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Patient care

Pathologist

Diagnoses disease from tissue, cells, blood and other samples, producing the findings that guide the treatment other doctors give.

Most pathologists are doctors who work in hospital laboratories, where their reports shape many treatment decisions; some also carry out post-mortems for coroners. It suits people who like close observation and diagnostic puzzles more than daily contact with patients.

Also called Histopathologist, Cytopathologist, Forensic pathologist or Chemical pathologist.

At a glance

Way in
Professional degree and licence, often in medicine
Pay in the US
$312,400 a year, the medianFor physicians, pathologists, 2025
Pay in the UK
£54,000 starting to £115,000 with experience
US outlook
Faster than average, 2025-2035
Suits you if
You like solving diagnostic puzzles and prefer the microscope to the clinic

Pay is a guide: it moves with the country, the employer, the sector and the years in the job. Figures from O*NET OnLine (US) and the National Careers Service (UK); see the sources below.

The work

What does a pathologist do?

  • Examine biopsies and surgical specimens under the microscope to diagnose cancer and other disease
  • Interpret blood and fluid tests and advise clinicians on what the results mean
  • Perform post-mortem examinations to establish why someone died
  • Discuss cases at team meetings with surgeons, oncologists and radiologists
  • Supervise laboratory staff and check that tests meet quality standards

Where they work

  • Hospital pathology departments
  • Private diagnostic laboratories
  • Mortuaries and coroner services
  • Universities and research institutes

Skills

The skills a pathologist needs

  • Visual pattern recognitionspotting abnormal cells and tissue structure
  • Medical knowledgehow disease changes organs, cells and blood
  • Precisioncareful, unhurried reporting where errors matter
  • Clear writingreports that clinicians can act on
  • Lab leadershiprunning teams, quality checks and new tests
  • Emotional steadinesshandling post-mortem work calmly

Route in

How to become a pathologist

  1. Earn a medical degree and work through supervised junior doctor posts
  2. Enter specialty training in a branch such as histopathology, haematology or chemical pathology
  3. Pass the professional pathology exams while training in hospital laboratories
  4. Qualify as a consultant or attending pathologist and report cases independently

Degrees people take

  • Medicine

In the UK, trainees sit the Royal College of Pathologists exams, and some specialties also take clinical scientists through the HSST programme; in the US, pathologists do a residency and board certification.

Practise for it

The quizzes and tools that fit

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Next to it

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Sources

Where the facts come from

Written for biofideX from these public sources. The pay figures are theirs, copied as published, last read 2026-10-25.

Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the body that registers the profession where you will work. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

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