The first part lasts 5 weeks and covers basic concepts necessary for successful function within an anatomic pathology laboratory, including safety, medical terminology, computer use and laboratory computerization, and basic laboratory administration. The second part lasts for 5 weeks and covers the autopsy, from death certificate and permission to performance, sign out, and clinical correlation. Forensic pathology is briefly covered. Basic dissecting and description skills are taught and practiced as a prelude to clinical rotations on the autopsy service. Students are assigned to three person teams with residents beginning during the end of June in the first year.
Students receive instruction from teaching faculty and program staff.
Instruction includes death certificates and autopsy permission, universal precautions, prosection, gross descriptions, preliminary reports, cutting in blocks for histology, photography, final reports, cause of death statements, microbiology cultures, and toxicology. Students also receive specialized instruction on neuropathology and perinatal autopsy procedures. In addition, students learn the operation of the hospital morgue, covering such topics as resolving permission questions and release of bodies to funeral directors and the coroner. During the first few months students primarily assist first year residents in prosecting cases while they learn the technical operations of the autopsy service. During this time they develop prosecting skills and learn how to abstract charts, submit sections, and sign out cases.