Trends in pathology graduate medical education

Comprehensive data show trends in graduate medical education in pathology with regard to the numbers of accredited programs, persons certified from those programs, and demographics of the population of first year-trainees in pathology. Experience with US seniors and foreign-trained physicians in the PGY match process for pathology from 1991 through 2000 is presented, along with data on the types of medical schools generating pathology trainees for the PGY-1 year and the top medical schools of origin of US medical graduates who completed the program and became certified in pathology between 1995 and 1999. The impact of reimbursement of the credentialing year is also addressed through data collected from the PRODS Survey 2000, and those results are reviewed. Finally, turnover rates among pathology program directors of combined AP/CP programs and subspecialty programs since 1994 are presented. An analysis of these trends is provided, along with suggestions to improve both the perception of careers in pathology and the actual choice of a career in pathology.