Anatomic Path MCG

[Anatomic Path MCG]

It's kind of boring if you're not super interested in microscope path.

You spend about 6 hours a day behind a microscope, 1 hour a day in lecture (with lunch provided), and 1 hour in the gross room handling tissue processing (which you can take some direct responsibility for). Occassionally there is an autopsy, to break the routine.

Once again, it's not boring if you like microscopes, so I don't want to discourage anybody. The residents and attendings are very good teachers, which is a natural role for pathologists. You will need to do a presentation about a case you see (15-30 mins) in order to get an A, otherwise a B is guaranteed (and still possible even with a presentation).

If you are interested, you can arrange for a day with the GBI forensic pathologist (Dr. Brown). They, also, love having students. If you're really interested in forensics, they have a full 4 week elective there. The days would be short, but packed with autopsy and court. Also, an A is guaranteed (pretty much), just show up and be interested in what's happening.

[tracylee2009]

I want to do pathology so of course I did the anatomic/surgical pathology elective at MCG. It's an awesome rotation.
SCHEDULE: 8am (varies) - 3-5 pm. Very flexible depending on how interested you are in pathology. 11:30 am group sign out - presenting cases that need consensus from other attendings. 12 pm lunch/lecture.
EXPERIENCE: The residents and faculty are all super nice and good teachers. It's weird but there are lots of former surgeons in the department - former GI surgeon (for decades) now faculty, former orthopedics resident, former gen surgery resdient who all switched over to pathology. Interesting to talk to them about their career choices.
Microscope time: You sit down with residents at the microscope and preview the slides. Then you sit down with the resident and the attending to sign out the slides (the same slides you previewed).
Grossing: You also get to gross in specimens if you like. I got to dictate and gross in over 10 specimens during my stay. Just get someone to teach you how to use the dictaphone and they have a template for dictation and dissection. You get to see some cool stuff down there.
Autopsies: attend when they are available since they are rare! I only got to see 2 during the whole month.
Frozen sections: just let the resident know you want to participate and they will let you know when they get a call. If the specimen is large enough they will let you do one. I got to do a couple.
Tumor boards: many you can go to in morning and afternoon depending on the day - check schedule or ask resident if you are interested in attending any of these.
You have a lot of flexibility in what you want to do - grossing in, looking at slides in surgical pathology, cytology, etc, going to do frozen sections.
ASSIGNMENTS: 30 minute presentation on topic of your choice.
PERKS: Lunch every day during lecture. I was there during National Laboratory Week or something like that (April) so they had a lot of events going on - BBQ, karaoke hour, free breakfast, etc.