Pathology Myths Facts and figures 25 000 staff

Pathology Myths

Facts and figures

25, 000 staff Facts and figures

25, 000 staff £ 2. 5 billion Facts and figures

25, 000 staff £ 2. 5 billion 4% NHS budget Facts and figures

Perceptions of pathology • Patient surveys • MORI Poll • Focus groups • Questionnaire for pathologists

Pathology Myth 1 Pathology is all about dead bodies

Focus group comments • “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. ”

percentage MORI Poll 2005 death diagnosis blood crime disease genetics cancer infection What does a pathologist do?

Pathology facts Forensic pathology 1% Other specialties 77%

Pathology Myth 2 Pathology is just one specialty

gy o l o h t pa o t His Neuropathology 19 different specialties

gy o l o h t pa o t His gy o l o ath P l Ora gy o l tho a top a rm De Paed iatric Patho logy Cytopathology gy o l tho a P ic s ren o F Neuropatholo gy Neuropathology 19 different specialties

gy o l o h t pa o t His Transfu sion Me dicine Haematology gy o l o ath P l Ora gy o l tho a top a rm De Paed iatric Patho logy Cytopathology gy o l tho a P ic s ren o F Neuropatholo gy Neuropathology 19 different specialties

gy o l o h t pa o t His Transfu sion Me dicine gy o l o ath P l Ora gy o l tho a top a rm De Paed iatric Patho logy Haematology gy o l o i rob c i l. M a c i Med Cytopathology gy o l tho a P ic s ren o F Viro logy Neuropathology 19 different specialties

Transfu sion Me y dicine g o l o h t pa edicine m c o i l o t b Meta His istry m e och i y B l g lo nica o i l h C t l Pa a r O gy o l tho a top a rm De Toxicology Paed iatric Patho logy Haematology gy o l o i rob c i l. M a c i Med Cytopathology gy o l tho a P ic s ren o F Viro logy Neuropathology 19 different specialties

Histoco m Immun patibility & ogenet ics s Genetic Transfu sion Me y dicine g o l o h t pa edicine m c o i l o t b Meta His istry m e och i y B l g lo nica o i l h C t l Pa a r O gy o l tho a top a rm De Toxicology Paed iatric Patho logy Cytopathology gy o l tho a P ic s ren o F Haematology gy o l o i rob c i l. M a c i Med y Immunolog Viro logy Neuropathology 19 different specialties

Histoco m Immun patibility & ogenet ics s Genetic Transfu sion Me y dicine g o l o h t aematology a e H n i c i p d e m to etabolic s M i H istry m e och i y B l g lo nica o i l h C t a gy P o l l o a i Clin Or rob c ical i l. M Emb a c i ryol Med ogy gy o Cytopathology munology l Im o th a top a rm Viro gy De o logy l o Toxicology h at P Paed sic iatric n Patho re logy Neuropatholo Fo gy Neuropathology 19 different specialties

Histoco m Immun patibility & ogenet ics s Genetic logy o h t a P y r Veterina Transfu sion Me y dicine g o l o h t aematology a e H n i c i p d e m to etabolic s M i H istry m e och i y B l g lo nica o i l h C t a gy P o l l o a i Clin Or rob c ical i l. M Emb a c i ryol Med ogy gy o Cytopathology munology l Im o th a top a rm Viro gy De o logy l o Toxicology h at P Paed sic iatric n Patho re logy Neuropatholo Fo gy Neuropathology 19 different specialties

Pathology Myth 3 Pathologists don’t take care of patients

Focus group comments • “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. ”

Pathology facts • 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 Myth 4 Pathologists work alone in labs doing tedious repetitive jobs

Focus group comments • “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”

Pathology facts • Pathologists are members of multidisciplinary 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 Myth 5 Pathologists don’t diagnose cancer

Pathology facts • 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 Myth 6 You have to be a doctor to work in pathology

Pathology facts • 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

• Medical school • Foundation training • Pathology training • Research • Minimum = 12 years Pathologist training

• Science degree • Postgraduate degree • Basic training • Specialist training • Minimum = 10 years Clinical Scientist training

• Science degree • Basic training • or • Straight from A levels • “Learn and earn” • Continuing education • Minimum = 5 years Biomedical Scientist training

• Cytoscreener • Lab assistant • Administration • IT • Trials co-ordinator Other opportunities

Pathology Myth 7 Medical students don’t need to learn pathology

Pathology facts • Many medical schools no longer have a separate undergraduate pathology course • 70% of diagnoses in the NHS involve pathology • Medical student essay prize

SURGERY MEDICINE PAEDIATRICS GYNAECOLOGY GENERAL PRACTICE PATHOLOGY ORTHOPAEDICS EMERGENCY MEDICINE DERMATOLOGY RHEUMATOLOGY PLASTIC SURGERY UROLOGY ENT ONCOLOGY

Pathology facts • • • 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

Focus group comments • “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. ”

• IVF • Pregnancy test • Antenatal tests • Heel prick test Pathology for life

• Vaccinations • Antibiotics • Allergies • Leukaemia Pathology for life

• Lumps and bumps • Appendicitis • STIs • Blood transfusion Pathology for life

• Cervical smears • Breast screening • Moles • Anaemia Pathology for life

• Prostate cancer • Bowel cancer screening • Infections • Blood tests Pathology for life

• Surgery • Chemotherapy • Organ function • Autopsy Pathology for life

Pathology facts • • • 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