PG Diploma in Clinical Pathology: Admission, Medical Colleges, Fee, Eligibility criteria details here

The course is a full-time course pursued at various recognized medical colleges across the country. Some of the top medical colleges offering this course include Narayana Medical College, Nellore, Government Medical College, Surat, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata and more.

Admission to this course is done through the NEET PG Entrance exam conducted by the National Board of Examinations, followed by counselling based on the scores of the exam that is conducted by DGHS/MCC/State Authorities.

The fee for pursuing Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology varies from college to college and may range from Rs. 10,000 to Rs 5,00,000 per year.

After completion of their respective course, doctors can either join the job market or pursue higher degree courses like master's degree and research degree courses recognised by NMC, where Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology is a feeder qualification. Candidates can take reputed jobs at positions as Senior residents, Junior Consultants, Consultants etc. with an approximate salary range of Rs. 2,00,000 to Rs. 8,00,000 per anum.

What is Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology?

Post-Graduate Diploma (PG Diploma) in Clinical Pathology also known as Diploma in Clinical Pathology is a two-year postgraduate programme that candidates can pursue after completing MBBS.

Clinical Pathology is the branch of medical science dealing with the study of the diagnosis of disease based on the laboratory analysis of bodily fluids.

National Medical Commission (NMC), the apex medical regulator, has released a Guidelines for Competency-Based Postgraduate Training Programme for Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology.

The Competency-Based Postgraduate Training Programme governs the education and training of Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology.

The PG education intends to create specialists who can contribute to high-quality health care and advances in science through research and training.

The required training done by a postgraduate specialist in the field of Clinical Pathology would help the specialist to recognize the health needs of the community. The student should be competent to handle medical problems effectively and should be aware of the recent advances in their specialty.

The candidate should be a highly competent Clinical Pathologist possessing a broad range of skills that will enable her/him to practice Clinical Pathology independently. The PG candidate should also acquire the basic skills in teaching of medical/para-medical students.

The candidate is also expected to know the principles of research methodology and modes of the consulting library. The candidate should regularly attend conferences, workshops and CMEs to upgrade her/ his knowledge.

Course Highlights

Here are some of the course highlights of Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology:

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology are defined as the set of rules or minimum prerequisites that aspirants must meet in order to be eligible for admission, which include:

• Candidates must be in possession of an undergraduate MBBS degree from any college/university recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

• Candidates should have done a compulsory rotating internship of one year in a teaching institution or other institution which is recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

• The candidate must have obtained permanent registration of any State Medical Council to be eligible for admission.

• The medical college's recognition cut-off dates for the MBBS Degree courses and compulsory rotatory Internship shall be as prescribed by the Medical Council of India (now NMC).

Admission Process

The admission process contains a few steps to be followed in order by the candidates for admission to Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology. Candidates can view the complete admission process for Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology mentioned below:

• The NEET PG or National Eligibility Entrance Test for Post Graduates is a national-level master's level examination conducted by the NBE for admission to MD/MS/PG Diploma Courses.
• The requirement of eligibility criteria for participation in counseling towards PG seat allotment conducted by the concerned counseling authority shall be in lieu of the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations (as per the latest amendment) notified by the MCI (now NMC) with prior approval of MoHFW.

Fees Structure

The fee structure for Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology varies from college to college. The fee is generally less for Government Institutes and more for private institutes. The average fee structure for Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology is around Rs. 10,000 to Rs 5,00,000 per year.

Colleges offering Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology

There are various medical colleges across India that offer courses for pursuing Post Graduate Diploma (Clinical Pathology).

As per National Medical Commission (NMC) website, the following medical colleges are offering Post Graduate Diploma (Clinical Pathology) courses for the academic year 2022-23.

Syllabus

A Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology is a two years specialization course that provides training in the stream of pathology.

The course content for Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology is given in the Competency-Based Postgraduate Training Programme released by National Medical Commission, which can be assessed through the link mentioned below:

Course contents:

A) Pathology:

1. General pathology

• Normal cell and tissue structure and function.

• The changes in cellular structure and function in disease.

• Causes of disease and its pathogenesis.

• Reaction of cells, tissues, organ systems.

2. Systemic Pathology:

• The study of normal structure and function of various organ systems and the aetiopathogenesis.

• Broad outline of gross and microscopic alterations of structure of these organ systems in disease and functional correlation with clinical features in brief.

3. Haematology

• Broad outline of blood and bone marrow changes and coagulation changes in various haematologic disorders.

4. Record keeping: In the following fields, the student is expected to acquire a general acquaintance of techniques and principles and to interpret data.

 Maintenance of records.

 Information retrieval, Computer, Internet in medicine.

 Quality control, waste disposal.

B) Microbiology:

• Acquire knowledge of the following:

- Stool examination

- AFB staining of sputum

- Bacterial culture

C) Clinical Biochemistry:

Knowledge

• Possess knowledge of the normal range of values of the chemical content of body fluids, significance of the altered values and its interpretation, eg.

(i) Renal function tests

(ii) Liver function tests

(iii) Sugar estimation in blood and urine

• Know the principles and methodology of quality control in laboratory.

D) Transfusion Medicine (Blood Banking) Knowledge

Students should acquire knowledge of the following aspects of Transfusion Medicine:

• Basic immunology

• ABO and Rh groups

• Blood component therapy

• Infections transmitted in blood

• Adverse reactions to transfusion of blood and components

Career Options

After completing a Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology, candidates will get employment opportunities in Government as well as in the Private sector.

In the Government sector, candidates have various options to choose from which include Registrar, Senior Resident, Demonstrator, Tutor etc.

While in the Private sector the options include Resident Doctor, Consultant, Visiting Consultant (Clinical Pathology), Junior Consultant, Senior Consultant (Clinical Pathology), Critical Care Specialist, Consultant Clinical Pathology Specialist etc.

Courses After Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology Course

Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology is a specialization course that can be pursued after finishing MBBS. After pursuing a specialization in Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology, a candidate could also pursue higher degree courses like master's degree and research degree courses recognized by NMC, where Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology is a feeder qualification.

Candidates possessing postgraduate diploma qualifications can also appear in the DNB PDCET examination conducted by the National Board of Examinations for admission to Post Diploma DNB Broad specialty Courses.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – PG Diploma in Clinical Pathology

Question: What is a Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology?

Answer: Post-Graduate Diploma (PG Diploma) in Clinical Pathology also known as Diploma in Clinical Pathology is a Postgraduate level course for doctors in India that is done by them after completion of their MBBS.

Question: What is the duration of a Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology?

Answer: Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology is a postgraduate programme of two years.

Question: What is the eligibility of a Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology?

Answer: Candidates must be in possession of an undergraduate MBBS degree from any college/university recognized by the Medical Council of India.

Question: What is the scope of a Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology?

Answer: Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology offers candidates various employment opportunities and career prospects.

Question: What is the average salary for a Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology postgraduate candidate?

Answer: The Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pathology candidate's average salary is between Rs. 2,00,000 to Rs. 8,00,000 per anum depending on the experience.

Question: Is Pathology a doctor?

Answer: Clinical pathologists are also physicians who specialize in the field of diagnosis and with the help of laboratory tests, they manage diseases on the basis of the researches.

Question: Can I do Pathology without MBBS?

Answer: To become a pathologist, one needs to graduate with an MBBS degree and then pursue Diploma or MD in Pathology or other similar courses that have been recognised by the Medical Council of India, abbreviated as MCI.