Healthcare Practitioners
Physicians, Pathologists
Also called: Anatomic Pathologist, Cytopathologist, Dermatopathologist, Forensic Pathologist
US median pay
$312,400
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+4.8%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
300
11,800 employed
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
Diagnose diseases and conduct lab tests using organs, body tissues, and fluids. Includes medical examiners.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Write pathology reports summarizing analyses, results, and conclusions.
- 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.
- Consult with physicians about ordering and interpreting tests or providing treatments.
- Analyze and interpret results from tests, such as microbial or parasite tests, urine analyses, hormonal assays, fine needle aspirations (FNAs), and polymerase chain reactions (PCRs).
- Review cases by analyzing autopsies, laboratory findings, or case investigation reports.
- Manage medical laboratories.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Complex Problem Solving4.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9/5
- Time Management3.2/5
- Instructing3.2/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1/5
- Management of Personnel Resources3.1/5
- Systems Evaluation3.0/5
- Systems Analysis3.0/5
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry4.8/5
- Biology4.5/5
- English Language4.3/5
- Education and Training3.4/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.4/5
- Chemistry3.2/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Doctoral or professional degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Post-doctoral training62%
- Doctoral degree29%
Who this job suits
Mostly Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.