DM Onco Pathology: Admissions, medical colleges, fees, eligibility criteria details
DM Onco Pathology or Doctorate of Medicine in Onco Pathology also known as DM in Onco Pathology is a super speciality level course for doctors in India that they do after completion of their postgraduate medical degree course. The duration of this super speciality course is 3 years and it deals with the identification, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of tumours. It helps in the study of carcinogenesis.
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- Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai and more.
Admission to this course is done through the NEET-SS 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 DM (Onco Pathology) varies from college to college and may range from Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 25,00,000 per year.
After completion of their respective course, doctors can either join the job market or can pursue certificate courses and Fellowship programmes recognised by NMC and NBE. Candidates can take reputed jobs at positions as Senior residents, Consultants etc. with an approximate salary range of Rs. 8,00,000 to Rs. 15,00,000 per year.
What is DM in Onco Pathology?
Doctorate of Medicine in Onco Pathology, also known as DM (Onco Pathology) or DM in (Onco Pathology) is a three-year super speciality programme that candidates can pursue after completing a postgraduate degree.
Onco Pathology is the branch of medical science dealing with the identification, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of tumours. It helps in the study of carcinogenesis.
The Competency-Based Postgraduate Training Programme governs the education and training of DMs in Onco Pathology.
The postgraduate students must gain ample knowledge and experience in the diagnosis, and treatment of patients with acute, serious, and life-threatening medical and surgical diseases.
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 Onco Pathology would help the specialist recognise the community's health needs. The student should be competent to handle medical problems effectively and should be aware of the recent advances in their speciality.
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 DM in Onco Pathology
| Name of Course | DM in Onco Pathology |
| Level | Doctorate |
| Duration of Course | Three years |
| Course Mode | Full Time |
| Minimum Academic Requirement | Candidates must have a postgraduate medical Degree in MD/DNB (Pathology) obtained from any college/university recognized by the Medical Council of India (Now NMC)/NBE, this feeder qualification mentioned here is as of 2022. For any further changes to the prerequisite requirement please refer to the NBE website. |
| Admission Process / Entrance Process / Entrance Modalities | Entrance Exam (NEET-SS) INI CET for various AIIMS, PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, NIMHANS Bengaluru Counselling by DGHS/MCC/State Authorities |
| Course Fees | Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 25,00,000 per year |
| Average Salary | Rs. 8,00,000 to Rs. 15,00,000 per year |
Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria for DM in Onco Pathology are defined as the set of rules or minimum prerequisites that aspirants must meet in order to be eligible for admission, which include:
| Name of DM course | Course Type | Prior Eligibility Requirement |
| DM Onco Pathology | DM | MD/DNB (Pathology) |
Note:
· The feeder qualification for DM Onco pathology is defined by the NBE and is subject to changes by the NBE.
· The feeder qualification mentioned here is as of 2023.
· For any changes, please refer to the NBE website.
•The candidate must have obtained permanent registration with any State Medical Council to be eligible for admission.
•The medical college's recognition cut-off dates for the Postgraduate Degree courses 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 DM in Onco Pathology. Candidates can view the complete admission process for DM in Onco Pathologymentioned below:
- The NEET-SS or National Eligibility Entrance Test for Super speciality courses is a national-level master's level examination conducted by the NBE for admission to DM/MCh/DrNB Courses.
- Qualifying Criteria-Candidates placed at the 50th percentile or above shall be declared qualified in the NEET-SS in their respective speciality.
- The following medical institutions are not covered under centralized admissions for DM/MCh courses through NEET-SS:
- AIIMS, New Delhi and other AIIMS
- PGIMER, Chandigarh
- JIPMER, Puducherry
- NIMHANS, Bengaluru
- Candidates from all eligible feeder speciality subjects shall be required to appear in the question paper of the respective groups if they are willing to opt for a super-speciality course in any of the super-speciality courses covered in that group.
- A candidate can opt for appearing in the question papers of as many groups for which his/her Postgraduate speciality qualification is an eligible feeder qualification.
- By appearing in the question paper of a group and on qualifying for the examination, a candidate shall be eligible to exercise his/her choices in the counselling only for those super-speciality subjects covered in the said group for which his/ her broad speciality is an eligible feeder qualification.
Fees Structure
The fee structure for DM in Onco Pathology varies from college to college. The fee is generally less for Government Institutes and more for private institutes. The average fee structure for DM in Onco Pathology is around Rs. 7,000 to Rs. 25,00,000 per year.
Colleges offering DM in Onco Pathology
There are various medical colleges across India that offer courses for pursuing DM in (Onco Pathology).
| Sl.No. | Course Name | State | Name and Address of Medical College / Medical Institution | Annual Intake (Seats) |
| 1 | DM - Onco Pathology | Assam | Dr. B. Borooah Cancer Institute (Regional Cancer Centre), Guwahati | 2 |
| 2 | DM - Onco Pathology | Gujarat | B J Medical College, Ahmedabad | 8 |
| 3 | DM - Onco Pathology | Karnataka | Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore | 2 |
| 4 | DM - Onco Pathology | Karnataka | Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bangalore | 2 |
| 5 | DM - Onco Pathology | Maharashtra | Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai | 3 |
| 6 | DM - Onco Pathology | Rajasthan | Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Sitapur, Jaipur | 2 |
| 7 | DM - Onco Pathology | Tamil Nadu | Regional Centre for Cancer Research and Treatment, Adyar, Chennai | 2 |
| 8 | DM - Onco Pathology | Uttar Pradesh | Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | 2 |
Syllabus
A DM in Onco Pathology is a three years specialization course which provides training in the stream of Onco Pathology.
