Autopsy and Forensic Pathology

Required Competencies, Duties, and Responsibilities

Medical Knowledge

  • Residents demonstrate an investigative and analytical thinking approach to situations, including:
    • Development of reasonable and complete differential diagnoses for autopsy cases based on the available clinical information, gross and microscopic features, and current published information.
    • Suggest appropriate additional testing (special stains, immunohistochemical studies, and further clinical testing such as toxicology, serology, etc.) if applicable.
    • Formulation in a comprehensive, cohesive, and coherent fashion the above differential diagnoses and discussion of pathologic findings in the final autopsy report.
    • Encouraged to participate in at least one research project, such as clinicopathologic studies, or case reports with literature review.
  • Residents must have the knowledge base and be able to apply the basic and clinically supportive sciences which are appropriate to the specialty of anatomic pathology, including:
    • Demonstration of concepts of epidemiology of various pathologic processes during discussion of autopsy cases, and use of such knowledge to formulate pathologic diagnoses.
    • Demonstration of familiarity with the clinical presentations and manifestations of various diseases during discussion and workup of autopsy cases, and use of such knowledge to formulate pathologic diagnoses.
    • Demonstration of familiarity with basic histochemical and immunologic stains, including biochemical and immunologic principles, methods, and applications.
    • Demonstration of detailed knowledge of human anatomy during dissection and description of autopsy cases.

Evaluation:

  • Rotation evaluation

Autopsy/forensics score for the in-service examination compared to national means