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Specialty Training Requirements in
General Pathology

2015

VERSION 2.0

These training requirements apply to those who begin training on or after July 1^st, 2015.

MINIMUM TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Five (5) years of approved residency in General Pathology. This period must include:

1. Thirteen (13) blocks of basic clinical training, which must include a minimum of:
   1. Two (2) blocks, or longitudinal equivalent, in General Surgery or other surgical discipline(s) relevant to General Pathology
   2. Two (2) blocks, or longitudinal equivalent, in Internal Medicine or a medical subspecialty relevant to General Pathology
   3. One (1) block, or longitudinal equivalent, in Pediatrics or a pediatric subspecialty
   4. One (1) block, or longitudinal equivalent, in Obstetrics and Gynecology relevant to General Pathology
   5. One (1) block in either Medical Oncology or Radiation Oncology
   6. Six (6) blocks in other training programs relevant to General Pathology with program director approval
2. Twenty-six (26) blocks of training in Anatomical Pathology, which must include:
   1. Eighteen (18) blocks in surgical and autopsy pathology
   2. Two (2) blocks of training in a formal, structured forensic autopsy program, which must provide exposure to an appropriate mix of medico-legal autopsy cases in sufficient numbers to meet training objectives
   3. Four (4) blocks of training in cytopathology, with at least one (1) block or equivalent completed preferably in the final year
   4. Two (2) blocks of further training in Anatomical Pathology as approved by the program director
3. Six (6) blocks of training in each of the following:
   1. Medical biochemistry
   2. Hematological pathology, incorporating morphological hematology, flow cytometry, coagulation, and transfusion medicine
   3. Medical microbiology, including bacteriology, mycology, parasitology, and virology
4. At least one (1) block or longitudinal equivalent in molecular pathology
5. Up to seven (7) blocks of electives, as approved by the program director, chosen from the options listed below. Electives should include experience in laboratories in smaller community hospitals and in free-standing clinical laboratories. Electives must include training in facilities with laboratory physicians practising General Pathology.
   1. Up to seven (7) blocks of residency in a university-affiliated hospital, preferably community based, integrating the skills required of a General Pathologist in a practice setting
   2. Up to seven (7) blocks of residency in one or more of the following: anatomical pathology, medical biochemistry, hematological pathology, or medical microbiology
   3. Up to seven (7) blocks of other approved residency or research, relevant to the objectives of General Pathology and acceptable to the director of the training program, at a hospital or university centre

NOTES:

For the purposes of this document, a one (1) block rotation is to be considered four weeks.

REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION

Royal College certification in General Pathology requires all of the following:

1. Successful completion of a 5-year Royal College accredited program in General Pathology;
2. Completion of a scholarly research, quality assurance, or educational project relevant to General Pathology;
3. Completion of an advocacy project relevant to General Pathology; and
4. Successful completion of the certification examination in General Pathology.

The 5-year program outlined above is to be regarded as the minimum training requirement. Additional training may be required by the program director to ensure that clinical competence has been achieved.

• REVISED – SSRC – 2012
• EDITORIAL REVISIONS – Specialty Committee/Office of Education – September 2012
• REVISED – Specialty Committee – February 2014
• APPROVED – Specialty Standards Review Committee – February 2015

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