Introduction
The Department of Pathology, since its conception in the year 2005 under the dynamic leadership of Dr. Elizabeth Chacko, has been engaged in diagnostics catering primarily to the Sree Mookambika Hospital Complex, its ancillary departments and second only to private and Government clinics and hospitals in adjacent localities and nearby cities.
The department offers comprehensive state of the art services in Histopathology, Cytology, Haematology, Clinical Pathology and Blood Banking. The histopathology division caters to surgical pathology. The cytology section specializes in FNAC along with fluid cytology and cervical cytology. The Haematology and Clinical Pathology division provides a 24×7 reporting of samples. The centralized air conditioned labs are well equipped with automated machines. Constant internal and external quality control checks are done to ensure top grade diagnostic facilities for the best patient care. The SMIMS Hospital Blood Bank caters to blood banking services 24 x 7 to a substantial population and is managed by the faculty of the Pathology department.
Objectives
- Value social accountability, respect, collaboration and excellence.
- Constant endeavor to be the best in the performance of diagnostics, academics and research by continuously updating knowledge in the field of Pathology.
Focus of the Department
- To be a centre of excellence in diagnostics, education and research in the field of Pathology.
Facilities Available
- Lecture hall – Fully air conditioned and equipped with audiovisual system and black board.
- Demonstration room – One demonstration room with seating capacity of 75, equipped with LCD projector and white board.
- UG Practical laboratory – The department has a Histopathology lab and Clinical pathology lab, each providing seating capacity for 60 students. Each student is provided with a binocular LED microscope with inbuilt battery backup power source and slide sets. The histopathology lab also has a trinocular microscope with HDM, multi output camera with connectivity to an LED TV, for slide teaching purposes. The clinical pathology laboratory is furnished with instruments and equipments for students to be well versed in practical aspects of blood and body fluids analysis. The labs also showcase over 85 charts and photographs for students viewing and learning.
- Grossing room – The room is equipped with a stainless steel grossing station with air filtration system, camera control,data transfer system and high quality instrument sets for grossing of specimens.
- Histopathology lab – The lab is well equipped with automatic tissue processors, tissue embedding systems, microtomes and tissue staining stations. Special stains and immunohistochemistry set up is available. Dedicated technical staffs, well trained in histopathology techniques are employed.
- Departmental Library cum Seminar hall – The library has 176 books on pathology and allied subjects as reference books for students and faculty. The library also has six foreign journals and ten Indian journals in pathology. The library has access to thirty one online journals. A trinocular microscope with connectivity to an LCD projector and white board is available for postgraduate teaching and training.
- Departmental research laboratory – The research lab has various facilities providing an ideal environment for faculty and students for research work purposes. It has state of the art machines and instruments to carry on histopathology, cytology, haematology and clinical pathology related research.
- Post graduate reporting room – Each post graduate is provided an LED binocular microscope with inbuilt battery power backup for viewing and studying slides. A deca head and penta head microscope is used for slide teaching purposes.
- Museum – The spacious pathology museum showcases 1415 mounted specimens which are catalogued and over 600 wet specimens for the purpose of UG and PG teaching. Numerous charts/ photographs are displayed for further learning.
- Service labs – Service lab facilities for Cytopathology, Clinical Pathology and Haematology is housed in the central lab of the hospital wing.
- 5 part and 3 part diff. automated analyzers for hematological investigations.
- Peripheral smear and bone marrow studies.
- Automated coagulation analyzers.
- Urine and other body fluids analysis.
- FNAC/Fluid Cytology/Cervical cytology
- Cryostat for frozen section study
- Blood Bank – A well equipped and licensed Blood Bank with components separation.
Head of Department
Dr. G. Rajan
Research Work
- Study of placental pathologic lesions and their relation with maternal and fetal outcome.
- Quantitative analysis of AGNOR count in oral cavity lesions.
- Diagnostic efficacy of thin prep preparation (liquid based cytology) in comparison to conventional PAP smear –as a primary screening tool for cervical lesions.
- Study of histopathology of endometrium in abnormal uterine bleeding.
- A comprehensive study of normal saline and glycerol rehydration techniques of air dried smears as on alternative for wet cervico vaginal smears.
- Analysis of Prognostic parameters in breast cancer with a comparative study of different scoring systems for ER, PR and HER 2/ neu status.
- Histomorphological study of Lichen planus and Lichenoid drug eruptions
- Histomorphological features of cutaneous granulomas on a tertiary care hospital-descriptive study.
- Histopathological study of prostatic biopsies with reference to Immunohistochemistry on premalignant and malignant lesions
- Clinicopathological study of benign lesions of uterine cervix.
