Pediatric Pathology

Pediatric Pathology Exam Description

The examination in pediatric pathology is a one-day, computer-based examination consisting of combined Written and Practical sections and Virtual Microscopy (VM) sections. There are no glass slides, only VM. The examination is administered as follows:

All questions are multiple-choice and in the one-best-answer format. The questions are designed to measure the candidate’s body of knowledge and problem-solving ability. The written examination includes theoretical, practical, and interpretive aspects of pediatric pathology relative to disease processes and patient care. The practical examination includes images of gross and microscopic specimens, cytogenetic and FISH preparations, graphs, charts, and special histochemical and molecular techniques. The microscopic examination includes tissue sections and hematologic and cytologic smears pertaining to diagnosis, implications, and prognosis.

Subject areas covered include, but are not limited to:

• Embryologic development and pathology of organ systems

• Maternal-Fetal interactions

• Abnormalities of the placenta and amniotic fluid

• Cytogenetic techniques and interpretations

• Intrauterine demise, perinatal and iatrogenic problems

• Congenital malformations and complexes

• Metabolic and immunologic principles and disorders

• Infectious diseases

• Neoplasia and neoplastic diseases

• Handling and processing of specimens, special histochemical procedures, labeling of cells, flow cytometry, DNA hybridization, and other molecular techniques

• Pathogenesis and prognostic significance of diseases in tissue specimens, cytologic smears, and electron micrographs

• Pediatric aspects of other areas of pathology, including neuropathology, hematology, blood banking/transfusion medicine, microbiology, chemical pathology, and forensic pathology

• Laboratory management and quality assurance and their implementation

---

Subspecialty Exam Blueprints and Daily Schedules