1
|
George MR, Timmons CF, Johnson K, Barak S, Berg MP, Bryant B, Childs JM, Karp JK, Knollmann-Ritschel BE, Lofgreen A, McCarthy T, Prieto VG, Procop GW, Sandersfeld T, White KL, McCloskey CB. Leadership perspectives on osteopathic medical school applicants to pathology residency training. Acad Pathol 2024; 11:100107. [PMID: 38433776 PMCID: PMC10907156 DOI: 10.1016/j.acpath.2024.100107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The number of graduating allopathic (MD) medical students matching into pathology has declined in recent years, while the number of osteopathic (DO) medical students has increased modestly, given the rapid expansion of osteopathic medical schools. Nonscholarly publications and materials on the internet often perpetuate negative perceptions of osteopathic physicians. Anecdotally, perspectives exist that some pathology residency programs are not DO-friendly; however, the reasons and how widespread an effect this might be are unclear. Our survey queried pathology chairs and residency program directors about their perceptions of osteopathic applicants and their knowledge of osteopathic medical school/training in general. This study utilized two similar, parallel surveys of pathology chairs and residency program directors with general questions structured around the perceptions and knowledge of both allopathic and osteopathic physicians, their medical training, and the consideration of osteopathic applicants to pathology residency. Pathology residency leaders acknowledge some negative perceptions of osteopathic physicians in the medical profession, the news, and social media. They also have some knowledge and perception gaps regarding osteopathic training and applicants, although experience with training osteopathic physicians as residents has been equivalent to that with allopathic physicians, and consideration appears to be fairly equal for osteopathic applicants. Even though negative perceptions of osteopathic physicians persist in news and social media, our surveys demonstrate that the leadership of pathology residency programs does not hold the same degree of bias and that DOs perform well in allopathic pathology residency programs without evidence of inferior outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R. George
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Penn State Health Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Charles F. Timmons
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Kristen Johnson
- CAP Learning, College of American Pathologists, Northfield, IL, USA
| | - Stephanie Barak
- Department of Pathology, George Washington University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Mary P. Berg
- University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Department of Pathology, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Bronwyn Bryant
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | | | - Julie Katz Karp
- Department of Pathology & Genomic Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Amanda Lofgreen
- Department of Pathology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | | | - Victor G. Prieto
- The Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Kristie L. White
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Cindy B. McCloskey
- The Department of Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schukow CP, Herman M, Mirza K. Osteopathic physician trainees and pathways to pathology. Acad Pathol 2023; 10:100071. [PMID: 37065818 PMCID: PMC10090986 DOI: 10.1016/j.acpath.2023.100071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, there are few osteopathic physician trainees who choose to pursue pathology residencies when compared to allopathic students and international medical graduates. Although the amount of residency positions filled by osteopathic students has increased in recent years, the percentage of osteopathic students choosing pathology has not changed much from 2011 to 2022 (about 0.16% increase), and, in 2022, pathology had the third lowest percentage of filled post-graduate year 1 residency positions by osteopathic applicants when compared to fifteen other major medical specialties. Potential explanations for this disparity may include relatively few total numbers of osteopathic applicants when compared to allopathic and international medical graduate trainees, as well as potential institutional educational limitations (i.e., pathology exposure differences among academic-based versus community-based hospital settings). This review suggests ways pathologists and educational institutions may help improve pathology exposure to osteopathic physician trainees, such as pathology interest groups, post-sophomore fellowships, rotating pathology electives, and through social media (e.g., Twitter). Utilizing these (and other) pathways may help improve osteopathic physician recruitment to pathology during subsequent applicant-residency match cycles.
Collapse
|
3
|
Schukow CP, Booth AL, Mirza KM, Jajosky RP. #PathTwitter: A Positive Platform Where Medical Students Can Engage the Pathology Community. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2023; 147:135-136. [PMID: 36453869 DOI: 10.5858/arpa.2022-0282-ed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Casey P Schukow
- From the Department of Graduate Medical Education, ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital, Monroe, Michigan (Schukow)
| | - Adam L Booth
- From the Department of Pathology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois (Booth)
| | - Kamran M Mirza
- From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois (Mirza)
| | - Ryan Philip Jajosky
- From the Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (Jajosky)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jajosky RP, Jajosky AN, Jajosky PG, Stowell SR. Seniors from United States allopathic medical schools matching into pathology, 2018–2022. Ann Diagn Pathol 2022; 60:152019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2022.152019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
5
|
Factors influencing US osteopathic medical students to choose pathology as a specialty. Acad Pathol 2022; 9:100034. [PMID: 35722042 PMCID: PMC9198337 DOI: 10.1016/j.acpath.2022.100034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The decline in the number of US allopathic (Medical Doctor or M.D.) medical students matching to pathology residency has been a topic of much discussion at national pathology professional society meetings and in recent publications. A recent survey of fourth-year allopathic medicals students was conducted to better understand the rationale behind students’ interest or lack thereof in pathology as a specialty. This study utilizes a similar survey tool gauging osteopathic (Doctor of Osteopathy or D.O.) student knowledge and interest in pathology, and offers insight into a possible growth market for the specialty. Similar to allopathic students, osteopathic students noted that clinical or research opportunities in pathology during medical school, autopsy observation/participation, and participation in pathology interest groups correlated with a greater likelihood of selecting pathology as a specialty. However, some key differences in osteopathic medical school curricular elements including microscope use, gross pathology specimen demonstrations, case-based learning by pathologists, exposure to pathology during other rotations, awareness of a pathology interest group, as well as an overall understanding of the everyday work of a pathologist were noted. Experiential exposure to pathology, and direct mentorship from pathologists may present an opportunity for pathology professional organizations, and pathology residency programs to partner with osteopathic medical schools to increase interest in the field, and aid in pipeline development.
Collapse
|
6
|
The medical student's guide to pathology residency, fellowships, and careers. Ann Diagn Pathol 2021; 54:151805. [PMID: 34419854 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2021.151805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that relatively few MD, DO, and underrepresented in medicine (URM) students and physicians are matching into pathology residency in the United States (US). In the 2021 Main Residency Match, just 33.6% of filled pathology residency positions were taken by senior year students at US allopathic medical schools. This has been attributed to the fact that pathology is not a required rotation in most US medical schools, pathology is often taught in an integrated curriculum in the US where is does not stand out as a distinct field, and because the COVID-19 pandemic led to a suspension of in-person pathology rotations and electives. Ultimately, many US medical students fail to consider pathology as a career pathway. The objective of this article is to provide medical students with basic information, in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs), about pathology training and career opportunities. This was accomplished by forming a team of MD and DO pathology attendings, pathology trainees, and a medical student from multiple institutions to create a pathology guide for medical students. This guide includes information about post-sophomore fellowships, 5 major pathology residency tracks, more than 20 fellowship pathways, and allopathic and osteopathic board examinations. This guide also contains photographs and descriptions of major pathology sub-specialties, including the daily and on-call duties and responsibilities of pathology residents. The exciting future of pathology is also discussed. This guide supports the agenda of the College of American Pathologists' (CAP) Pathologist Pipeline Initiative to improve student recruitment into pathology.
Collapse
|