One question that I consistently get on my DMs is this! How to study Pathology in med school? You know it's funny because I was asking myself the very same question almost a decade ago and it feels like yesterday.
Pathology as a subject is very straightforward, however, as a specialty? Not so much! Diagnosing diseases, getting to the bottom of things can be taxing and exciting, all at the same time. But as a medical student, if you get the Pathology right, it makes other clinical subjects, especially general medicine that much more easily understandable and enjoyable!
So here are some of my favorite techniques and resources to help you study Pathology well!!
1. Always go in order: Whether it is general Pathology or systemic, always learn things in order. It will help you recollect the material easily.
For general pathology, I usually follow the following order - starting from definitions to the normal mechanism to understanding normal from abnormal followed by some examples of the pathology associated with it. If possible, add a note on the clinical implications of the same.
Focus more on new discoveries or mechanisms, the molecular aspect of things, and the new tools of the investigation if you want your answer to stand out. It really is about getting the order right!
For systemic pathology, again start from definition to etiology to pathogenesis followed by clinical features, how to diagnose a particular abnormality, and then a brief about the treatment and prognosis. Almost any answer in systemic pathology can be written under these headings.
2. Concise points: When we read a long paragraph or an entire page, we are bound to feel overwhelmed so try and pick up a few important words that give you a whole lot of information. For example, if I see the word asteroid bodies, my mind immediately goes to sarcoidosis even though it's not specific to that. Similarly, translocation (15;17) makes me think of APML and DIC. Focus on just important words. That's all.
3. Visualize: Pathology is a very visual subject. If you remember the microscopic image, you don't have to even read the whole thing. You will automatically know that the picture of tuberculosis is going to show granuloma with the cuff of lymphocytes and Langhan's giant cells. Visualization is the key. Both, as undergraduate as well as postgraduate. The ability to close your eyes and visualize will take you far in the world of Pathology.
4. Art of making notes: Follow one standard textbook. You can have multiple reference books if you like but for all practical purposes, have only one book that you follow through your final exams. The art of note-making resides in being able to extract information that you haven't found elsewhere and can just jot down on a stick-on sheet or on empty spaces around in your standard textbook. Just so everything is in one place and you aren't going back and forth to find the information on any given topic.
5. Some of my favorite Pathology resources online:
Hope this helps you get the gist of how to approach Pathology as a subject! I am all ears if you got any questions for me!
Enjoy reading :)
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