Evaluation of Pathology Residency Training Curriculum and Practice in the Hubei Province of China

Abstract

Context.— The pathology residency program began in China in 2014. There has been no competency assessment on training programs in the Hubei province of China. Objective.— To evaluate the current residency training curriculum and resident performance in Hubei Province. Design.— A 37-question online questionnaire was designed to cover general demographic information, diagnostic competency, expectations of ideal caseload for gross and preview, teaching patterns, examinations, research activities, weak points, and other topics in pathology practice. Results.— A total of 166 participants, including 62 postgraduate year (PGY) 2, 49 PGY3, and 55 new practicing pathologists, responded to the survey. PGY3 residents were found to be more competent than PGY2 in diagnostic competency. Forty-five of 55 new practicing pathologists (81.8%) reported that they could sign out cases independently, whereas 10 of 55 (18.2%) were found to still need transitional time for learning before working independently. Some residents could sign out cytopathology cases and gained knowledge in immunohistochemistry and histochemical staining, while some residents did not receive adequate training in molecular pathology. The ideal caseloads for gross and preview during residency were greater than 5000 and 7000, respectively. Nonneoplastic diseases, neuropathology, dermatopathology, hematopathology, and soft tissue pathology were considered difficult subspecialties in pathology practice. Conclusions.— While residents trained in Hubei Province have met the basic requirements for qualified pathologists, more efforts need to be made in many areas, such as a well-structured training curriculum and better-designed proficiency examinations. The findings of this study are of great importance to prioritizing training in the future.