The Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath) is a professional membership organisation. Its main function is the overseeing of postgraduate training, and its Fellowship Examination (FRCPath) is recognised as the standard assessment of fitness to practise in this branch of medicine.

Constitution

The Royal College of Pathologists is a professional membership organisation, to maintain the standards and reputation of British pathology, through training, assessments, examinations and professional development. It is a registered charity and is not a trades union. Its 11,000 members work in hospital laboratories, universities and industry worldwide.

History

The College of Pathologists was founded in 1962, to optimise postgraduate training in the relatively young science of pathology, with its high importance in the diagnostic process, and the increasing range of specialist studies within it. The College received its Royal Charter in 1970 and its Patron is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Training and examinations

The Fellowship Examination of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) is the main method of assessment for UK pathology training - evaluation of a candidate's training programme, indicating fitness to practise, whilst also marking the entry into independent practice and the beginning of continuing professional development. Upon successful completion, trainees are awarded Fellowship status of the Royal College of Pathologists. Fellowship may also be awarded on the basis of submitted published works, though this does not contribute to the award of the Certificate of Completion of Training and is not a mark of eligibility for appointment to a Consultant post or unsupervised practice. The College runs a national scheme for overseeing of continued education of pathologists in clinical practice, as well as sponsoring workshops, lectures and courses.

Disciplines

The following are disciplines of pathology which the College oversees: *

Histopathology Histopathology (compound of three Greek words: ''histos'' "tissue", πάθος ''pathos'' "suffering", and -λογία '' -logia'' "study of") refers to the microscopic examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease. Spe ...

** Neuropathology ** Cytopathology ** Paediatric pathology * Forensic Pathology * Clinical Biochemistry, sometimes called Chemical Pathology * Haematology (with the Royal College of Physicians) * Immunology (with the Royal College of Physicians) * The work of

coroners A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into the manner or cause of death, and to investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within the coroner's jur ...

* Medical Microbiology (with the Royal College of Physicians, as Combined Infection Training) * Virology (with the Royal College of Physicians, as Combined Infection Training) * Veterinary Pathology * Genetics (both Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics) * Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology * Toxicology * Clinical Embryology

Publications

The Royal College of Pathologists produces ''The Bulletin of The Royal College of Pathologists'', a quarterly professional membership magazine.

Presidents

* Professor Michael Osborn 2020– * Professor Joanne Martin 2017–2020 * Dr

Suzannah Lishman Suzannah Claire "Suzy" Lishman CBE (born ) was the President of the Royal College of Pathologists 2014–2017. Career Lishman was educated at King's Ely, and Girton College, Cambridge, and after qualifying in medicine specialised in histopath ...

2014–2017 * Dr

Archie Prentice Archie is a masculine given name, a diminutive of Archibald (name), Archibald. It may refer to: People Given name or nickname *Archie Alexander (1888–1958), African-American mathematician, engineer and governor of the US Virgin Islands * Archie ...

2011–2014 * Professor Peter Furness 2008–2011 * Professor Adrian Newland CBE 2005–2008 * Professor Sir James Underwood 2002–2005 * Professor Sir John Lilleyman 1999–2002 * Professor Sir Roderick MacSween 1996–1999 * Professor

Alastair Bellingham Alastair John Bellingham (27 March 1938 –4 December 2017) was a British haematologist. Early life and education Bellingham was born to Stanley Herbert Bellingham and Sybil Mary Milne. He was a graduate of Tiffin Boys' School and Unive ...

CBE 1993–1996 * Professor

Sir Peter Lachmann Sir Peter Julius Lachmann (23 December 1931 – 26 December 2020) was a British immunologist, specialising in the study of the complement system. He was emeritus Sheila Joan Smith Professor of Immunology at the University of Cambridge, a fell ...

1990–1993 * Professor

Sir Dillwyn Williams Sir Edward Dillwyn Williams (born 1 April 1929) is a British medical scientist and a Founding Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales The Learned Society of Wales (Welsh: Cymdeithas Ddysgedig Cymru) is a learned society and charity that exists t ...

1987–1990 * Professor

Dame Barbara Clayton Dame Barbara Evelyn Clayton (2 September 1922 – 11 January 2011) was an English pathologist who made a significant contribution to clinical medicine, medical research and public service. She was latterly Professor of Clinical Pathology at Gre ...

1984–1987 * Professor Robert Curran 1981–1984 * Professor

John Anderson John Anderson may refer to: Business *John Anderson (Scottish businessman) (1747–1820), Scottish merchant and founder of Fermoy, Ireland * John Byers Anderson (1817–1897), American educator, military officer and railroad executive, mentor of ...

CBE 1978–1981 * Sir Robert Williams 1975–1978 *

Sir John Dacie Sir John Vivian Dacie, FRS (20 July 1912 Putney, London – 12 February 2005) was a British haematologist. Education He was born in Putney, London and educated at King's College School, Wimbledon, after which he studied medicine at King's Co ...

1972–1975 *

Sir Theo Crawford Sir Theodore Crawford (23 December 1911 – 27 July 1993) was a British pathologist, Professor of Pathology in the University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a feder ...

1969–1972 *

Sir James Howie Sir James William Howie Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, FRCP, FRCPGlas, FRCPE, FRCPath (31 December 1907 – 17 March 1995) was a Scottish bacteriologist, Director of the Public Health Laboratory Service, 1963–1973. In November ...

1966–1969 * Sir Roy Cameron 1962–1966

Arms

References

External links

* {{authority control Health in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets Medical associations based in the United Kingdom College of Pathologists Pathology organizations Pathologists 1962 establishments in the United Kingdom Pathologists Scientific organizations established in 1962