Pathology is an important field of medical sciences that majorly focuses on the study of infections and diseases. Being a diversified field, it offers a myriad variety of career and training options to students pursuing a degree in this discipline. A pathologist can work in a lab studying disease outbreaks and analysing the consequences, or they have the choice of working in a hospital running tests on blood samples or doing autopsies or biopsies of various patients.

The use of pathology can be traced back to the eighth century when the medical practitioners applied scientific information to treat patients with various infections or diseases by studying the cause and effect of the symptoms recorded. Of the many pathological methods known, identifying diabetes by testing a patient’s urine was the oldest pathological technique used. Over the year, there have been major developments in the fields of pathology and a myriad variety of technologies have been introduced to improve the way items are tested and analysis are drawn out.

The division of pathology is mainly divided into three broad categories, namely – anatomic pathology, clinical pathology and experimental pathology. From these three divisions, a wide variety of the pathology services have emerged which are today offered by hospitals and pathology labs of the nation to the general public. These include:

• Haematology

• Microbiology

• Histology

• Cytology

• Immunology

• Blood Bank

• Bone Marrow Examination

• Surgical Pathology

• Immunohistochemistry

• Oncologist tests

• Biopsy

• Autopsy, etc.

Pathologists usually do not directly interact with the patients, but extend their services by examining samples of blood, or by conducting biopsies, further helping physicians in diagnosing the disease, understanding its extent, and recommend them the best possible treatments which can be undertaken to cure the disease identified. Pathology may not be as popular as other disciplines of medicine. But is apparently a vital and integral part of any hospital all around the world.

Becoming a pathologist involves one of the lengthiest education and training processes of all physicians’ studies. Basic requirements include a four-year bachelor’s degree along with four years of medical school and a minimum of four years of master’s training in the field of pathology. If you are planning to pursue a career in the area of pathology, there are a host of eminent medical universities in the country which offer globally acclaimed medical degrees and are backed by an excellent education system and a teaching staff with expansive experience. Once you’ve completed your education, there are a host of eminent pathology labs where you can complete your training and become a professional pathologist.