Rotations

ST1: 12 months are spent at either Norwich or Cambridge.

ST2-5: Currently, trainees rotate on a yearly basis with the exception of Papworth (4 months) and Paediatric Pathology/ Neuropathology (2 months).  At present, the rotations are done on a year-by-year basis with personal preference and educational need both being taken into account.  At least one year is spent in one of the district general hospitals on the rotation.  Plans are under development to produce rotations in advance, covering the entire ST2-5 period but this is not yet fully developed.

There are 15 teaching hospital-based general posts and 9 district general hospital-based posts.

Training programme:

Addenbrooke's

• 30000 surgicals,
• 1500 paediatric surgicals;
• 1000 neuropathological surgicals,
• 4000 non-gynae cytology and 50000 gynae cytology (at Newmarket) annually. 
• 500 adult PMs, 350 paediatric and perinatal PMs
• 100 neuropathology brain cuts.

All cut up and reporting is fully sub-specialised.  Trainees spend 2 week blocks on a particular sub-speciality including cytology in 2 week blocks.  ST1's undertake a 2 week block in paediatric and perinatal pathology towards the end of their year.   

Norwich

• 49000 surgicals
• 4800 non-gynae cytology, 53000 gynae cytology
• 1500 adult PM's, 120 perinatal PM's.

Trainees have a 5 week rolling rota with 3 weeks of surgical histology, 1 week of cytology and 1 week of autopsies. All major subspecialties are covered except cardiac and neuropathology. 

All major sub-specialities are covered except respiratory, cardiac and soft tissue/bone.

In addition, at both centres trainees are encouraged to attend MDTs and clinical meetings, including presenting their own cases or running the entire meeting where appropriate.  Attendance at inquests is also encouraged, and opportunities to observe at local forensic PMs are available to those interested.  At both centres, ST1 trainees undertake at least one audit.  Within the FRCPath course, lunchtime slots are filled by some of the local academics talking about aspects of their research and generic laboratory techniques.