Advertisement
Advertisement
|
Home :: More Career Profiles
Chemical Pathologist |
Career OverviewA chemical pathologist works to determine the cause of injury, disease or death through the use of chemical analysis and procedures. A chemical pathologist may use a variety of test including immunopathology, toxicology, and other general and specific chemical testing procedures. In addition the chemical pathologist may also use radioimmunoassay to determine compounds and chemical present in the tissue.
The chemical pathologist is usually responsible for managing the laboratory and supervising the completion of all the various chemical tests that are required. Often the chemical pathologist will work with the technicians in the laboratory to determine the appropriate tests for the various tissue or body fluid samples. Chemical pathologists may be testing for very specific compounds or chemicals or may be trying to determine what substances are present in the tissue and in what specific amounts.
A chemical pathologist must be very analytical and extremely knowledgeable about chemical processes and laboratory protocols. The chemical pathologist needs to have excellent communication skills to be able to keep the laboratory functioning in a timely manner.
Chemical pathologists may also work more directly with patients in performing blood analysis, helping patients to understand appropriate levels of particular foods or compounds in their diets, monitoring diabetes, and even providing blood gas work results to patients with cardiac health concerns.
Many chemical pathologists work in research labs on breaking developments on metabolism, diets, finding new proteins and enzymes and other health related chemical issues.
|
Career RequirementsMost chemical pathologists have either a PhD in biomedical sciences or a full medical degree with additional training in pathology. This training must be in an accredited pathology department and may last one or more years. During this time the student will work in all aspects of chemical pathologist including radioimmunoassay, chemical processes, metabolic tests and other lab procedures and protocols.
|
Advertisement
|
Job OutlookThe demand for pathologists of all specialties will continue to increase over the next several years according to the United States Department of Labor. The increasing movement of chemical pathologists from strictly laboratory and research based pathologist to more interactive members of treatment teams has increased the demand for chemical pathologists in hospitals and healthcare facilities as well as research based employment.
|
Career TrackA chemical pathologist is highly qualified to move into positions that involve laboratory management and supervision. In addition many chemical pathologists transfer from hospital or healthcare facility to working for pharmaceutical companies managing and directing laboratories or large research projects.
Several chemical pathologists return to universities and medical schools to teach as faculty members. Since pathology is an important part of medicine the demand for pathologists in teaching positions is very high.
|
CompensationThe average salary of a pathologist with less than two years of experience is approximately $170,000. By the end of the third year many chemical pathologists will earn over $300,000. Experienced chemical pathologists working as research supervisors for private research facilities can earn in excess of $450,000 per year.
|
|