Easing the transition into pathology residency: four years of experience implementing and optimizing an integrated anatomic pathology onboarding course tied to core ACGME competencies

TL;DR

This paper describes a four-year initiative to improve pathology residency onboarding through an anatomic pathology course aligned with ACGME competencies.

Contribution

The paper introduces an optimized onboarding course for pathology residents with peer teaching and updated content aligned to ACGME milestones.

Findings

The course was expanded from 16 to 24 sessions and incorporated new resources like the Histology Primer.

Senior residents were engaged in teaching to promote peer learning and sustainability.

The course addressed 20 out of 21 milestones across all six ACGME competencies.

Abstract

Exposure to the field of Anatomic Pathology continues to be minimal during the medical school years. With the increasing depth of medical knowledge and the diversity of tests performed in the laboratory, incoming residents are often underprepared to fulfill the common clinical and professional responsibilities required by residency. Initially, a course with 16 sessions and later expanded to 24 sessions was designed for incoming pathology trainees spanning from July to August (2021–2024). After feedback from the first year, several sessions were modified and improved including expansion of content on how to dictate reports, populate College of American Pathologists (CAP) cancer synoptic reports, and how to build and use quick texts to increase efficiency. In the most recent iteration of the course, the new Histology Primer series developed by the American Board of Pathology was incorporated. To make this course sustainable in future years and to encourage peer teaching, senior residents were involved in teaching the expanded course content in the second year of this series. Learners completed pre- and post-course objective assessments and a separate course evaluation. The course content was aligned to address 20 of 21 milestones (Version 2) within all 6 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies.

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