# Forensic Pathology



## SirenaChitzoph (May 27, 2013)

So, ever since the sixth grade, I've considered being a forensic pathologist, and I've kept up this interest in becoming one for all these years, so I'm fairly set on going through all the education necessary to becoming one and whatnot. 

My question is to anyone who has perused similar paths what going through all that schooling is like, whether you hit a point where you were really discouraged, and anything else that stuck out, I suppose. 

I suppose this is really vague but whatever. 

Just tell me about your time I guess. 




Wow this turned out so much worse than I had expected.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

I assume you have to become a doctor first?


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## SirenaChitzoph (May 27, 2013)

I'm fairly sure I wrote this after attending an event at my school where many universities gave presentations and whatnot, and made me question my life choices. I'm sorry for wasting your time. I don't even know what I was really looking for, or asking, really.

This is kind of embarassing.


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## Uralian Hamster (May 13, 2011)

SirenaChitzoph said:


> I'm fairly sure I wrote this after attending an event at my school where many universities gave presentations and whatnot, and made me question my life choices. I'm sorry for wasting your time. I don't even know what I was really looking for, or asking, really.
> 
> This is kind of embarassing.


With the course load pathologists have to go through I would be amazed if you didn't question your decision to be one. In my country, the steps are;
-Get bachelors degree. Subjects like immunology, microbiology, toxicology, biochemistry and biology all build a strong foundation, but aren't necessary as long as you have taken the core courses.
-Go to medical school. 4 more years, you get to work in different areas and get an idea of what you would rather do.
-Residency. Just like getting into med school, it's competitive (like...30 pathologists last year). 5 years for anatomical pathology then a 1 year fellowship to become a forensic pathologist. 

That's 14 years. So yeah, it's natural to be skeptical.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

bollocks said:


> With the course load pathologists have to go through I would be amazed if you didn't question your decision to be one. In my country, the steps are;
> -Get bachelors degree. Subjects like immunology, microbiology, toxicology, biochemistry and biology all build a strong foundation, but aren't necessary as long as you have taken the core courses.
> -Go to medical school. 4 more years, you get to work in different areas and get an idea of what you would rather do.
> -Residency. Just like getting into med school, it's competitive (like...30 pathologists last year). 5 years for anatomical pathology then a 1 year fellowship to become a forensic pathologist.
> ...


why is it necessary to get a bachelor's first?


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

SirenaChitzoph said:


> I'm fairly sure I wrote this after attending an event at my school where many universities gave presentations and whatnot, and made me question my life choices. I'm sorry for wasting your time. I don't even know what I was really looking for, or asking, really.
> 
> This is kind of embarassing.


There's no need to be embarrassed, don't worry.
While I'm not a doctor or studying medicine, I've known a few people who have and because I'm in the health professions field (dietetics) there's a few things I could tell you. Well, first of all it's a LOT of stuff to learn, anatomy, physiology and the most complex, pathology. It's *a lot* to learn and memorize, so you certainly have to have the will to do that. Second, it's not an easy thing to deal with people's health because you are a person too, and studying all those things about illnesses, then seeing and interacting with patients... it's very tough. 
But it's also very interesting to learn about the body and how it works, it's mind blowing really. 

Also, med students become a little hypochondriac during their studies, checking up symptoms and such, I hear it's very common.


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## Uralian Hamster (May 13, 2011)

Red Panda said:


> why is it necessary to get a bachelor's first?


I think I worded that funny. I was saying that it's not necessary to get a bachelors in any of those specific fields, so long as you have a bachelors in anything along with the proper core subjects. A lot of people wanting to go into medicine chose degrees in Biology, Biochemistry, chemistry, etc. It's not necessary, you should just study what genuinely interests you because if your plans change, your not left with a degree that you have no desire to use.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

bollocks said:


> I think I worded that funny. I was saying that it's not necessary to get a bachelors in any of those specific fields, so long as you have a bachelors in anything along with the proper core subjects. A lot of people wanting to go into medicine chose degrees in Biology, Biochemistry, chemistry, etc. It's not necessary, you should just study what genuinely interests you because if your plans change, your not left with a degree that you have no desire to use.


Oh I see. In my country, it's 6 years med school + 1 year work as GP in small towns or villages + 3 years forensic pathology training. But it's quite common to have to wait for the training because of the limited openings.


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## angularvelocity (Jun 15, 2009)

I wanted to pursue that field when I started my undergrad and even declare a forensic science major at one point. From what I heard, you'll see a lot of things that people would consider disgusting like mangled bodies, decomposed bodies found, etc. I was also told that forensic pathologists also develop an odd sense of humor as they continue to work in that field. I went through some text books for forensic pathology and was actually pretty grossed out. It was a dose of reality for myself so I changed my major after that. The best thing you can do is to go and get some experience in that field (volunteer if necessary or paid). It will give you a better idea of what you want to do, and you can also use that on your resume for later times.


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## Uralian Hamster (May 13, 2011)

angularvelocity said:


> From what I heard, you'll see a lot of things that people would consider disgusting like mangled bodies, decomposed bodies found, etc..


...and a mandatory 3 months in pediatric pathology (and everything that comes with it)


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## OldManRivers (Mar 22, 2012)

bollocks said:


> ...and a mandatory 3 months in pediatric pathology (and everything that comes with it)


If I had ever been interested, that would stop me cold.


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