Royal College of Pathologists
Encyclopedia
The Royal College of Pathologists, founded in 1962, was established to co-ordinate this development and maintain the internationally renowned standards and reputation of British pathology. Today the College advises on a vast range of issues relating to pathology
. The College received its Royal Charter
in 1970 and its Patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The College is a professional membership organisation committed to setting and maintaining professional standards and to promoting excellence in the practice of pathology. It is a registered charity and is not a trades union. Its 10,000 members work in hospital laboratories, universities and industry worldwide.
The College's mission is to promote excellence in the practice of pathology and to be responsible for maintaining standards through training, assessments, examinations and professional development, to the benefit of the public.
Pathologists study the causes of disease and the ways in which disease processes affect our bodies. Recognising the patterns that disease takes allows us to understand what's at the root of a problem, enabling accurate diagnosis. Following up this understanding helps treatments to be devised and preventative measures to be put in place.
Pathology is a relatively young science. The first pathologists dealt with all areas of the subject, but rapid advances quickly meant that pathologists too became specialists.
for which the College has oversight:
The College has an active educational programme and sponsors workshops, lectures and courses.
The main method of assessment for UK pathology training is the Fellowship Examination of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath). This examination is taken in two parts and trainees are awarded Fellowship status of the Royal College of Pathologists upon successful completion of both parts. The FRCPath examination is an assessment of a candidate’s training programme, indicating fitness to practise, whilst at the same time signalling the entry into independent practice and the beginning of continuing professional development.
Fellowship may also be awarded on the basis of submitted published works. This, however, does not contribute to the award of the Certificate of Completion of Training and is not a mark of eligibility for appointment to a Consultant post or unsupervised practice.
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
. The College received its Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
in 1970 and its Patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The College is a professional membership organisation committed to setting and maintaining professional standards and to promoting excellence in the practice of pathology. It is a registered charity and is not a trades union. Its 10,000 members work in hospital laboratories, universities and industry worldwide.
The College's mission is to promote excellence in the practice of pathology and to be responsible for maintaining standards through training, assessments, examinations and professional development, to the benefit of the public.
Pathologists study the causes of disease and the ways in which disease processes affect our bodies. Recognising the patterns that disease takes allows us to understand what's at the root of a problem, enabling accurate diagnosis. Following up this understanding helps treatments to be devised and preventative measures to be put in place.
Pathology is a relatively young science. The first pathologists dealt with all areas of the subject, but rapid advances quickly meant that pathologists too became specialists.
Disciplines
The following are disciplines of pathologyPathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
for which the College has oversight:
- HistopathologyHistopathologyHistopathology refers to the microscopic examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease...
- NeuropathologyNeuropathologyNeuropathology is the study of disease of nervous system tissue, usually in the form of either small surgical biopsies or whole autopsy brains. Neuropathology is a subspecialty of anatomic pathology, neurology, and neurosurgery...
- CytopathologyCytopathologyCytopathology is a branch of pathology that studies and diagnoses diseases on the cellular level. The discipline was founded by Rudolf Virchow in 1858. A common application of cytopathology is the Pap smear, used as a screening tool, to detect precancerous cervical lesions and prevent cervical...
- Paediatric pathology
- Neuropathology
- Forensic PathologyForensic pathologyForensic pathology is a branch of pathology concerned with determining the cause of death by examination of a corpse. The autopsy is performed by the pathologist at the request of a coroner or medical examiner usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some...
- Clinical Biochemistry, sometimes called Chemical Pathology
- Haematology (with the Royal College of Physicians)
- ImmunologyImmunologyImmunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
(with the Royal College of Physicians) - The work of coroners
- Medical MicrobiologyMedical microbiologyMedical microbiology is both a branch of medicine and microbiology which deals with the study of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites which are of medical importance and are capable of causing infectious diseases in human beings...
- VirologyVirologyVirology is the study of viruses and virus-like agents: their structure, classification and evolution, their ways to infect and exploit cells for virus reproduction, the diseases they cause, the techniques to isolate and culture them, and their use in research and therapy...
- Veterinary PathologyVeterinary pathologyVeterinary pathologists are doctors of veterinary medicine who specialize in the diagnosis of diseases through the examination of animal tissue and body fluids. Like medical pathology, veterinary pathology is divided into two branches, anatomical pathology and clinical pathology. Veterinary...
- GeneticsGeneticsGenetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
(both Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular GeneticsMolecular geneticsMolecular genetics is the field of biology and genetics that studies the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. The field studies how the genes are transferred from generation to generation. Molecular genetics employs the methods of genetics and molecular biology...
) - Oral Pathology
- ToxicologyToxicologyToxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...
- Clinical Embryology
Training and examinations
The College is responsible for oversight of postgraduate education and training in all branches of pathology in the UK.The College has an active educational programme and sponsors workshops, lectures and courses.
The main method of assessment for UK pathology training is the Fellowship Examination of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath). This examination is taken in two parts and trainees are awarded Fellowship status of the Royal College of Pathologists upon successful completion of both parts. The FRCPath examination is an assessment of a candidate’s training programme, indicating fitness to practise, whilst at the same time signalling the entry into independent practice and the beginning of continuing professional development.
Fellowship may also be awarded on the basis of submitted published works. This, however, does not contribute to the award of the Certificate of Completion of Training and is not a mark of eligibility for appointment to a Consultant post or unsupervised practice.
Continued professional development
The College runs a national scheme for oversight of continued education of pathologists in clinical practice.Membership
Membership in the College can be obtained by several routes, the most usual being via a postgraduate examination, indicated with the designation Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath).Presidents
- Professor Peter Furness 2008-2011
- Professor Adrian Newland CBE 2005-2008
- Professor Sir James UnderwoodJames UnderwoodProfessor Sir James Underwood is a British pathologist who was awarded a knighthood for services to medicine in the 2005 New Year honours list.-Early life and education:...
2002-2005 - Professor Sir John Lilleyman 1999-2002
- Professor Sir Roderick MacSween 1996-1999
- Professor Alastair Bellingham CBE 1993-1996
- Professor Sir Peter Lachmann 1990-1993
- Professor Sir Dillwyn Williams 1987-1990
- Professor Dame Barbara Clayton 1984-1987
- Professor Robert Curran 1981-1984
- Professor John Anderson CBE 1978-1981
- Sir Robert Williams 1975-1978
- Sir John Dacie 1972-1975
- Sir Theo Crawford 1696-1972
- Sir James Howie 1966-1969
- Sir Roy Cameron 1962-1966