Scottish Medical Training

GMC Reference: WOS 2702

Paediatric and Perinatal Pathology is a discipline of anatomical pathology that is a separate post graduate medical training programme from General Histopathology. The current Scottish training programme received approval from the GMC in 2015. The programme covers Paediatric Surgical Pathology, Perinatal Pathology and Paediatric Forensic Pathology. Entry into the programme is at ST3 level following successful attainment of the FRCPath Histopathology Part 1 examination and experience equivalent to Integrated Cellular Pathology Training (Histopathology Curriculum 2021) or stage B (Histopathology Curriculum 2015).

Recruitment is managed through the UK national recruitment process. A trainee applying and being appointed to the programme will receive a National Training Number for Paediatric and perinatal pathology. The training will be expected to take place over a period of three years (WTE) during which time the trainee will be expected to attain the Final FRCPath in Paediatric Pathology.

The Scottish programme offers a broad syllabus in line with the FRCPath Paediatric Pathology Curriculum. The programme is necessarily demanding and requires a high degree of motivation, dedication and initiative from an appointed trainee. As part of the Paediatric Pathology Team, the trainee will have opportunities to participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings, perinatal meetings and fetal medicine meetings. A typical case mix in paediatric surgical pathology includes the following areas of Pathology: Paediatric tumours, Gastrointestinal, Cardiovascular, Respiratory, ENT, Max Fax, Dental, Hepatobiliary, Dermatopathology, Lymphoreticular, Renal, Genitourinary, Osteoarticular, Soft tissue, Endocrine and POCs / Placentas. Some aspects of transplant pathology are also included, particularly renal. The autopsy component of training includes: perinatal autopsies, paediatric hospital autopsies and medico-legal autopsies. The trainee will have opportunities for significant exposure to neuropathology, ocular pathology, clinical genetics, fetal medicine and specialist review panel tumour pathology.

There are opportunities to take part in research projects, laboratory and clinical audits.

Academic pursuits are to be encouraged. The trainee will be expected to undertake and complete audits working with their consultant colleagues. The trainee will be expected to develop a good working relationship with their Pathology colleagues in General Histopathology and with their clinical colleagues. There will be an expectation for the trainee to participate in general histopathology educational opportunities relevant to Paediatric Pathology and generic competencies.   

The training posts in Scotland are currently primarily based in Glasgow  based in the Department of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Opportunity for rotation to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary will be available. The trainee can also attend placements in departments including Genetics  and Neuropathology (Western General, Edinburgh). Further educational visits / short placements can be undertaken in other centres in Scotland and the rest of the UK tailored to the training requirements of the trainee and aligned to the RCPath Curriculum. 

The programme for Paediatric Pathology Training involves rotations / placements in the following Health Boards:

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian, NHS Grampian

(External placements to specified NHS Trusts outside of Scotland if required to fulfil curriculum requirements.)