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Physicians, Pathologists

Occupation · SOC 29-1222.00

Diagnose diseases and conduct lab tests using organs, body tissues, and fluids. Includes medical examiners.

Also called: Anatomic Pathologist · Dermatopathologist · Forensic Pathologist · Pathologist · Cytopathologist · Hematopathologist · Neuropathologist · Oral Pathologist · Surgical Pathologist · Animal Pathologist · Autopsy Pathologist · Chemical Pathologist

Job family: Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

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AI work map

A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.

57th-percentile task overlap — yet about 400 openings a year (+4.2% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

Measure Rank vs all occupations Percentile Score
LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) High 75th 0.9
AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Moderate 40th 0.1

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.1), with simple added tooling (β 0.5), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.9). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

How AI is actually used in this job

Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.

Examine microscopic samples to identify diseases or other abnormalities. 2.1%
Conduct research and present scientific findings. 0.6%
Communicate pathologic findings to surgeons or other physicians. 0.4%
Identify the etiology, pathogenesis, morphological change, and clinical significance of diseases. 0.3%
Develop or adopt new tests or instruments to improve diagnosis of diseases. 0.2%

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

Outlook About average · +4.2% by 2034
Projected annual openings 400
Employment 2024 → 2034 12,600 → 13,100

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Tasks

All 19 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

Work activities

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry 4.8
Biology 4.5
English Language 4.3
Education and Training 3.4
Customer and Personal Service 3.4
Chemistry 3.2
Administration and Management 3.1
Computers and Electronics 3.1

Abilities

Inductive Reasoning 4.8
Problem Sensitivity 4.4
Oral Comprehension 4.3
Written Expression 4.3
Written Comprehension 4.1
Oral Expression 4.1
Deductive Reasoning 4.1
Near Vision 4.0
Information Ordering 3.9
Speech Clarity 3.9
Category Flexibility 3.8
Flexibility of Closure 3.8
Speech Recognition 3.8
Fluency of Ideas 3.1
Speed of Closure 3.1
Selective Attention 3.1
Visual Color Discrimination 3.1

Essential skills

Reading Comprehension 4.3
Writing 4.1
Critical Thinking 4.1
Active Listening 4.0
Science 4.0
Active Learning 4.0
Speaking 3.9
Monitoring 3.5
Learning Strategies 3.1

Transferable skills

Complex Problem Solving 4.0
Judgment and Decision Making 3.9
Instructing 3.3
Time Management 3.3
Social Perceptiveness 3.1
Management of Personnel Resources 3.1

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

Tools & technology

Example Category
Microsoft Access Data base user interface and query software Hot technology
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet software Hot technology
Microsoft Office software Office suite software Hot technology
Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation software Hot technology
SAP software Enterprise resource planning ERP software Hot technology
Accounts receivables system software Accounting software
Anatomic pathology software Medical software
Antek HealthWare LabDAQ Medical software
Aspyra CyberLAB Medical software
Aspyra CyberPATH Medical software
Blood Bank Computer Systems Blood Bank Control System Medical software
Blood bank information systems Medical software
Cerner CoPathPlus Medical software
Cerner Millennium PathNet Medical software
Cerner Millennium PathNet Blood Bank Transfusion Medical software
Cerner Millennium ProFit Accounting software
Clinical Information Systems CISLab CPS Medical software
Clinical Software Solutions CLIN1 Suite Medical software
ClinLab LIS Medical software
ComBase Information retrieval or search software
Comp Pro Med Polytech Medical software
Computer Service and Support AR 2000 Laboratory Billing System Accounting software
Computer Trust WinSurge Medical software
Cortex Medical Management Systems Cortex Medical Billing Billing and invoicing software
Cortex Medical Management Systems The Gold Standard Medical software
CPSI CPSI System Medical software
CSS CLS-2000 Medical software
Custom Software Systems StarLab Medical software
Database management software Data base management system software
Database software Data base user interface and query software
Digital image databases Information retrieval or search software
EasyPath Software Pathology Assistant Medical software
Elekta Impac Software IntelliLab Medical software
Elekta Impac Software PowerPath Medical software
EpicLab Laboratory Information System Medical software
eTeleNext AP Anywhere Medical software
eTeleNext LIS Medical software
Fletcher-Flora Health Care Systems FFlex eSuite LIS Medical software
Fletcher-Flora Health Care Systems LabPak LIS Medical software
GE Healthcare Centricity Laboratory Medical software

Showing the top 40 of 102.

