Spare Me

*Begin Rant*
Before I came to medical school, I spent 32 hours shadowing at UMC. At the end of those 32 hours, I realized 3 things: 1. cardiology is for the birds 2. Ob/Gyn seemed like fun 3. I LOVE AUTOPSIES

After I was accepted into medical school and started my first two years of the perpetual hot dog eating contest for the brain, I figured out 3 things: 1. neuroanatomy is used in hell as torture 2. I hate pharmacology 3. I LOVE PATHOLOGY AND HISTOLOGY

Then I started my 3rd year. So far I have endured surgery, family medicine, psychiatry, internal medicine, neurology. I learned 3 things: 1. crazy people are only fun while they are crazy 2. patients make me feel awkward and uncomfortable ESPECIALLY if they are crying 3. I like diagnosing and learning disease processes, but I don't do treatments, treatment plans, and medication bingo.

I've banked a good amount of shadow time in the path dept using my own time. Yes people, when I have a day off I go RUNNING to the gross room and spend ALL.DAY. there. With a smile on my face. ALL.DAY. I love it there. So no, no I don't want you to tell me I'm "wasting great interpersonal skills" or that I'm "too upbeat to be a pathologist" or that I'd "have a very promising career in ::insert specialty here::".

Let me clue you in on 3 things:
1. Interpersonal skill is needed in a pathologist because I will be telling YOU what the biopsy showed. I kinda need good skills to get the message across. Also, I want to stay in academics so me wanting to teach future doctors kinda requires me to have good interpersonal skills. Don't you think?
2. I know I would have a promising career in ::whatever the hell you envision for me::. I'm in medical school. I'm smart enough to get here, pass the first two years, get through Step 1, and then spend my time doing scut work for various specialties. I know I'll have a promising career in ANYTHING I choose to go into. It just happens to be pathology.
3. Yes, I'm a happy person (most of the time). That doesn't mean I need to do medicine, or peds, or ob, or whatever. Pathologists are happy people too. We're even ::gasp:: social! You know, we have to interact with other pathologists, the secretaries, the techs and EVEN OTHER DOCTORS.

So, yes. Interpersonal skills, broad knowledge base, and personality are all important qualities of your neighborhood pathologist. As is for an internal medicine doc, a pediatrician, or whatever you may be.

So spare me. I don't need your opinions, suggestions, or thoughts on the matter.

*End Rant*