Pick your Speciality

Pathology

Q&A Professional Association

 What are the key points of specialist training?

5 years, including:

    • 6 months cytopathology
    • 1x change of training site obligatory
    • 1 year optional in neuropathology or research activity
    • An external year is not obligatory

How expensive is this specialist training?

Additional costs are incurred for participation in the dissection seminars and courses for molecular pathology, but these can be attended at very favorable conditions via memberships with SGPath, and in some cases there is also cost sharing by the employer.

What further training options and specializations are there?

Specialization in cytopathology and molecular pathology.

How can a stay abroad in this area be implemented or is it even necessary? (e.g. necessity of the USMLE)

Not necessary, but possible, it should be clarified beforehand whether the stay in the specific institution is recognized in CH.

How well can this specialty be combined with research (clinical research or basic research)?

Very good, especially for colleagues working at a university institute, research is an integral part of their work.

How important is it to do research (e.g. to do an MD-PhD)?

Not particularly important, depending on the planned career (academic – non-academic, management function sought yes/no), an eMBA is often required for a management position/leadership.

How important is it for your starting job to gain an insight into this subject area during the elective year?

A great advantage, as first impressions of the working method and the environment are gathered, and a certain talent/interest in the visual processing of patterns (image recognition) is also beneficial.

Q&A Physicians

Head Physician, M, 58 years old

How old are you?

58 y/o

Where did you study and when did you graduate?

University of Basel, 1992

Do you have a doctorate?

Yes

When did you become a specialist?

1998

How long did your specialist training take?

???

What is your current position (and background)?

Head Physician at the Institute of Pathology KSGR for 5 years

1999 January – 2000 May Senior Physician at the Institute of Pathology of the Triemli City Hospital of Zurich (Head Physician Prof. R. Maurer)
2000 June – 2001 August Senior Physician at the Institute of Clinical Pathology at the University of Zurich (Head Physician Prof. Ph. Heitz)
2001 September – 2006 October Senior physician at the Institute of Pathology at the University of Basel (head physician Prof. M.J. Mihatsch)
2006 November – 2011 January Deputy Head Physician at the Institute of Pathology at the Triemli City Hospital in Zurich (Head Physician Prof. P. Komminoth from 2007)
2011 February – 2011 July Staff Pathologist at the Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis/The Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam/NL
August 2011 – 2012 November Senior physician at the Institute of Pathology at the University of Basel (head physician Prof. M. Tolnay)
January 2013 – December 2015 Chief Physician/Managing Director at the Institute of Pathology Enge with branches in Münsterlingen (Institut zum Regenbogen) and Zurich (Institute of Dermatopathology Sigg)
2014 – 2015 Head of the Institutes Enge, Regenbogen, Münsterlingen, Dermatopathology Sigg
January 2016 – January 2019 Head of department at the Institute of Pathology (University Hospital Basel)
January 2018 – January 2019 Head of department for gynecological and breast pathology (Pathology, University Hospital Basel)
February 2019 Head of the Institute of Pathology, Cantonal Hospital Graubünden, Head of the Cancer Registry

    How does your working week look like?

    • Workload: 55h/week
    • Patient contact: no
    • Shift work: no
    • Working on weekends: no

    When and why did you choose this specialization?

    Extremely varied and challenging work that is in demand all over the world (shortage of specialists), good career opportunities, good opportunities to shape your professional life individually.

    How would you describe your time as a resident?

    Exhausting, but very instructive and varied. Compared to colleagues in other disciplines, I had to do very little administrative work and was also able to work in research and teaching.

    Is part-time work possible already during residency?

    Yes, is also offered at various locations, but extends the training period

    What working modalities does your specialist title offer?

    All: working as an employed or self-employed pathologist in your own institute, as an organ specialist or as a simple employed diagnostician through to basic research with Nobel Prize aspirations, everything is possible. In addition, it is also possible to work in the pharmaceutical industry after completing training; some leading officials at the FOPH (Swiss Federal Office of Public Health) also obtained the title of pathology FMH before working at the FOPH.

