Physicians, Pathologists

Salary Overview

Salary exceeds BLS reporting threshold ($239,200/yr). Values shown are based on mean annual wage.

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Key Skills

Knowledge Areas

What They Do

• Examine microscopic samples to identify diseases or other abnormalities.
• Diagnose diseases or study medical conditions, using techniques such as gross pathology, histology, cytology, cytopathology, clinical chemistry, immunology, flow cytometry, or molecular biology.
• Communicate pathologic findings to surgeons or other physicians.
• Identify the etiology, pathogenesis, morphological change, and clinical significance of diseases.
• Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in pathology.
• Educate physicians, students, and other personnel in medical laboratory professions, such as medical technology, cytotechnology, or histotechnology.
• Plan and supervise the work of the pathology staff, residents, or visiting pathologists.
• Write pathology reports summarizing analyses, results, and conclusions.

Tools & Technology

★ = Hot Technology (in-demand)

Education Requirements

Typical entry-level education: On-the-Job Training

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A Day in the Life

A pathologist's daily routine depends on their subspecialty but generally revolves around examining specimens and rendering diagnoses. Surgical pathologists begin their morning reviewing tissue slides prepared from biopsies and surgical specimens, using microscopes and digital pathology platforms to identify cancerous cells, infectious organisms, and other abnormalities. They dictate detailed pathology reports documenting their findings and diagnoses, which are then communicated to the ordering physicians. Clinical pathologists oversee hospital laboratory operations, reviewing quality control data, validating new test methodologies, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Throughout the day, pathologists field calls from surgeons requesting intraoperative frozen section diagnoses, oncologists seeking clarification on tumor characteristics, and other physicians needing consultation on puzzling cases. Tumor board meetings bring pathologists together with oncologists, surgeons, and radiologists to discuss complex cancer cases collaboratively. Academic pathologists dedicate portions of their week to teaching medical students and residents, supervising trainees examining cases, and conducting research. Some pathologists perform autopsies to determine cause of death, though this represents a smaller proportion of modern pathology practice.

Work Environment

Pathologists work primarily in hospital laboratories, reference laboratories, academic medical centers, and medical examiner offices. The work environment is typically a well-lit laboratory equipped with microscopes, tissue processing equipment, and increasingly, digital pathology scanners and computer workstations. Compared to other physician specialties, pathology involves minimal direct patient contact, though some subspecialties like cytopathology and transfusion medicine involve more clinical interaction. The pace of work varies, with morning hours often busy as overnight and early-morning specimens arrive for processing and review. The atmosphere is generally collegial and intellectually focused, with pathologists frequently consulting with colleagues on challenging diagnostic cases. Work schedules are more predictable than many physician specialties, with most pathologists working standard weekday hours plus shared call coverage for urgent frozen sections and transfusion consultations. Academic settings add teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities to the clinical workload. The work requires sustained concentration and attention to detail, as diagnostic errors can have profound consequences for patient care. Laboratory environments require adherence to safety protocols when handling potentially infectious biological specimens.

Career Path & Advancement

Becoming a pathologist requires four years of undergraduate education, four years of medical school earning an MD or DO degree, and a three to four-year residency in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, or a combined anatomic and clinical pathology program. Many pathologists pursue additional one to two-year fellowship training in subspecialties such as dermatopathology, hematopathology, neuropathology, or cytopathology. Board certification through the American Board of Pathology is the expected credential, with subspecialty certifications available in numerous areas. Entry-level pathologists typically join hospital pathology departments, reference laboratories, or academic medical centers. Career advancement paths include becoming laboratory medical director, department chair, chief medical officer of a reference laboratory, or academic professor. Some pathologists build careers in forensic pathology working with medical examiner offices, while others transition into pharmaceutical industry roles overseeing clinical trial pathology or biomarker development. The field increasingly offers opportunities in digital pathology and computational pathology for those with informatics interests.

Specializations

Pathology encompasses numerous subspecialties that offer distinct career paths and areas of expertise. Surgical pathology is the largest subspecialty, focused on examining tissue specimens from biopsies and surgeries to diagnose diseases including cancer. Dermatopathology combines dermatology and pathology expertise to diagnose skin diseases through microscopic examination. Hematopathology focuses on diseases of blood and bone marrow, including leukemias, lymphomas, and clotting disorders. Cytopathology involves evaluating individual cells from specimens such as Pap smears, fine needle aspirates, and body fluids. Neuropathology specializes in diseases of the nervous system, examining brain biopsies and surgical specimens. Forensic pathology involves performing autopsies and determining cause and manner of death for medicolegal cases. Clinical chemistry pathologists oversee laboratory testing of blood and body fluid components. Molecular pathology applies genetic and genomic testing to diagnose diseases and guide targeted therapies, representing one of the fastest-growing subspecialties. Transfusion medicine pathologists manage blood banking operations and ensure safe blood product administration.

Pros & Cons

Industry Insight

Pathology is undergoing a significant transformation driven by technology and the expanding role of precision medicine. Digital pathology, which converts glass slides to high-resolution digital images, is enabling remote diagnosis, artificial intelligence-assisted screening, and collaborative consultations across institutions. AI algorithms are increasingly capable of detecting patterns in pathology images, though they currently augment rather than replace pathologist expertise. Molecular and genomic testing has become essential for cancer diagnosis and treatment selection, with companion diagnostics guiding targeted therapy decisions. The integration of pathology data with clinical information through health informatics is creating more comprehensive diagnostic platforms. Workforce studies suggest potential shortages of pathologists as retirements outpace training program output, which could drive salary increases and expand opportunities. Consolidation of hospital laboratories and growth of large reference lab companies like Quest Diagnostics and Labcorp is reshaping employment landscapes. Liquid biopsy and other minimally invasive diagnostic technologies represent emerging frontiers that pathologists are incorporating into clinical practice. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical importance of laboratory medicine and clinical pathology in public health response.