Physiology, Pathology, and Related Sciences, Other.

Degree Overview

Physiology, Pathology, and Related Sciences, Other (CIP 26.0999) is an advanced clinical-research frontier for scientists who study the mechanical and chemical malfunctions of the human body. While standard physiology looks at how the body works, and pathology looks at how it fails, professionals in this "Other" category are "Systemic Forensic Analysts." They study extreme physiology, cellular pathogenesis, and the biophysics of disease progression. It is a path for "integrative medical detectives" who want to understand why specific treatments fail and how the body’s internal systems can be "re-engineered" to combat chronic illness.

This field is ideal for "clinical innovators"—individuals who are fascinated by the "why" behind disease and want to apply rigorous laboratory research to aerospace medicine, high-altitude performance, or the molecular origins of rare autoimmune conditions.

What Is an "Other" Physiology and Pathology Degree?

A degree in this category is a high-level STEM path that emphasizes functional morphology, experimental pathology, and systemic biology. You will study the "Regulatory Core"—the feedback loops that maintain human life—but your focus will be on specialized or non-traditional applications. Because this code houses niche programs, your studies might focus on Aerospace Physiology (how the body survives in space), Environmental Pathology (how pollutants physically degrade organs), or Exercise Oncology (using physiology to treat cancer). It prepares you to be a "Translational Medical Scientist" capable of identifying the physical "breaking points" of the human system.

Schools offer this degree to:

• Train "Performance Physiologists" who work with elite athletes or astronauts to push the limits of human physical capability
• Develop experts in Comparative Pathology, focusing on how diseases in animals can provide clues to curing human illnesses
• Prepare professionals for Forensic Pathology Research, studying the physical signatures of toxins and trauma at a microscopic level
• Study Regulatory Physiology, exploring how the body’s internal "thermostats" for temperature, oxygen, and sugar fail in chronic disease

What Will You Learn?

Students learn that "disease is a disruption of a physical system"; they focus on the mechanical logic and cellular stressors that lead to system-wide failure or recovery.

Core Skills You’ll Build

Most students learn to:

• Master Diagnostic Histopathology—preparing and analyzing tissue slides to identify the exact stage of a disease
• Use "Metabolic Monitoring"—measuring how the body consumes energy and oxygen under extreme physical or chemical stress
• Design Experimental Disease Models—recreating human disease pathways in lab settings to test new surgical or drug interventions
• Perform Cardiac and Respiratory Stress Testing—analyzing how the heart and lungs respond to simulated environments (like high altitude or deep sea)
• Utilize Immuno-Pathology Techniques—identifying how the immune system's own "defense" mechanisms can accidentally destroy healthy tissue
• Understand Systemic Pharmacology—how a drug meant for one organ affects the physiology of the entire body

Topics You May Explore

Coursework is a blend of clinical medicine, advanced physics, and molecular research:

• Extreme Environment Physiology: The study of how the human body adapts (or fails) in space, underwater, or in extreme heat/cold.
• Molecular Mechanisms of Disease: Investigating the "first domino" that falls at the protein level to cause a whole organ to fail.
• Cardiovascular Pathology: The detailed physical study of heart disease, focusing on blood flow mechanics and arterial degradation.
• Neuro-Pathophysiology: Exploring how physical changes in the brain lead to conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or stroke.
• Toxicological Pathology: The study of how chemical agents and environmental toxins physically alter the structure of human cells.
• Regenerative Pathology: Investigating how the body naturally repairs tissue and why that process stops in certain diseases.

What Jobs Can You Get With This Degree?

Graduates find roles as lead researchers, clinical directors, and specialized consultants in the medical, aerospace, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Common job roles include:

• Medical Science Liaison: Acting as the high-level scientific bridge between drug developers and practicing physicians.
• Clinical Research Coordinator: Overseeing human trials for new medical devices or physiological interventions.
• Exercise Physiologist (Clinical Focus): Designing specialized recovery programs for patients with heart failure or lung disease.
• Pathology Lab Manager: Directing the operations of diagnostic laboratories that process hundreds of patient biopsies daily.
• Aerospace Physiologist: Working with pilots or astronauts to manage the physiological risks of high-G forces and radiation.
• Toxicologist: Analyzing how environmental factors or new chemicals impact human organ systems.

Where Can You Work?

These specialists are the "bridge builders" between basic science and clinical treatment:

• Academic Research Hospitals: Leading the "bench-to-bedside" research that develops new surgical techniques.
• Biotech and Pharma Firms: Testing the safety and systemic effects of new biological therapies.
• NASA and Defense Agencies: Ensuring human survival in extreme military or space flight conditions.
• Private Diagnostic Corporations: Developing new "biomarkers" that can detect diseases like cancer earlier than ever before.
• Professional Sports and Performance Labs: Optimizing the physiology of world-class athletes.

How Much Can You Earn?

Because this field often requires advanced expertise at the intersection of medicine and research, the earning potential is high, especially in corporate or specialized sectors.

• Medical Science Liaisons: Median annual salary of approximately $135,000–$165,000+.
• Clinical Research Directors: Salaries typically range from $100,000 to $150,000.
• Medical Scientists (Pathology focus): Median annual salary of around $95,000–$130,000.
• Clinical Exercise Physiologists: Often start between $55,000 and $75,000.

Is This Degree Hard?

The difficulty is in the integration of multiple complex systems. You must master the chemistry of the cell, the physics of the organ, and the clinical reality of the patient all at once. It requires a brilliantly logical, high-stamina, and analytical mindset—you must be comfortable with the "unpredictability" of biological systems while maintaining extreme laboratory precision. It is a major that rewards those who are "Systemic Strategists" and who find purpose in solving the mechanical puzzles of human survival.

Who Should Consider This Degree?

This degree may be a good fit if you:

• Are fascinated by how the body "fights back" against disease and injury
• Want to go beyond standard medical school to discover new ways the body fails and heals
• Love the idea of working on "Extreme Science," like keeping people alive on other planets
• Enjoy high-tech laboratory work but want it to have a direct, visible impact on human health
• Believe that the future of medicine lies in "systemic optimization"—fixing the body's internal logic

How to Prepare in High School

• Take AP Biology and AP Physics; understanding the "physics of the body" (like blood pressure and bone stress) is crucial
• Take Chemistry and Anatomy; you need the chemical foundation to understand how drugs and toxins interact with the body
• Volunteer in a Clinical Environment (hospital or physical therapy clinic) to see physiology in action
• Practice Data Interpretation—learning to read graphs and charts of biological data is a core part of the field
• Read about "Pathophysiology" and "Space Medicine" to see how scientists are currently solving the puzzles of human failure

The ability to apply physiological logic and pathological mastery to the complexities of human health and performance is the hallmark of a successful professional in this field.