    How competitive is it to complete this specialist title in Switzerland?

    Very, but language skills are very relevant, which is why foreign colleagues are sometimes at a disadvantage

    How would you rate your work-life balance on a scale of 1-10? Would your colleagues with the same specialist title confirm this?

    7

    How easy is it to implement family planning in this field?

    Can be arranged individually, as part-time work is possible and there are no weekend/night shifts.

    What do you wish you had known before your specialist training?

    Nothing. 

    Why should someone choose this specialty?

    Because there are countless opportunities to work (part-time, full-time, university, private, abroad, CH, as a manager or not, research yes/no, plus you have a key position in the management of practically all oncology patients and are always involved.

    What challenges await someone in this field?

    High workload in the sense of high performance under time pressure, constant pressure to make decisions (people with weak decision-making skills are not suitable), high degree of discipline and self-organization an advantage.

    Is it necessary to write the master’s/doctoral thesis in this subject area?

    No, but certainly a great advantage, as otherwise time would be lost.

    Is it possible to find an assistant doctor position in this specialty directly after the federal examination?

    Yes. 

    What advice would you give to young medical students?

    Be open to trying out different options and do what you really enjoy doing.

    Head Physician, F, 48 years old

    How old are you?

    48 y/o

    Where did you study and when did you graduate?

    Würzburg, Germany, 2003

    Do you have a doctorate?

    Yes

    When did you become a specialist?

    2009

    How long did your specialist training take?

    6 years

    What is your current position (and background)?

    Institute Director and Chief Physician PD at the Stadtspital Zürich.

    How does your working week look like?

    My work is very varied, from leadership tasks to management, financial expertise, diagnostics and training assistants.

    When and why did you choose this specialization?

    Very early on, during my first year of clinical studies. The bridging position between theoretical knowledge, science and applied medicine convinced me. No other subject conveys such a broad and deep understanding of diseases.

    How would you describe your time as a resident?

    Training in Germany was much less sheltered than in Switzerland. There I learned to take responsibility quite early on. In Switzerland, on the other hand, I really enjoyed the structure and support from many sides.

    Is part-time work possible already during residency?

    Yes, it is possible, but it extends the training period. A small workload is not recommended, as it also slows down progress considerably.

    What working modalities does your specialist title offer?

    Everything is possible, from isolated basic research to purely diagnostic pathologists.

    How competitive is it to complete this specialist title in Switzerland?

    You need a certain degree of flexibility in terms of location to find the ideal training place for you. The work is easy to plan, but the workload fluctuates, so there needs to be a certain flexibility in terms of time frame and/or good time management.

    How would you rate your work-life balance on a scale of 1-10? Would your colleagues with the same specialist title confirm this?

    8

    How easy is it to implement family planning in this field?

    There are no night shifts or weekend shifts, so as already mentioned above, there is good scheduling flexibility, a must with small children or school children.

    What do you wish you had known before your specialist training?

    It’s even better than you imagine. Clichés from television do not correspond to reality.

    Why should someone choose this specialty?

    There are countless opportunities to work (part-time, full-time, university, private, abroad, CH, as a manager or not, research yes/no), and you also have a key position in the management of a large number of patients (including practically all oncology patients). Pathology is almost always involved and is essential for treatment planning.

    What challenges await someone in this field?

    Tolerance of high decision-making pressure and concentrated work in order to manage an appropriate diagnostic workload. Discipline and good time management are basic requirements.

    Is it necessary to write the master’s/doctoral thesis in this subject area?

    No, but it is certainly a great advantage to gain an academic insight into the specialist field. Candidates without a doctoral thesis must have a publication to qualify as a specialist, which can be a bottleneck.

    Is it possible to find an assistant doctor position in this specialty directly after the federal examination?

    Yes.

    What advice would you give to young medical students?

    Not to be influenced by the opinions of your environment or the public, but to choose what you personally really enjoy doing.