consisting of Objective type questions on the subject of English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology through a number of questions and pattern may vary from test to test.
Step 2
After completing this four and half years of (MBBS) Degree course in which one has to study (subjects which include anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, dermatology, obstetrics and gynaecology, forensic medicine and toxicology, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, anesthesiology, community medicine, medicine, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, paediatrics, psychiatry and surgery)and one years and six months compulsory training one has to opt. for one of the various specialization options in Pathology itself like – Anatomical, Forensic, Chemical, Clinical, General, Haematology, Immuno-pathology, Microbiology.
You should select pathology as your area of specialization if you are keenly interested in the human anatomy and physiology. And you prefer to work with a microscope detecting and analyzing and are attracted to the research, the technical aspects of medicine. Besides, you should also have an analytical mind.
Fees and Other Expenditures: Although varying from institute to institute, the total course fee for an MBBS degree and then specialization ranges from any here from few thousands at a government college to around Rs 20 lakhs and even higher in private institutes. But during specialization, brilliant students can get scholarships or even stipend is available for those opting for research work in pathology and other fields.
Pathologist Job Description
The specialists who could research and find the cause of the disease and aware Doctors/surgeons about the definite cause of concern so that they can treat the ailments with precision. Pathology is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis of disease through the examination of the blood sample and other fluids, body tissues, organs, bones, etc. It helps in knowing the ailment with which the patient is suffering from so as to augment treatment. It also helps determine the cause of disease and death.
Pathologist Career Prospects
There is a lot of scope for those who are choosing pathology as their specialisation. Apart from joining a private or government hospital as specialist pathologists can find lucrative placements with huge salaries in corporate hospitals and drugs industry as researchers.
Pathologist Salary
The pathologist can expect a starting monthly salary anywhere between Rs.15,000 to Rs.25,000 depending upon the competence of the individual pathologist There is a lot of money in private practice as well and it only gets better for candidates as they win the trust of the doctors and the goodwill is spread by word of mouth. One good thing about being a pathologist is that you usually work for fixed times. You go on time and return on time too, which is unlike in other medical branches. But the cons of the profession are that you cannot make a mistake as it is extremely crucial and determines the life and health of a patient.
