Program Overview

Introduction to Hematological Pathology

Hematological pathology incorporates multiple areas of medicine and science, including immunology, biochemistry, molecular pathology, and genetics. As a resident in this four-year program, you'll gain the ability to study, investigate, diagnose, and monitor disorders of blood, blood-forming elements, hemostasis, and immune function in adults and children.

Program Overview

The program is approved by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC). You'll build a solid understanding of the morphology of blood and hematopoietic and lymphoid organs, immunohematology, hemostasis, and general hematology. You'll also learn to direct and supervise blood centre and hospital transfusion medicine services.

Program Highlights

• Centralized laboratory services, with significant case volumes and variety
  • Synergies for learning between the hematological pathology, clinical hematology, and transfusion medicine programs
  • Collaborative relationship with laboratory hematology and clinical hematology services
  • Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation referral centre for the Maritimes
  • American Association of Blood Banks-accredited transfusion laboratory
  • Significant opportunities for teaching and research
  • Medical informatics knowledge and expertise

Role of Hematopathologists

Our faculty of dedicated and knowledgeable experts contribute to the program by:

• Teaching lectures, working in the laboratory, facilitating small groups during the Skin, Glands, and Blood section of undergraduate medicine (Med II)
• Teaching residents in all programs, including internal medicine, anesthesia, and pathology
• Teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses
• Participating in continuing medical education initiatives for anesthesia, surgery, and nursing
• Engaging in clinical and applied research, as well as basic sciences research

Curriculum

The residency program is for 4 years, with a Competence By Design (CBD) curriculum format, a competency-based medical education system instituted by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The resident will be evaluated on Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs), which are authentic tasks related to the practice of hematological pathology.

Stages of Training

1. Transition to Discipline: The focus of this initial stage is the orientation of new trainees to the policies, protocols, resources, and facilities of our residency program and affiliated hospitals. This stage is expected to take one month to complete.
2. Foundations of Discipline: The focus of this stage is the development of the knowledge and skills required to integrate clinical and laboratory information in the evaluation of disease processes. This stage is expected to take 10-15 months and includes:

• Morphological hematology
• Flow cytometry
• Hemostasis
• Transfusion medicine
• Hemoglobinopathy
• Tissue typing
• Cytogenetics
• Molecular pathology
• Immune function
• Hemolytic anemias
• Laboratory instrumentation and automation

3. Core of Discipline: This is the longest stage, approximately 28 months, during which residents will build on the skills and knowledge of the previous stages to provide laboratory clinical consultations and manage diagnostic and ancillary testing for cases.
4. Transition to Practice: The focus of this 4-month stage is the consolidation of skills required to lead daily operations of the laboratory and independently manage a full caseload across the breadth of hematological pathology practice.

Application Requirements

The Hematological Pathology program is entirely separate from Diagnostic & Molecular Pathology or Diagnostic & Clinical Pathology. To meet RCPSC guidelines, you'll need to complete a focused clinical year in a discipline relevant to hematopathology. This subspecialty also requires expertise in instrumentation, quality management systems, and administrative and regulatory guidelines in a laboratory environment.