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams 5.0
E-Mail 4.9
Time Pressure 4.9
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate 4.9
Telephone Conversations 4.8
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results 4.8
Frequency of Decision Making 4.6
Freedom to Make Decisions 4.6
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled 4.6
Spend Time Sitting 4.6
Consequence of Error 4.4
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals 4.4
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team 4.3
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls 4.3
Contact With Others 4.1
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks 4.1
Level of Competition 4.0
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions 3.9
Exposed to Disease or Infections 3.8
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities 3.7
Written Letters and Memos 3.6
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets 3.5
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers 3.3
Exposed to Contaminants 3.0
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions 3.0
Conflict Situations 2.7
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable 2.7
Health and Safety of Other Workers 2.7
Public Speaking 2.6
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People 2.5
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General 2.4
Physical Proximity 2.3
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings 2.3
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment 2.3
Degree of Automation 2.2
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment 2.2
Spend Time Standing 2.1
Spend Time Walking or Running 2.0
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection 1.9
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions 1.5

How to get in

Job zone
Zone 5 — Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
Related experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Preparation level
SVP (8.0 and above) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

What to study: Health Professions and Related Programs , Medical Residency/Fellowship Programs . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Post-Doctoral Training 62.0%
Doctoral Degree 29.2%
Master's Degree 6.0%
First Professional Degree 2.7%

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Investigative 7.0
Realistic 4.9
Conventional 4.7
Social 3.6

Interest areas

Medical Science 6.6
Life Science 6.4
Health Care Service 5.4
Physical Science 4.1
Mathematics/Statistics 2.8
Teaching/Education 2.6
Protective Service 2.6

Work styles

Dependability 6.0
Attention to Detail 5.0
Integrity 4.0
Intellectual Curiosity 3.0
Cautiousness 3.0

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

13k202413k2034 (proj.)+4.2% · About average
Projected U.S. employment, 2024–2034 (BLS Employment Projections). A labor-market forecast for the occupation, not an AI-impact forecast.
10th percentile $83,930
25th percentile $165,940
Median (50th) —
75th percentile —
90th percentile —
People employed 11,800

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Industry Workers National median pay
Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector 10,350 —
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector 350 $154,800
Educational Services · Sector 350 $224,840
Wholesale Trade · Sector 30 $177,130

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Industry Concentration Workers
Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector 5.85× 10,350
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector 0.42× 350
Educational Services · Sector 0.34× 350

Part of the Healthcare & Human Services career cluster.

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Physicians, Pathologists — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Skills that travel

Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.

Adjacent roles

Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.

Paths in

How people typically prepare for this work.

Zoom out

See where this work sits in the bigger picture.

Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation

Physicians, Pathologists show 57th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 400 annual U.S. openings

  • Physicians, Pathologists rank in the 57th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
  • The occupation is projected to see about 400 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • BLS projects employment to be about average (+4.2%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
Copy the whole kit
Physicians, Pathologists show 57th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 400 annual U.S. openings

• Physicians, Pathologists rank in the 57th percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE)
• The occupation is projected to see about 400 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• BLS projects employment to be about average (+4.2%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)

Source: Singulariki — "Physicians, Pathologists". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1222-00
Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom

Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

Cite this page
Plain

Singulariki. "Physicians, Pathologists." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1222-00

APA

Singulariki. (2026). Physicians, Pathologists. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1222-00

BibTeX 
@misc{singulariki-role-29-1222-00,
  title  = {Physicians, Pathologists},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1222-00}
}

Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.

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