Positive Job Search Experience for New Pathologists Seeking First Employment Between 2017 and 2019

An aging population calls for an adequate response in the workforce of medical professionals. The field of pathology has seen a downward trend in numbers of graduating US allopathic medical students choosing the specialty. Concerns about the job market after residency and fellowship graduation may be a contributing factor.

To provide an update on the trends emerging from a survey of pathology graduates' job search experience for their first nonfellowship position.

Data from an annual job search survey sent by the College of American Pathologists Graduate Medical Education Committee between 2017 and 2019 to College of American Pathologists junior members and fellows in practice 3 years or less actively looking for a nonfellowship position was analyzed. Various indicators of the job search experience were compared year to year and with the previously published 2012 to 2016 benchmark data.

Analysis revealed positive trends between the 2017 to 2019 data and the 2012 to 2016 benchmark data, including participants' perceiving more ease in finding a position, improved availability of jobs in their subspecialty choice, and higher ratings of satisfaction with the position accepted, as well as a greater proportion of respondents finding a position within 6 months of initiating their job search.

The job market for pathology residents and fellows looking for their first nonfellowship position has improved with respect to multiple indicators, such as ease of finding a position, length of job search, and satisfaction with the position accepted when comparing 2017 to 2019 data with the 2012 to 2016 benchmark data.