Alignment of fellowship training with practice patterns for Molecular Pathologists A Report of the Association for Molecular Pathology Training and Education Committee.

Overview

In the two decades since ACGME-accredited Molecular Genetic Pathology (MGP) fellowships began, the field of clinical molecular pathology has evolved considerably. The American Board of Pathology (ABPath) gathered data from board-certified molecular genetic pathologists assessing the alignment of skills and knowledge gained during fellowship with current needs on the job. The Association of Molecular Pathology (AMP) conducted a parallel survey of program directors (PDs), and included questions on how various topics were taught during fellowship, as well as ranking their importance. Both surveys showed that the majority of training aligned well with the practice needs of former trainees. Genomic profiling of tumors by NGS, bioinformatics, lab management and regulatory issues were topics thought to require increased emphasis in training. Topics related to clinical genetics and microbiology were deemed less important by those in practice, perhaps reflecting the increasing subspecialization of molecular pathologists. PDs still viewed these topics as important to provide foundational knowledge. Parentage, identity and HLA testing were less important to both survey audiences. These data may be helpful in guiding future adjustments to the MGP curriculum and ACGME program requirements.