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The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) is a professional membership organisation. Its main function is the overseeing of postgraduate training, and its Fellowship Examination (FRCPath) is recognised as the standard assessment of fitness to practise in this branch of medicine.


Constitution

The Royal College of Pathologists is a professional membership organisation, to maintain the standards and reputation of British
pathology Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...
, through training, assessments, examinations and professional development. It is a registered charity and is not a trade union. Its 13,000 members work in hospital laboratories, universities and industry worldwide.


History

The College of Pathologists was founded in 1962, to optimise postgraduate training in the relatively young science of pathology, with its high importance in the diagnostic process, and the increasing range of specialist studies within it. The college received its
royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...
in 1970 and its Patron is King
Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
.


Training and examinations

The Fellowship Examination of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) is the main method of assessment for UK pathology training - evaluation of a candidate's training programme, indicating fitness to practise, whilst also marking the entry into independent practice and the beginning of continuing professional development. Upon successful completion, trainees are awarded Fellowship status of the Royal College of Pathologists. Fellowship may also be awarded on the basis of submitted published works, though this 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. The College runs a national scheme for overseeing of continued education of pathologists in clinical practice, as well as sponsoring workshops, lectures and courses.


Disciplines

The following are disciplines of pathology which the college oversees: *
Histopathology Histopathology (compound of three Greek words: 'tissue', 'suffering', and '' -logia'' 'study of') is the microscopic examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease. Specifically, in clinical medicine, histopatholog ...
**
Neuropathology Neuropathology is the study of disease of nervous system tissue, usually in the form of either small surgical biopsies or whole-body autopsies. Neuropathologists usually work in a department of anatomic pathology, but work closely with the clini ...
**
Cytopathology Cytopathology (from Greek , ''kytos'', "a hollow"; , ''pathos'', "fate, harm"; and , ''-logia'') is a branch of pathology that studies and diagnoses diseases on the cellular level. The discipline was founded by George Nicolas Papanicolaou in ...
** Paediatric pathology *
Forensic Pathology Forensic pathology is pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. A post mortem examination is performed by a medical examiner or forensic pathologist, usually during the investigation of criminal law cases ...
* Clinical Biochemistry, sometimes called Chemical Pathology *
Haematology Hematology ( spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves treating diseases that affect the production ...
(with the Royal College of Physicians) *
Immunology Immunology is a branch of biology and medicine that covers the study of Immune system, immune systems in all Organism, organisms. Immunology charts, measures, and contextualizes the Physiology, physiological functioning of the immune system in ...
(with the Royal College of Physicians) * The work of
coroners A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into the manner or cause of death. The official may also investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...
*
Medical Microbiology Medical microbiology, the large subset of microbiology that is applied to medicine, is a branch of medical science concerned with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. In addition, this field of science studies various ...
(with the Royal College of Physicians, as Combined Infection Training) *
Virology Virology is the Scientific method, scientific study of biological viruses. It is a subfield of microbiology that focuses on their detection, structure, classification and evolution, their methods of infection and exploitation of host (biology), ...
(with the Royal College of Physicians, as Combined Infection Training) * Veterinary Pathology *
Genetics Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinians, Augustinian ...
(both Clinical Cytogenetics and
Molecular Genetics Molecular genetics is a branch of biology that addresses how differences in the structures or expression of DNA molecules manifests as variation among organisms. Molecular genetics often applies an "investigative approach" to determine the st ...
) *
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Oral and maxillofacial pathology refers to the diseases of the mouth ("oral cavity" or "stoma"), jaws ("maxillae" or "gnath") and related structures such as salivary glands, temporomandibular joints, facial muscles and perioral skin (the skin aro ...
*
Toxicology Toxicology is a scientific discipline, overlapping with biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and medicine, that involves the study of the adverse effects of chemical substances on living organisms and the practice of diagnosing and treating ex ...
* Clinical Embryology


Publications

The Royal College of Pathologists produces ''The Bulletin of The Royal College of Pathologists'', a quarterly professional membership magazine.


Presidents

* Dr Bernie Croal 2023- * Professor Michael Osborn 2020–2023 * Professor Joanne Martin 2017–2020 * Dr
Suzannah Lishman Suzannah Claire "Suzy" Lishman CBE (born ) was the President of the Royal College of Pathologists 2014–2017. Career Lishman was educated at Wakefield Girls’ High School, The King’s School, Ely, the Neale Wade Community College, and Gir ...
2014–2017 * Dr Archie Prentice 2011–2014 * Professor Peter Furness 2008–2011 * Professor Adrian Newland CBE 2005–2008 * Professor Sir James Underwood 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 1969–1972 * Sir James Howie 1966–1969 * Sir Roy Cameron 1962–1966


Arms


References


External links

* {{authority control Health in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Medical associations based in the United Kingdom College of Pathologists Pathology organizations Pathologists 1962 establishments in the United Kingdom Pathologists Scientific organizations established in 1962