As of 23/03/2023 the competency-based curriculum for DM in the Onco Pathology course is unavailable on NMC's official Website. However, the course content of the Rajeev Gandhi University Of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, represented here can be used for reference and idea of what the Syllabus of DM in the Onco Pathology course will contain:
General Pathology
Cellular adaptation
Cell injury and death
Tissue renewal and repair
Genetic Disease and tumour immunology
Carcinogenesis and neoplasia
Hereditary cancers and familial cancer syndromes.
Systemic Pathology
Tumours of GIT and hepatobiliary system
Tumours of soft tissue and bone
Tumours of the lung and mediastinum
Tumours of lymph node and hemopoietic system
Tumours of CNS and Eye
Tumours of the Head and neck
Tumours of breast
Tumours of the Female genital system
Tumours of the male genital system
Tumours of the urinary system
Tumours of the Endocrine system
Tumours of skin
Tumour-like lesions in all sites.
Immunohistochemistry and FISH for accurate subcategorisation of specific tumours.
Cyto-Oncopathology
• Cytopathology techniques
• Routine, guided (computed tomography (CT), ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology.
• Liquid-based cytology
• Non-gynaec cytology including fluids, bronchial wash and BAL
• Automated cytology
• Oncocytopathology of different systems:
 Lung and mediastinum
 Soft tissue and bone
 Lymph node
 Salivary glands
 Breast
 GIT, liver, abdominal organs
 Thyroid
 Kidney
• FNA for cytogenetics, cell blocks, IHC and ISH
• FNA for flow cytometry of lymphoproliferative disorders and paediatric solid tumours.
Haemato Oncopathology
· Basic techniques
· Automation and quality control
· Haematologic malignancies- PS, BM aspiration and BM biopsy
· MDS-Myelodysplastic syndrome
· Acute myeloid malignancies
· Acute lymphoid malignancies
· Chronic myeloid malignancies
· Chronic lymphoid malignancies
· CMPD (Chronic myeloproliferative disorders)
· CLPD (Chronic lymphoproliferative disorders)
· Plasma cell dyscrasias
· Flow Cytometry-panels for acute leukaemia, CLPD
· Minimal Residual disease for patients on followup
Molecular Pathology
· Techniques in cytogenetics - routine karyotyping
· TMA (Tissue microarray)
· FISH (Fluorescence in-situ hybridization)
· CGH (Comparative genomic hybridization)
· PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) and RT-PCR
· NGS (Next-generation Sequencing)
Recent advances in Oncopathology
Career Options
After completing a DM in Onco 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 (Onco Pathology), Visiting Consultant (Onco Pathology), Junior Consultant (Onco Pathology), Senior Consultant (Onco Pathology), and Onco Pathology Specialist.
Courses After DM in Onco Pathology
DM in Onco Pathology is a specialisation course which can be pursued after finishing a Postgraduate medical course. After pursuing a specialisation in DM in Onco Pathology, a candidate could also pursue certificate courses and Fellowship programmes recognised by NMC and NBE, where DM in Onco Pathology is a feeder qualification.
These include fellowships in:
· Fellowship in Onco Pathology
·Post Doctoral Fellowship in Onco Pathology
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) –DM in Onco Pathology
- Question: What is the full form of DM?
Answer: The full form of DM is a Doctorate of Medicine.
- Question: What is a DM in Onco Pathology?
Answer: DM Onco Pathology or Doctorate of Medicine in Onco Pathology also known as DM in Onco Pathology is a super speciality level course for doctors in India that they do after completion of their postgraduate medical degree course.
- Question: What is the duration of a DM in Onco Pathology?
Answer: DM in Onco Pathology is a super speciality programme of three years.
- Question: What is the eligibility of a DM in Onco Pathology?
Answer: The candidate must have a postgraduate medical Degree in MD/DNB (Pathology) obtained from any college/university recognized by the Medical Council of India (Now NMC)/NBE, this feeder qualification mentioned here is as of 2022. For any further changes to the prerequisite requirement please refer to the NBE website.
- Question: What is the scope of a DM in Onco Pathology?
Answer: DM in Onco Pathology offers candidates various employment opportunities and career prospects.
- Question: What is the average salary for a DM in an Onco Pathology candidate?
Answer: The DM in Onco Pathology candidate's average salary is between Rs. 8,00,000 to Rs. 15,00,000 per year depending on the experience.
- Question: Can you teach after completing DM Course?
Answer: Yes, the candidate can teach in a medical college/hospital after completing the DM course.
