Neuropathology Program Information
The overall goal of the Neuropathology (NP) program is provide residents with
excellent training in all areas of NP. In addition, residents should have a good
understanding of basic and clinical neurosciences to act as a resource person in
clinical practice and research. After completion of training, the residents will
have knowledge and skills to pass the Royal College Examination and become
competent practicing neuropathologists and effective consultants, and adequately
trained to fulfill all the CanMEDS Roles. As most neuropathologists are being
employed in large academic institutions, they should be good teachers and
researchers as well.
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Curriculum
PGY1:
The PGY1 year
is designed to prepare the trainee for Medical Council of Canada Exams with
broad based medical training and also to build a foundation for Neuropathology
training, and this includes a general clinical year of rotating internship with
rotations in Internal Medicine, Neurology, Surgery, Neurosurgery, Paediatrics,
Neuroradiology, AP and NP.
PGY2:
The PGY2 year is
spent on Anatomic Pathology (AP), although at the request of individual
candidates and the discretion of the NPTC this year may be postponed to PGY3. In
the AP service as part of the general rota, NP residents have the invaluable
opportunity to ground their knowledge in basic Pathological principles,
techniques, quality assurance, laboratory management/safety and time management
through daily activities and the AP Academic half-day attendance at which is
encouraged. Objectives for this year are those for NP house staff at this level
with some subspecialty rotations such as in head and neck, ophthalmic, bone, and
soft tissue pathology which are relevant to the practice of Neuropathology.
The PGY2 year acquaints the resident with service related aspects of
surgical and autopsy pathology for their exams, and more importantly, for their
eventual practice. As participants of Surgical and Forensic Pathology rounds,
resident presentation skills are developed in a friendly and supportive
environment.
PGY3:
Trainees in the NP core years work
closely with the NP faculty on a daily basis helping to prepare, study, diagnose
and report on the surgical and autopsy material that comes to the Division.
Trainees are also exposed to technical procedures that are special to NP and
additional laboratory management considerations.
In addition to general
adult surgical and autopsy NP, residents gain cumulative exposure to
neurocytology, developmental NP, perinatal and pediatric NP, forensic NP and
neuromuscular pathology. As in the AP year, the PGY3 year largely seeks to
develop a framework of learning for trainees to build on. Trainees are
introduced to disease patterns and common pathological entities to help them
create a basis for future learning of less common entities. They also learn how
to efficiently and effectively deal with all specimens to optimize their
diagnostic acuity.
Presentation skills are further refined at rounds and
conferences.
PGY 4 & 5:
These years are an extension of the
experiences begun in PGY 3 with the added benefit of elective time in areas of
interest. It is usually recommended that the final 6 months be spent on NP in
preparation for the fellowship examination. At the levels of PGY4 and 5,
residents are expected to provide supervisory, teaching, and leadership roles
for the more junior NP residents and off-service
residents.
Education Program
A journal
club/seminar covering major topics of Neuropathology and Neuroscience is held
weekly, every Tuesday after the Neuroscience Grand Rounds. An unknown
microscopic slide session using the multi-head microscope is also scheduled on
every Tuesdsay when residents are being encouraged to derive at
histopathological diagnosis on cases without available clinical history based on
a step-by-step analysis of the histopathological findings. Attendance in the
Neuroscience Grand Rounds is also part of the education program for NP
residents. A large number of additional high-quality educational rounds
(Neuroradiology, Neuromuscular, Stroke, Epilepsy, Surgical Pathology, Forensic
Pathology, etc.) and academic half-day curricula (Anatomic Pathology, City-wide
Academic half-day) are available for the educational program. A quiz session
with powerpoint presentation is held monthly for all Neuroscience residents,
including AP and NP residents. In addition to the formal teaching, each staff
neuropathologist spends many hours supervising residents on brain cutting, and
signing out of neurosurgical and neuromuscular biopsies using the multi-head
microscope with the residents. Residents are also being supervised in autopsy
dissection of the brain and spinal cord as well grossing of surgical material.
The program is enriched by the constant stream of Neurology, Neurosurgery and
Anatomical Pathology residents rotating through providing different perspectives
to the subject of Neuropathology. Residents could also take a research elective
on a project related to Neuroscience or Pathology.
Electives
There is a period up to 12 months available for
each resident for an elective rotation. Elective rotations include Neurology,
Neurosurgery, Neurooncology, and Pediatric NP. Residents could also take a
research elective on a project related to Neuroscience or Pathology.
Research
Residents are
encouraged to participate in clinical and bench research and there exist an
abundance of retrievable pathological material available for residents to use
for case reviews and reports. Residents are also funded to attend the CANP
Annual meeting and present papers at this meeting. Residents also participate in
the annual Pathology Department Research Day. Residents could also take a
research elective on a project related to Neuroscience or Pathology.
Assessments
We have instituted practical examinations
with microscopic slides and powerpoint presentation for evaluation of the
practical experience and skills at the senior resident level preparing for the
fellowship examination. All resident evaluations at end of rotation are based on
the CanMEDS Roles - Medical Expert, Communicator, Collaborator, Manager, Health
Advocate, Scholar and Professional.
Resident Awards
Julia Keith: Mary Tom Award at CANP
meeting, St. John's, New Foundland, 2003
Sherry Krawitz: Mary Tom Award at
CANP meeting, Winnipeg, Manitoba , 2004
Julia Keith-Rokosh: Mary Tom Award
at CANP meeting, Nigarra Falls, ON, 2007
Joanne Sy: Mary Tom Award at CANP
meeting, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, 2009
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For further details contact:
L. C. Ang
Department of
Pathology
London Health Sciences Centre and
University of Western
Ontario,
London, Ontario,
CANADA N6A 5A5.
Tel: 519-685-8500 ext.
32289
Fax: 519-663-2930
lang@uwo.ca
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