Pathology - It's Not Just About Silent Witness And CSI: Miami! Colchester, England

Main Category: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 03 Nov 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Sixth-formers will be at Colchester General Hospital early next month (Nov) to take part in the UK's first National Pathology Week.

About 80 students from different Colchester schools, including The Sixth Form College and The Philip Morant School, will attend the educational workshop.

It will include practical sessions covering a wide range of subjects, such as the diagnosis of bleeding disorders, diabetes, infection control, cholesterol and breast cancer.

The event has been organised as part of National Pathology Week (3 - 9 November) which is being led by The Royal College of Pathologists to promote the role of pathology in the UK.

Dr Mike Hamblin, consultant haematologist at Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust, is one member of the Trust's staff who will be taking part in the half-day workshop at the Postgraduate Medical Centre, Colchester General Hospital, on 4 November.

"The public perception of pathology, which has been shaped by TV programmes like Silent Witness and CSI: Miami, is that it's all about dead bodies," he said. "However, forensic pathology accounts for about only one per cent of pathology activity and the vast majority of pathologists' work is done for the benefit of living patients.

"Pathology is about understanding and diagnosing diseases and although much of the work is laboratory based many pathologists undertake direct clinical care of patients as a major part of their job.

"Pathology has gradually grown and evolved into a huge variety of disciplines and offers a varied and interesting career path."

Dr Hamblin said that 70% of diagnoses in the NHS involve pathology. For example, almost all cancers are diagnosed by pathologists examining biopsies.

His colleague Dr Ian Seddon, consultant histopathologist, will begin the three-hour workshop with an introductory talk.

Dr Paul Dobbin, lecturer in biochemistry at the University of Essex, will talk to the students about career opportunities in pathology, which accounts for four per cent (£2.5 billion) of the total money spent on health each year in the UK.

About 25,000 people work in pathology which consists of 18 specialties, including biochemistry, haematology, histology, immunology and microbiology.

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust