Fellowship training in pediatric pathology: A guide for program directors

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has provided guidance for specialty and subspecialty fellowship training programs by defining 6 core competencies that must be met. Furthermore, the ACGME has defined several program requirements for pathology training, including those applicable to several pathology subspecialties. However, the requirements are broad and lack specific details, particularly as they pertain to the unique nature of pediatric pathology. The Fellowship Committee of the Society for Pediatric Pathology examined the ACGME requirements and interpreted the guidelines with respect to their application to training in pediatric pathology. The Committee worked within the ACGME guidelines to provide an expanded and more comprehensive set of guidelines for use by pediatric pathology fellowship directors and trainees. The resultant document lists the educational goals, core competencies, and program requirements with specific application to pediatric pathology. In addition, methods for assessing and documenting the progress of the individual trainees as they progress through each requirement are provided. It is to be emphasized that many of the guidelines set forthwith are flexible, and allowances should be made for individual differences of each training program.