If you’re curious about what a pathologist does, then you should know that pathology has to do with the study of disease. A pathologist is going to study the nature of disease as well as the causes of disease. The purpose of this is to be able to diagnose and treat specific types of diseases. Typically, a pathologist is going to gather samples that can be examined in a clinical laboratory so that a disease can be monitored.
How Pathology Works
Pathology involves collecting tissue samples or some other type of body fluid from a patient. Once the sample has been collected, it will be placed on a glass slide so that it can be analyzed thoroughly. Pathologists will use microscopes to look for signs of disease and other abnormalities that might be present. The information that they find can be used to help diagnose patients and figure out what is going on.
This is the traditional type of pathology that has been used for many decades now. Modern pathologists also utilize digital techniques so that they can approach things from different angles. For example, high-resolution pictures can be taken of the slides so that everything can be digitized. This allows pathologists to examine things on a computer screen or even a mobile device.
When pathologists make use of digital pathology methods, it makes it easier for them to collaborate with other experts remotely. They can even utilize AI algorithms to look for certain problems and diagnose issues with great accuracy. This is all in addition to traditional microscope analysis and everything working together makes it so that disease issues can be understood as fully as possible. Pathologists are very important and they do work that helps to save lives.
There Is a Shortage of Pathologists
Interestingly, there is a shortage of qualified pathologists and this is a very in-demand career path. Pathologists are more important than ever and they are needed to help analyze diseases on a daily basis. Digital pathology makes it easier for people to work together remotely, but it’s still necessary for there to be more skilled pathologists. Those who are looking for a challenging but rewarding medical career might wish to consider pathology.