Pathology in Irish medical education

Humphreys, Hilary; Stevens, Niall T.; Leddin, Desmond; Callagy, Grace; Burke, Louise M.; Watson, R.W.G.; Toner, Mary

doi:10.1136/jclinpath-2019-206033

Cited by 7 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The process of developing this core curriculum began with a survey of what was happening in Ireland at the time to determine what was being covered and by whom [ 3 ]. Subsequently, a multi-disciplinary group representing the sub-specialties was established under the auspices of the Faculty of Pathology in the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) to outline what would be included and to draft this document.…”

Section: Process Of Core Curriculum Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pathology is the study of disease, is fundamental to training in becoming a doctor and consists of a number of disciplines including histopathology, haematology, chemical pathology, microbiology, immunology and other related specialties [ 1 ]. As medical curricula become more integrated, and systems-based, there is concern that key aspects of pathology and laboratory medicine may be under-represented or excluded, but which are crucial to physician training [ 2 , 3 ]. Recent years have seen the development of curricula in pathology in the UK and paediatrics in Ireland, to inform medical schools and medical educators on core aspects that are fundamental to the education of today and to tomorrow’s doctors [ 4 , 5 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Core curriculum in pathology for future Irish medical students

et al. 2021

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Pathology is important in training to become a medical doctor but as curricula become more integrated, there is a risk that key aspects of pathology may be excluded. Following a survey of the current delivery of teaching in Ireland under the auspices of the Faculty of Pathology at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, suggested components of a core curriculum in pathology have been developed to be delivered at some stage during the medical course. These have been based on key principles and themes required by the Medical Council in Ireland. Professionalism is one of the core principles emphasised by the Medical Council. It includes the role of the pathologist in patient care and other professional values such as patient-centred care, clinical competencies and skills, e.g. explaining results, and knowledge under the various sub-disciplines, i.e. histopathology (including neuropathology), clinical microbiology, haematology, chemical pathology and immunology. In each of these, we suggest key aspects and activities that the medical graduate should be comfortable in carrying out. The methods of delivery of teaching and assessment across pathology disciplines have evolved and adapted to recent circumstances. Lessons have been learned and insights gained during the COVID-19 pandemic as educators have risen to the challenge of continuing to educate medical students. Integrated and multi-disciplinary teaching is recommended to reflect best the professional environment of the medical graduate who works as an integral part of a multi-disciplinary team, with the minimum dependence on the traditional lecture, where at all possible. Finally, options on assessment are discussed, e.g. multiple-choice questions, including their respective advantages and disadvantages.

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Section: Process Of Core Curriculum Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Core curriculum in pathology for future Irish medical students

et al. 2021

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“…Pathology teaching in medical schools worldwide focuses on the study of disease, being the bridge between basic science and clinical practice [ 1 ]. Medical students learn the basics of pathology through various teaching modalities including lectures, small group sessions, and assignments as well as traditional and/or virtual microscopy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Medical students learn the basics of pathology through various teaching modalities including lectures, small group sessions, and assignments as well as traditional and/or virtual microscopy. Recently, there has been a tendency to include more case studies and exercises highlighting clinicopathological correlations into pathology teaching, in order to integrate with other courses within the medical school curriculum and emphasize pathology’s clinical significance in medicine’s multidisciplinary setting [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. In general, pathology courses run for a whole semester or more when designed for preclinical medical students [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Virtual Pathology Education in Medical Schools Worldwide during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Advantages, Challenges Faced, and Perspectives

et al. 2022

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The COVID-19 pandemic shifted pathology education in medical schools worldwide towards online delivery. To achieve this goal, various innovative platforms were used by pathology educators and medical students, facilitating both synchronous and asynchronous learning. The aim of this study was to review the published evidence regarding remote pathology teaching at the medical school level during this period, present our own experience, and provide some perspectives regarding the best mode of pathology teaching post-pandemic. Among its advantages, virtual pathology education was considered among students and educators as convenient, flexible, and engaging, while learning outcomes were met and students’ academic performance was in general satisfactory. However, several challenges were faced. For instance, suboptimal internet connection compromised the flow of classes and was even associated with a lower academic performance. The lack of hands-on laboratory activities, such as operating the light microscope and tissue grossing, and the reduced student interactions among themselves and their instructors, were also pointed out as significant drawbacks of remote pathology education. Whereas online education has multiple advantages, experiencing the physical university environment, in-person interactions and teamwork, exposure to the “hidden curriculum”, and hands-on activities are vital for medical school education and future student development. In conclusion, the implementation of a blended approach in pathology education—where online and face-to-face sessions are jointly used to promote students’ engagement, interaction with their instructors and peers, and learning—could be the most optimal approach to pathology teaching in medical schools post-pandemic.

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“…Anatomical pathology taught in concert with histopathology, haematology, chemical pathology, microbiology, immunology and related specialties is considered to provide a link between basic sciences and clinical medicine, and its teaching is a pivotal part of the so-called 'paraclinical years' of undergraduate medical curricula (Marshall et al 2004;Taylor et al 2008;Humphreys et al 2020). Historically, the teaching of human pathology in medical and allied health curricula relied in part upon access to fixed specimens in bottles or 'pots', which were collected over many years from post mortems and displayed in 'museums' within university or hospital pathology departments (Bickley et al 1981).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The reproduction of human pathology specimens using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology for teaching purposes

et al. 2020

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The teaching of medical pathology has undergone significant change in the last 30-40 years, especially in the context of employing bottled specimens or 'pots' in classroom settings. The reduction in post-mortem based teaching in medical training programs has resulted in less focus being placed on the ability of students to describe the gross anatomical pathology of specimens. Financial considerations involved in employing staff to maintain bottled specimens, space constraints and concerns with health and safety of staff and student laboratories have meant that many institutions have decommissioned their pathology collections. This report details how fullcolour surface scanning coupled with CT scanning and 3 D printing allows the digital archiving of gross pathological specimens and the production of reproductions or replicas of preserved human anatomical pathology specimens that obviates many of the above issues. With modern UV curable resin printing technology, it is possible to achieve photographic quality accurate replicas comparable to the original specimens in many aspects except haptic quality. Accurate 3 D reproductions of human pathology specimens offer many advantages over traditional bottled specimens including the capacity to generate multiple copies and their use in any educational setting giving access to a broader range of potential learners and users.

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Pathology in Irish medical education

Cited by 7 publications

References 10 publications

Core curriculum in pathology for future Irish medical students

Core curriculum in pathology for future Irish medical students

Virtual Pathology Education in Medical Schools Worldwide during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Advantages, Challenges Faced, and Perspectives

The reproduction of human pathology specimens using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology for teaching purposes

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