28,151
Pathologists
100%
Accepting patients
79%
Most common: MD
FindClarity lists 28,151 pathologists nationwide. 100% are currently accepting new patients. The most common credential is MD (79%). 54% accept Medicare.
Pathologists are physicians who diagnose diseases by examining tissue samples, blood, and other body fluids under a microscope and with laboratory testing. When a surgeon removes a biopsy or a lab processes your blood work, a pathologist makes the diagnosis. They are a critical part of the diagnostic chain for cancer, infections, blood disorders, and autoimmune diseases.
After medical school, pathologists complete a three- to four-year residency in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, or both. Anatomic pathologists examine tissue (biopsies, surgical specimens). Clinical pathologists oversee laboratory medicine (blood tests, microbiology, transfusion medicine). Many subspecialize in areas like dermatopathology, hematopathology, or cytopathology.
You rarely interact with a pathologist directly, but their work underlies almost every diagnosis you receive. When you get blood work results, a pathologist verified the lab processes. When a mole is biopsied, a pathologist determines whether it is benign or malignant. Their diagnostic accuracy directly affects your treatment.
You generally do not schedule visits with a pathologist. They work behind the scenes. Your treating physician may request a pathology consultation for complex cases. Second opinions on pathology slides (especially cancer diagnoses) can be requested through your doctor. Some pathologists run specialized clinics for blood disorders or coagulation problems.
Most patients never meet their pathologist. Your biopsy sample is sent to the pathology lab, processed, stained, and examined under a microscope. The pathologist writes a detailed report describing what they see and providing a diagnosis. This report goes to your treating doctor within a few days. If you request a second opinion on pathology, the original slides are sent to another pathologist for independent review.
Biopsy interpretation: $100-500 · Surgical pathology (complex): $500-2,000 · Molecular/genetic testing: $300-5,000+ · Blood panel: $50-300
Routine biopsies typically take three to five business days. Frozen sections (done during surgery for immediate answers) take about 15 to 20 minutes. Complex cases requiring special stains, immunohistochemistry, or molecular testing may take one to two weeks. If you are waiting for a critical result (cancer biopsy), ask your doctor about the expected timeline.
For cancer diagnoses, getting a second pathology opinion is reasonable and recommended by many oncologists. Interpretation of certain tumors can be subjective, and a second pathologist at a major cancer center may refine the diagnosis. Your doctor can arrange this. For straightforward results (simple biopsies, routine blood work), a second opinion is usually unnecessary.
A biopsy involves removing a tissue sample for examination under a microscope (anatomic pathology). Lab tests analyze blood, urine, or other fluids for chemical markers, cell counts, infections, and organ function (clinical pathology). Both are interpreted by pathologists, but they use different techniques and answer different clinical questions.
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Pathology services are billed as part of your medical care. Biopsy interpretation is typically covered under surgical or diagnostic benefits. Lab work is covered under your lab benefits. Second-opinion pathology reviews may have additional costs. Complex molecular testing (gene panels for cancer) requires prior authorization and can be expensive. Verify that your pathology lab is in-network.