Pathologists

After a morning of answering phone calls from pathologists, it is clear that my remarks as quoted in the article (Part A, Jan. 23) regarding Dr. Wong-Myun Rho, may have offended members of that specialty of medicine. I was quoted as saying that pathologists have more difficulty in passing the SPEX medical exam as they have not had as much clinical training, and that they “go straight to corpses,” which certainly leaves the impression that pathologists only perform autopsies.

This is not correct.

In the case of a physician like Dr. Rho, given his age and profession (coroner), my remarks are accurate. He may not have practiced on a “live” in several decades, and when he performed his clinical training he may not have received additional training in general medicine. This would place a candidate at a disadvantage in taking an exam 40 years after graduating from medical school.

Pathologists as a group have no more difficulty in passing a medical exam than any other specialty. Most physicians, however, pathologists included, don’t take the exam decades after graduation.

My remarks were meant to specifically address Dr. Rho’s situation and not to paint the entire specialty of pathology with the same brush. Most pathologists are not coroners and regularly deal with “live” patients. Autopsies often represent only a small percentage of their practice.

JANIE CORDRAY

Information Officer

Medical Board of California

Sacramento