- Comparision of haematological parameters with peripheral smear in anemia
- Study of endometrial histopathology findings in abnormal uterine bleeding
- Spectrum of thyroid lesions and its clinicopathological correlation-A two year study from a tertiary care centre
- Validity of UPREP liquid based cytology in FNAC examination for palpable lesions
- Prognostic and theranaustic role of epidermal growth factor receptor expression in colorectal cancers
- Pathological assessment of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy among carcinoma breast patients in tertiary level hospital
- Role of platelet transfusion in management of dengue: A hospital based study
- Dengue: A clinical and haematological study
- Dengue: A clinical and haematological study
- Morphology and hormone receptor status in carcinoma breast following neoadjuvant chemotherapy: A descriptive study
- Histological pattern of thyroid disorders in southern Kerela
- Imprint and scrape smear cytology as a rapid diagnostic tool
- Utility of Papinocoalous stain induced autofluorese in the cytology of suspected lymphadenitis
Ongoing Research Work
- Histomorphological study of thyroid lesions and Immunoprofile of CD56 expression among all thyroid neoplasms and follicular lesions in a tertiary care center
- Study of thrombocytopenia with MPV and PDW in thrombocytopenic febrile illness in a tertiary care hospital
- Comparision of haematological profile in pre and post haemodialysis patients with chronic kidney disease
- Profile of anemia and associated factors in non haematological malignancies
UG Teaching Schedule
In addition to diagnostics the department focuses on teaching, training of MBBS, BDS, B. Sc nursing, DMLT students and MD Pathology.
The Post graduate training for MD began in the year 2011 with an intake of two candidates per year.
Lectures
- General pathology – 40 hours
- Systemic pathology – 50 hours
- Haematology – 15 hours
- Clinical pathology – 20 hours
Total – 125 hours
Practical Demonstrations
- Six hours a week for three batches of students in the afternoon hours
- Clinical pathology postings for 15 days for a batch of 25 students each where they learn the practical and theoretical aspects of blood and body fluid analysis
- Self learning modules are included once a week where the students learn the practical aspects of clinical pathology samples and histopathology specimens.
Integrated Teaching
The various preclinical, paraclinical and clinical departments collaborate to give lectures, symposiums, case studies on various diseases entities. The student is exposed to clinic pathological correlation, performance, interpretation of relevant laboratory tests along with the diagnosis and treatment.
Other Academic Activities
- Additional classes and group discussions for slow learners
- Group discussions and viva
- Seminar presentations by students on relevant topics
Integrated Teaching
Theory – 3 internal assessments, 1 pre model exam, 1 model exam
Practical – 1 internal practical exams, 1 pre model exam, 1 model exam
PG Training Programme
The three year training programme is a structured program where postings to different laboratories are for specified periods as given below
| Section/Subject | Duration In Months |
|---|---|
Surgical pathology | 14 |
Surgical pathology techniques | 1 |
Haematology | 8 |
Cytopathology | 6 |
Lab medicine | 2 |
Transfusion medicine/blood bank | 1 |
Immunopathology, research methodologies, molecular genetics | 1 |
Elective/reorientation | 2 |
Academic Activities
- Theory classes taken for postgraduates in general pathology, systemic pathology, haematology, clinical pathology and recent advances
- Seminars
- Journal clubs
- Case presentations
- Group discussions
- Guest lectures
- Slide seminars/exams
- Gross specimens seminars/exam
- CPC’s with various clinical departments like Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology,Medicine, Radiology, Orthopaedics, ENT, Paediatrics, Skin and VD
- UG, paramedical staff teaching and training by post graduates
- Generating teaching source material for UG’s
- Participation in workshops, CME’s
- Research work
- Competency assessment of postgraduates
Internal Assessment
Theory internal assessments are carried out every month and practical exams at the end of every laboratory posting. This tests the skill and knowledge of the postgraduate in the subject.
Conferences and CMEs
CME in “Basics of Transfusion Medicine” conducted on 12th December 2015 – Accredited with 10 CME credit points by Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University.
Faculty as Speaker/ Guest Lectures
| Sl.No | Conference | Year | Faculty Name | Topic presented |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Insight 2014 6th annual CME on Bone Tumors | 2014 | Dr. Jayasree Geothe | Tumor Markers |
| 2 | Insight 2015 7th annual CME on Bone Tumors | 2015 | Dr. Jayasree Geothe | Pediatric Bone Tumors |
| 3 | IMSOS 2016 | 2016 | Dr. Jayasree Geothe | Cartilaginous Tumors |
| 4 | Insight 2016 8th annual CME on Bone Tumors | 2016 | Dr. Jayasree Geothe | Ortho-Radio –Path Discussion on Bone Tumors |
| 5 | TRANSMEDCON Lucknow,National conference of ISTM | 2017 | Dr. K.C.Usha | Neonatal Transfusion practices |
| 6 | National conference of ISBT | 2017 | Dr. K.C.Usha | Donor Hemovigilance |
| 7 | National conference of ISTM | 2018 | Dr. K.C.Usha | Treatment modalities of ITP |
| 8 | Guest lecture at Cosmopolitan hospital,Trivandrum | 2017 | Dr. K.C.Usha | Blood components |
| 9 | Guest lecture at Cosmopolitan hospital,Trivandrum | 2018 | Dr. K.C.Usha | Transfusion reactions and its management |
Awards / Recognitions - Faculty
| Awards / Merits | Year | Faculty name |
|---|---|---|
J. G. Jolly national award | 2011 | Dr. K. C. Usha |
Dr. Usha Gupta National Award | 2016 | Dr. K. C. Usha |
