Pathology informatics fellowship training: Focus on molecular pathology.
BACKGROUND
Pathology informatics is both emerging as a distinct subspecialty and simultaneously becoming deeply integrated within the breadth of pathology practice. As specialists, pathology informaticians need a broad skill set, including aptitude with information fundamentals, information systems, workflow and process, and governance and management. Currently, many of those seeking training in pathology informatics additionally choose training in a second subspecialty. Combining pathology informatics training with molecular pathology is a natural extension, as molecular pathology is a subspecialty with high potential for application of modern biomedical informatics techniques.


RESULTS
Pathology informatics and molecular pathology fellows and faculty evaluated the current fellowship program's core curriculum topics and subtopics for relevance to molecular pathology. By focusing on the overlap between the two disciplines, a structured curriculum consisting of didactics, operational rotations, and research projects was developed for those fellows interested in both pathology informatics and molecular pathology.


CONCLUSIONS
The scope of molecular diagnostics is expanding dramatically as technology advances and our understanding of disease extends to the genetic level. Here, we highlight many of the informatics challenges facing molecular pathology today, and outline specific informatics principles necessary for the training of future molecular pathologists.
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Diana
D
Mandelker
Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
Roy E
RE
Lee
Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Mia Y
MY
Platt
Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Gregory
G
Riedlinger
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Andrew
A
Quinn
Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Luigi K F
LK
Rao
Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Veronica E
VE
Klepeis
Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Michael
M
Mahowald
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
William J
WJ
Lane
Department of Pathology, North Shore Medical Center Salem Hospital, Salem, MA 01970, USA.
Bruce A
BA
Beckwith
Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Jason M
JM
Baron
Department of Pathology, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
David S
DS
McClintock
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Frank C
FC
Kuo
Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Matthew S
MS
Lebo
Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
John R
JR
Gilbertson
Clinical informatics; informatics fellowship training; molecular pathology; molecular pathology informatics; molecular pathology training; pathology informatics; pathology informatics fellowship; pathology informatics training