Anatomical Pathology

Anatomical Pathology is a bridging discipline between basic medical sciences and clinical medicine, involving both basic science and clinical practice devoted to the study of structural and functional changes in cells, tissues and organs that underlie disease. It is concerned with the aetiology, pathogenesis, morphologic changes, functional derangements and clinical manifestations of diseases.

The study of pathology is divided into:

General Pathology: concerned with the basic reactions of cells and tissues to abnormal stimuli that underlie various disease processes.

Systemic Pathology: concerned with the specific responses of specialized organs and tissues to well-defined stimuli.

Forensic Pathology: concerned with the medico-legal aspects of pathology and medical practice in general especially within the Nigerian context.

Anatomical pathology is expected to be taught for a total of eight (8) weeks (i.e.40 days) in two separate phases within the first clinical year. This will ultimately lead into the Part II MBBS examination. The principles of general pathology will be taught in the first phase of the posting while systemic and forensic pathology will be taught in the second phase.

General Objectives
It is expected that medical students at the end of the course would have understood the basic structure of the cell with particular emphasis on ultrastructural components and molecules. They shall be expected to know and understand the various injurious stimuli that cause disease and the basic reactions and responses of cells and tissues to these stimuli. They should also be able to correlate these reactions with generalized changes expected in body organs and how these relate to the clinical symptoms and signs seen in patients. Conscious effort will be made to incorporate the knowledge gained from the study of anatomy, histology, embryology and physiology into the understanding of this course.

Specific Objectives
At the end of the course each medical student should be able to understand:

* The evolution of the concept of disease as well as the role of the autopsy and other investigative modalities in pathology practice.

* The structure of the cell with emphasis on the cell’s ultrastructure, cellular homeostasis, interactions and signaling mechanisms.

* The structure and organization of the extracellular matrix and its role in the body’s reaction to injury.

* The mechanism of cellular reactions to various forms of injury as well as the outcomes of those reactions.

* Acute and chronic inflammation including wound healing and how these underlie various diseases in the human body.

* The structure and function of blood vessels and how these mediate circulatory disorders

* The structure and organization of the immune system and the mechanisms of congenital and acquired immune mediated disease.

* The basic concepts of genetics and the role of genetics in human diseases.

* The basic concepts of neoplasia as well as the molecular biology of tumour development and progression.

Learning Outcome Measures
Learning outcomes shall be tested at periodic post lecture assessments as well as through discussions at lectures, tutorials and seminars.
There shall also be an end of course assessment at the end of the first phase of the posting.