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Anatomy
lays the foundation for understanding how the body works. But to understand
what happens when things go wrong and disease sets in, we must turn
to the science of pathology. Since pathologists tend to be hidden
away in laboratories, the nature of pathology and its role in medical
practice is widely misunderstood. Pathology is the hidden science
of modern medicine. When people hear the
term ‘pathologist’, they usually think that it’s
something to do with dead people, involving autopsies and investigating
suspicious deaths for the police. But this is an inaccurate caricature.
Although a relatively small number of ‘forensic pathologists’
do specialise in this area, most pathologists are busy helping the
living.
The majority of pathologists work in hospital
clinics and laboratories, performing the tests which help other
doctors make the right decisions for their patients. Most people
remain unaware of the pathologist’s contribution when they
see their family doctor or hospital specialist. But your doctor’s
actions are critically influenced by the dozens or hundreds of pathology
results that they see and request every day, as they strive to make
the right diagnosis and offer you the best treatment. Every time
a blood sample, biopsy or cervical smear is taken, it will end up
on a pathologist’s bench for assessment and testing.
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