How hard is it to become a pathologist?

It is very hard to become a pathologist. To be a pathologist, you need a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree, which first requires a bachelor's degree. Pathologists often have to complete an undergraduate degree in the natural sciences before attending medical school. In medical school, you will learn about how body systems function and how diseases change this.

What is the career path for a pathologist?

The career path for a pathologist begins with the completion of a four-year medical degree followed by a three-year residency program in pathology. You then need to pass the required exams to become a licensed pathologist. However, the educational requirements are just the beginning of a pathologist's career.

How To Become A Pathologist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a pathologist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A trained person that diagnoses the presence and stage of diseases using laboratory techniques and the patient specimen is called a pathologist. You will take blood samples for transfusion and study the cell morphology, blood type, blood group, and their compatibility with other blood. You will also perform various lab tests using medical equipment and computerized systems.

As a pathologist, you will log data from lab tests and enter results into the patient's record. With this, you will be able to discuss the results with doctors. You will often be required to handle all taken samples properly. As expected, you must give the correct written evaluation and diagnosis for each test.

The pathologist must undergo undergraduate years of schooling or a medical degree with hands-on training to be qualified. Technological skills are needed and should be up-to-date with the latest laboratory technology. Physical stamina is significant as pathologists tend to work for a long time standing. Relative work history with exemplifying excellence in the field is an added advantage. The average annual salary for a pathologist is $195,000.

ScorePathologistUS Average

Salary

4.8

Avg. Salary $61,808

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.9

Growth Rate 7%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

1.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.16%

Asian 20.36%

Black or African American 5.23%

Hispanic or Latino 9.93%

Unknown 4.49%

White 59.83%

Gender

female 59.28%

male 40.72%

Age - 48

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 48

Stress Level

7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.7

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.6

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a pathologist

Explore pathologist education requirements

Most common pathologist degrees

Bachelor's

39.7 %

Doctorate

25.0 %

Master's

16.7 %

Start to develop specific pathologist skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	30.60%
Patient Care	11.24%
Diagnosis	8.46%
GI	4.32%
GYN	3.73%

Complete relevant pathologist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New pathologists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a pathologist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real pathologist resumes.

Research pathologist duties and responsibilities

Supervise and manage pathology, microbiology and biochemistry laboratory.
Provide consultations to care providers and interpret laboratory findings and diagnosis to patients.
Screen by ELISA & immunoblots.
Result in answering an FDA concern regarding device.

Prepare your pathologist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your pathologist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a pathologist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Pathologist Resume templates

Build a professional Pathologist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Pathologist resume.

Apply for pathologist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a pathologist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

What is a pathologist and how to become one

Pathologist career paths

Key steps to become a pathologist

Explore pathologist education requirements

Most common pathologist degrees

Start to develop specific pathologist skills

Complete relevant pathologist training and internships

Research pathologist duties and responsibilities

Prepare your pathologist resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Pathologist Resume templates

Apply for pathologist jobs

How Did You Land Your First Pathologist Job

Average pathologist salary

How do pathologists rate their job?

Pathologist FAQs

How hard is it to become a pathologist?

What is the career path for a pathologist?

Search for pathologist jobs