Anatomical Pathology

Monalisa Sur, MBBS, FCPath, M.Med, MRCPath, FRCP(C), FRCPath (U.K)
Antomical Pathology Program Director

Associate Professor
Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
Henderson Hospital
Room 100
Hamilton, ON


We are currently closed to independent, foreign applicants.

Program Overview

Sir William Osler said "as is our pathology so is our practice; what the pathologists thinks today, the physician does tomorrow". This still holds true, even more so with the changing practice of Anatomic Pathology. This is what the Anatomic Pathology program strives to achieve for each of their residents, during the training period. Excellence to guide decisions for best patient care and management and to advance frontiers of patient care by integrating pathology with clinical specialties.

The Anatomic Pathology residency training at McMaster University is a five year training program that offers an intensive and integrated approach to preparing residents for careers in academic and/or clinical practice. The program is designed to fulfill the specialty requirements of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, but is sufficiently flexible to be tailored to individual needs of each resident, which is one of the strengths of this program.

Curriculum

The length of the program is five years: a PGY1 year of basic clinical training (BCT) followed by four years (PGY2-5) of residency training in anatomic pathology.

The BCT year includes two month block rotations in each of Internal Medicine, General Surgery, and Obstetrics/Gynecology. Some flexibility in the choice of clinical rotations is available. The remaining six months is an elective period. Students without previous experience in Laboratory Medicine are advised to spend the portion of their elective periods in one or more of the laboratory specialties with a minimum period of three months in Anatomical Pathology.

PGY2-PGY5 years are dedicated to training in Anatomical Pathology with emphasis on general surgical pathology, autopsy, cytology, electron microscopy, applied molecular pathology, forensic pathology and electives in sub-specialties and research.

Residents are trained in autopsy pathology and all areas of surgical pathology during the first two years. Training in forensic pathology, diagnostic cytopathology, neuropathology, molecular pathology, pediatric pathology, and electron microscopy usually takes place in senior years. The Program offers a wide variety of specialty elective rotations in breast pathology, gynecologic pathology, hematopathology, bone and soft tissue pathology, hematopathology, dermatopathology, pulmonary pathology, GI pathology, head and neck pathology, endocrine pathology and renal pathology. Residents rotate through four teaching hospitals, each hospital having their own areas of sub-specialty enabling trainees to see and learn from a large and diverse volume of surgical pathology cases with varying degrees of complexity.

Research is strongly encouraged. Papers are presented by residents during the annual Residents' Research Day as well as in provincial, national and international meetings. For those who are interested, up to one year may be set aside for basic experimental research. There are many renowned basic science and clinical research programs at McMaster University and residents have ample opportunity to do collaborative research. Residents have the opportunity to orchestrate their residency training with a graduate doctorate degree concurrently. For more information on graduate studies please visit the Faculty of Health Sciences Graduate Program web site.

Most recently, the divisions of Anatomic and General Pathology programs are collaborating with the Clinical Investigator Program (CIP) and residents who are interested in a research career can integrate with this program through anatomic or general pathology.

Objectives of Training and Specialty Requirements

Please review the training objectives listed on the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada web site for specialty certification in anatomical pathology.

Educational Activities

Residents enjoy protected time for educational events such as weekly academic half days. This occurs in conjunction with the general pathology residents, and occasionally with residents in clinical pathology subspecialties. The content covers not only special areas in anatomic pathology, but also aspects of laboratory management, quality assurance, biomedical ethics, and evidence-based journal clubs. There are numerous ongoing clinico-pathologic rounds at various hospital sites and residents participate and present cases at these multi-disciplinary rounds and learn to communicate and collaborate with clinical colleagues at all times and also learn how to integrate diagnoses with patient outcome and management. Residents also attend seminars organized at different teaching sites as well as by the Postgraduate Education office.

Resources

There are two hospital systems in Hamilton: Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph's Healthcare. Hamilton Health Sciences includes McMaster University Medical Center, the Chedoke site, the Hamilton General site, the Henderson/Juravinski Cancer Centre site. In total, the two systems carry an annual workload of approximately 47,000 surgical specimens, 34,000 cytologic specimens, 300 combined adult and pediatric hospital autopsies and 600 medico legal autopsies.

The Program has upgraded microscopes at each site with digital cameras, computers and printers. Residents have access to various teaching web sites supported by the Program.

Each resident per year is allocated generous travel funds to encourage and support resident participation and presentations at conferences. Residents can use a limited part of their travel funds to attend workshops, courses and obtain books. Residents also receive funds over a period of five years, to support ongoing small research project. Residents may also apply for a small, in-house, research grant.

Evaluation

Residents are evaluated after every sign-out, midway through, and at the completion of each rotation. Resident progress is monitored and residents meet at least twice per year with the program director for formal progress discussion. Informal discussion with the program director throughout the rotation is also encouraged. In addition, each resident will be assigned a mentor to assist them during their training period.

An in-house practical pathology examination is held annually for all residents. At each teaching hospital site, every week, residents are exposed to unknown slide rounds which help them prepare for the oral exam component of the Royal College exams. Residents also have to write the American Society for Clinical Pathology Resident Exam during the year.