Leo Burnside^1
1Waikato Hospital 

Encouraging medical students and junior doctors to pursue a career in pathology is a focus of the Royal Australasian College of Pathologists and indeed the future of the specialty. Now at the end of post graduate year 1 – my first year out of medical school, I present my path to pathology (so far). 

In this poster, I present my journey so far – what inspired my interest, what steps and what experiences I have undertaken to date.

This includes:

-          Lab visits in medical school – what, why and how. 

-          My medical school elective – 10 weeks in pathology, spread across two New Zealand labs, being involved with anatomical, chemical, forensic, haematology and microbiology. 

-          The RCPA conferences I was able to attend – (courtesy of RCPA grants) and how this has stimulated my interest and helped me meet like-minded people. 

-          The RCPA Basic Pathological Sciences Exam – what I learned and what I thought of the experience. 

I hope that this will inspire more medical students and prevocational doctors to pursue pathology, as well as to serve to acknowledge the efforts of those who have helped me so far.