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Medical Knowledge

1. Objectives
   1. Level I
      1. Demonstrate knowledge of the JCAHO/CAP standards required for submitting surgical pathology specimens and the basic legal requirements for retention of pathology specimens and records.
      2. Demonstrate competency in the selection, preparation and staining of representative tissue samples for frozen section.
      3. Develop and understand the proper techniques of gross dissection and microscopic evaluation of tissue specimens.
      4. Understand and identify common inflammatory conditions (e.g. acute appendicitis, chronic cholecystitis), preneoplastic conditions (e.g. cervical dysplasia), benign tumors (e.g. tubular adenomas, fibroadenomas) and malignancies (e.g., prostatic adenocarcinoma, small cell lung carcinoma, etc.)
      5. Knowledge of common malignancy cases that require proper TNM classification.
      6. Correlation of gross and microscopic findings with clinical course.
   2. Level II
      1. Demonstrate knowledge of the common situations requiring expedited processing of pathology specimens, and those that do not.
      2. Demonstrate knowledge of the common indications for an intraoperative consultation.
      3. Demonstrate knowledge of the common grading and staging systems applied to malignant neoplasms.
      4. Demonstrate knowledge of how and when to obtain external consultations in anatomic pathology and document the results appropriately.
      5. Demonstrate knowledge of available procedures for locating a missing specimen and resolving questions of specimen identity.
2. Plan
   1. The knowledge base is obtained by:
      1. Informal teaching by attending pathologists during sign-out and finalization of surgical pathology reports.
   2. Conferences:
      1. Consultant’s conference (five times per week)
      2. Gross Conference (once per week)
      3. Anatomic Pathology Conference (once per week)
   3. Basic reading requirements:
      1. Ackerman’s Surgical Pathology text (entire text should be read during the first two years of the residency).
      2. Appendix H in Ackerman’s Surgical Pathology text.
      3. AJCC Cancer Staging Manual
      4. Orientation materials (review objectives, rotations, and responsibilities).
3. Supervision/Assessment
   1. Informal assessment by attending pathologist by questions asked during microscopic examination of tissue specimens and finalization of surgical pathology report.
   2. Written examination at the completion of each two-month rotation.