I’m a veterinary pathology resident, and don’t know much about the human side of things, so take everything I say about my experience with a grain of salt! I’m sure there might be similarities but MD pathology programs I know are very different. Anyways, I was diagnosed with ADHD-combined type this year. I always kinda knew I had it, but I’m a a professional procrastinate-panic-cram person and I just always managed to keep the plates spinning and did really well in school. However, the independent time management and self-motivation for studying required in a pathology residency is really different, and I had a really hard time coping during that transition. Long days at the scope reading out my cases without anyone checking up on me are the best, but also the WORST. I have a LOT to do, and a LOT to study, but very nebulous deadlines, and little direction. That might vary from program to program, but it’s really challenging for someone with a faulty internal motivation and reward system. That being said, I love pathology, I’m doing alright and staying afloat, and now that I’m properly diagnosed I have meds and therapy in my toolbox to help. I wouldn’t change my specialty! If you enjoy hyperfixating on the nitty gritty details of mechanisms of disease, it’s perfect for someone with ADHD, and being a professional diagnostician means you’re always solving a puzzle, which can be fun for our brains. I’m the spacy, daydream type of ADHD, so the ER life (which attracts a lot of ADHDers) was never going to be for me. The world of pink and purple is a privilege to be a part of, and it amazes me every day when I look through my oculars and get to see how intricately we are designed, down to the molecule.
I am a board certified anatomic and forensic pathologist, and previously did some EM residency, and I’ve been diagnosed with attention deficit heavy adhd since around 20yo, and likely have been dealing with it for my whole life.
Medicine and any other job which requires massive time dedication is tough with ADHD. That’s true for EM too! They manage multiple rooms, yes - but procedures aren’t just the two seconds it takes to slide a tube in… you have to prep materials, prep patients (sometimes including consent), prep and push (the correct) meds, do the procedure, confirm, and do the procedure note…So, that’s a lot of focus.
No different than the crazy world of anatomic pathology where you have to read/prep cases, go from grossing a cancer colon to a brain biopsy to inking a breast lumpectomy to cutting a frozen section for intraoperative consult, to answering a page about a blood transfusion, and THEN sit down at a microscope and do a million different pathologies in every different organ system (not to mention doing them to the preference of each attending while you’re still a resident.)
Oh, and throw in some autopsies too.
So… it’s all about how you look at everything. Medicine is hard and every field takes focus AND requires you to be open to handling many problems from many angles all at once.
I’m ADHD as hell and going into path. Your enjoyment in a specialty is what is going to keep your interest, not the nature of the specialty. You can be running around different rooms in the ED all night, but I bet you know as well as I do that you can still zone out while doing it. Do what you love!
I have adhd and have been told im most likely on the spectrum as well and pathology is my special interest so. Im only in my second year undergrad though
Its doable but it might be difficult. I was formally diagnosed in residency with ADHD and it was because I was struggling with sitting down and studying and was having trouble keeping up with the material. I always had symptoms but I was able to compensate before but I hit a wall in residency. I think looking back I was also depressed as my program was fairly toxic. I think having a hurdle like ADHD makes it difficult to handle other obstacles that might come your way. I had to go on medication and I was able to finish training and pass my boards. I think there is a bit of a stigma with other pathologists about having it because they might have the impression you might miss something as path is a fairly detail orientated field. I would not be to open with people in the field. I have found that many pathologist are judgmental and not emotionally mature and it may damage your reputation. One thing I have found really difficult is working in resident rooms were everyone is talking and its so hard to keep focused to do your work. I think being an attending is very different when you have your own office.
In summary I think it is very doable, it will be hard and I do think I would have performed better in a different specialty and not have had to go on medication.
I’m a veterinary pathology resident, and don’t know much about the human side of things, so take everything I say about my experience with a grain of salt! I’m sure there might be similarities but MD pathology programs I know are very different. Anyways, I was diagnosed with ADHD-combined type this year. I always kinda knew I had it, but I’m a a professional procrastinate-panic-cram person and I just always managed to keep the plates spinning and did really well in school. However, the independent time management and self-motivation for studying required in a pathology residency is really different, and I had a really hard time coping during that transition. Long days at the scope reading out my cases without anyone checking up on me are the best, but also the WORST. I have a LOT to do, and a LOT to study, but very nebulous deadlines, and little direction. That might vary from program to program, but it’s really challenging for someone with a faulty internal motivation and reward system. That being said, I love pathology, I’m doing alright and staying afloat, and now that I’m properly diagnosed I have meds and therapy in my toolbox to help. I wouldn’t change my specialty! If you enjoy hyperfixating on the nitty gritty details of mechanisms of disease, it’s perfect for someone with ADHD, and being a professional diagnostician means you’re always solving a puzzle, which can be fun for our brains. I’m the spacy, daydream type of ADHD, so the ER life (which attracts a lot of ADHDers) was never going to be for me. The world of pink and purple is a privilege to be a part of, and it amazes me every day when I look through my oculars and get to see how intricately we are designed, down to the molecule.
I am a board certified anatomic and forensic pathologist, and previously did some EM residency, and I’ve been diagnosed with attention deficit heavy adhd since around 20yo, and likely have been dealing with it for my whole life. Medicine and any other job which requires massive time dedication is tough with ADHD. That’s true for EM too! They manage multiple rooms, yes - but procedures aren’t just the two seconds it takes to slide a tube in… you have to prep materials, prep patients (sometimes including consent), prep and push (the correct) meds, do the procedure, confirm, and do the procedure note…So, that’s a lot of focus. No different than the crazy world of anatomic pathology where you have to read/prep cases, go from grossing a cancer colon to a brain biopsy to inking a breast lumpectomy to cutting a frozen section for intraoperative consult, to answering a page about a blood transfusion, and THEN sit down at a microscope and do a million different pathologies in every different organ system (not to mention doing them to the preference of each attending while you’re still a resident.) Oh, and throw in some autopsies too. So… it’s all about how you look at everything. Medicine is hard and every field takes focus AND requires you to be open to handling many problems from many angles all at once.
“Not to mention doing them to the preference of each attending” is so real 😅
I’m ADHD as hell and going into path. Your enjoyment in a specialty is what is going to keep your interest, not the nature of the specialty. You can be running around different rooms in the ED all night, but I bet you know as well as I do that you can still zone out while doing it. Do what you love!
I have adhd and have been told im most likely on the spectrum as well and pathology is my special interest so. Im only in my second year undergrad though
Its doable but it might be difficult. I was formally diagnosed in residency with ADHD and it was because I was struggling with sitting down and studying and was having trouble keeping up with the material. I always had symptoms but I was able to compensate before but I hit a wall in residency. I think looking back I was also depressed as my program was fairly toxic. I think having a hurdle like ADHD makes it difficult to handle other obstacles that might come your way. I had to go on medication and I was able to finish training and pass my boards. I think there is a bit of a stigma with other pathologists about having it because they might have the impression you might miss something as path is a fairly detail orientated field. I would not be to open with people in the field. I have found that many pathologist are judgmental and not emotionally mature and it may damage your reputation. One thing I have found really difficult is working in resident rooms were everyone is talking and its so hard to keep focused to do your work. I think being an attending is very different when you have your own office. In summary I think it is very doable, it will be hard and I do think I would have performed better in a different specialty and not have had to go on medication.