Pathoma (2025): The Gold Standard for Pathology
Best for: PathologyPrice: from 84.95 USD/year
Pros
- Dr. Sattar: The best pathology teacher in the world.
- High-Yield: Focuses only on what you need to know.
- Book: The text is basically a condensed version of Robbins.
Cons
- Limited Scope: Only covers Pathology (though that is a huge part of the exam).
- Video Player: Basic features, no speed controls on older versions.
“Fundamentals of Pathology”
Pathoma is not a big tech company. It is one man: Dr. Husain Sattar, a pathologist at the University of Chicago. And he has taught an entire generation of doctors how to understand disease.
The Sattar Method
Dr. Sattar doesn’t just list facts. He explains the mechanism of disease in a way that makes it intuitive.
- First Principles: He starts with basic principles (inflammation, neoplasia) and builds up to complex organ systems.
- No Fluff: His lectures are incredibly dense with high-yield information. If he mentions it, you need to know it.
- The Voice: His calm, clear teaching style is famous. You will hear his voice in your head during the exam.
The Duke Pathoma Deck
Pathoma is so popular that there is a dedicated Anki deck (the “Duke Deck”) made by students just for this resource.
- Most students watch a Pathoma video, annotate the book, and then do the corresponding Duke Anki cards to lock it in.
Pathoma vs. SketchyPath
- Pathoma: Focuses on understanding the disease process. Best for building a strong foundation.
- SketchyPath: Focuses on memorizing the details through visual mnemonics. Best for things you just can’t get to stick.
- Verdict: Use Pathoma as your primary learning tool. Use SketchyPath only for the topics you struggle to remember.
Is It Worth It?
At ~$85, it is the best value in medical education. The physical book alone is worth the price. Do not skip Chapters 1-3 (General Pathology); they are the highest-yield hours you will spend studying.
Fundamentals of Pathology
Pathoma is not a big tech company. It is one man: Dr. Husain Sattar, a pathologist at the University of Chicago. He has a gift for simplifying complex disease processes into logical steps.
The “Why”
Most textbooks tell you what happens (e.g., “In inflammation, vessels dilate”). Dr. Sattar tells you why (e.g., “Histamine binds to H1 receptors on endothelial cells, causing contraction, which creates gaps…”). Once you understand the mechanism, you don’t have to memorize the list.
Chapters 1-3
Every medical student knows the rule: “Memorize Chapters 1-3 of Pathoma.” These chapters cover General Pathology (Inflammation, Neoplasia, Hemostasis). They are the foundation of the entire exam.
Verdict
It costs $85. It is worth $8,500. Just buy it.