Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
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 What does a pathologist do? cancer infection Pathology facts Forensic pathology 1% Other specialties 77% Pathology Myth 2 Pathology is just one specialty 19 different specialties 19 different specialties 19 different specialties 19 different specialties Toxicology 19 different specialties Toxicology 19 different specialties Toxicology 19 different specialties Toxicology 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