Programe Director - Srinivas Annavarapu

Specialty Programme Coordinator - Joanne O'Brien

HR Officer - Kevin Johnson

The speciality of paediatric and perinatal pathology offers a range of career options. There are general histopathology posts in district general hospitals, with sessions in perinatal pathology; predominantly fetal and perinatal pathology posts at senior lecturer or consultant grade in academic departments of pathology; and equivalent posts in maternity hospitals. Most of our children's hospitals have pathology departments with two or more senior posts. Some of these units provide a regional fetal and neonatal pathology service, as well as specialist pathology services for the children's hospital.

There are also opportunities for teaching. Most paediatric/perinatal pathologists have an active teaching role at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. And the development of the new curriculum offers opportunities for project-based small group teaching in both the pre-clinical and clinical course.

What makes perinatal/paediatric pathology so rewarding is the close collaboration with a range of very committed clinicians. Important and regular contacts are made with neonatologists and other specialist paediatricians and paediatric surgeons. Working with children seems to promote a spirit of accessibility, cooperativeness, and openness and the knowledge that what you find will be used for that child, for that mother, for the extended family, and for the implementation of optimal clinical practice, is the best stimulus of all. Paediatric pathology is not about reflecting on what's really happened; it's about laying foundations for a better future.