High School

If you are interested in pursuing a medical degree, a high school education emphasizing college preparatory classes is a must. Advanced science courses, such as biology, chemistry, and physics are necessary, as are math courses (such as algebra, geometry, and calculus). These classes will provide an introduction to basic science and math concepts and allow you to determine your aptitude in these areas. Especially important are any courses emphasizing laboratory work. Since college will be your next educational step, it is also important to take English courses to develop your researching and writing skills. Foreign language and social science classes will also help make you an appealing candidate for college admission as well as prepare you for your future undergraduate and graduate education. Courses in computer science are a must as well.

Postsecondary Training

Pathologists have many years of training. Like any medical specialist, a pathologist must earn an M.D. or D.O. degree and become licensed to practice medicine, after which begins a four- or five-year pathology residency. Residents may choose to specialize in anatomical pathology (AP) or clinical pathology (CP). Many pathologists, however, prefer to specialize in both anatomical and clinical pathology; licensing as an AP/CP pathologist requires a five-year residency. Various subspecialties require further training beyond the residency.

Visit https://www.pathologytraining.org/directory for a database of pathology training programs in the United States and Canada.

Certification or Licensing

At an early point in the residency period, all physicians must pass a state medical board examination to obtain a license and enter practice. Each state sets its own requirements and issues its own licenses, although some states will accept licenses from other states. The American Board of Pathology and the American Osteopathic Board of Pathology are the governing boards for pathologist certification.

A pathologist can pursue certification along three primary paths—an anatomical pathology program, a clinical pathology program, or a combined anatomical and clinical pathology program. Once a pathologist has completed certification, he or she can earn subspecialty certification in a particular area of pathology. Gaining certification in a specialty generally requires an additional one to two years of training, although there is a potential for combining this training with the standard pathology residency program.

Pathologists begin gaining experience while in medical school through clinical training in pathology. After graduating from an accredited medical school, they gain further experience in a four- to five-year residency program.

Pathologists must be detail oriented, methodical, and analytical. They must have the perserverance to spend many hours examining microscopic samples of tissue, cells, or fluids to help identify a diagnosis or cause of death.