Although an autopsy is an important part of the diagnosis and treatment of deadly diseases and provides valuable information to the patient's doctor and family, it is only a small part of the typical pathologist's practice. Pathologists who specialize in performing autopsies to investigate unexpected or suspicious deaths and determine the causes are known as forensic pathologists or medical examiners. There are approximately 12,000 board certified pathologists in the U.S. who practice their specialty in community, university, and government hospitals and clinics, in independent laboratories, or in private offices, clinics, and other health care facilities. Some pathologists devote their careers to research in pathology, developing new tests and new instruments to better diagnose diseases. After completing four years of medical school, pathologists need four to five years of residency training to be eligible to take board certification examinations.
Many pathologists also undertake additional training in a subspecialty of pathology.
Since Americans are living longer than previous generations, forecasters predict that preventive medicine will become even more important, for it provides the best chance of containing spending on the nation's health care. Pathologists are pledged to foster wise use of pathology laboratory services and to be the patient's advocate for high quality, cost-effective laboratory testing. In this way, pathologists help their patients to be healthier and more productive throughout their longer lives.