Pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease through examination of organs, tissues, bodily fluids and whole bodies (autopsy). The term also encompasses the related scientific study of disease processes, called general pathology.
Medical pathology is divided in two main branches, anatomical pathology and clinical pathology. Veterinary pathology is concerned with animal disease whereas phytopathology is the study of plant diseases.
General pathology, also called investigative pathology, experimental pathology or theoretical pathology, is a broad and complex scientific field which seeks to understand the mechanisms of injury to cells and tissues, as well as the body's means of responding to and repairing injury. Areas of study include cellular adaptation to injury, necrosis, inflammation, wound healing and neoplasia. It forms the foundation of pathology, the application of this knowledge to diagnose diseases in humans and animals.The term "general pathology" is also used to describe the practice of both anatomical and clinical pathology.
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Pathology is a unique medical specialty in that pathologists typically do not see patients directly, but rather serve as consultants to other physicians (often referred to as "clinicians" within the pathology community). To be licensed, candidates must complete medical training, an approved residency program and be certified by an appropriate body. In the US, certification is by the American Board of Pathology. The organization of subspecialties within pathology vary between nations but usually include anatomical pathology and clinical pathology
Clinical pathology
Clinical pathology is a medical specialty that is concerned with the diagnosis of disease based on the laboratory analysis of bodily fluids such as blood and urine, using the tools of chemistry, microbiology, hematology and molecular pathology. Clinical pathologists work in close collaboration with medical technologists.
Clinical pathology is itself divided in subspecialties, the main ones being clinical chemistry, clinical hematology/blood banking and clinical microbiology.
Clinical pathology is one of the two major divisions of pathology, the other being anatomical pathology. Often, pathologists practice both anatomical and clinical pathology, a combination known as general pathology. Similar specialties exist in veterinary pathology.
Dermatopathology
This is the specialty of diseases of the skin. Dermatopathologists are often pathologists, dermatopathologists, or individual with complete training in both specialties. To qualify for dermatopathology specialty, a physician usually performs one year of specialized fellowship |
