Forensic Pathology Education in Turkey: Insights From the National Forensic Pathology Awareness Survey

Abstract

Background&Aim: In the field of medicolegal investigations in Türkiye, autopsies are typically performed by forensic medicine specialists while postmortem histopathological examinations are performed by pathology specialists. However, the absence of forensic pathology from the core curriculum for residency in pathology has led to a significant lack of awareness and proficiency among pathologists in this subspecialty. To address this issue, a survey study aimed at evaluating the status of forensic pathology within pathology residency programs, increasing awareness and understanding of the significance of incorporating forensic pathology into pathology residency was conducted. Material and Methods: A survey consisting of a total of 14 questions was sent to all pathology residents and young specialist pathologists within the first five years of their specialization via e-mail and social media channels. Results: A total of 212 participants, including pathology residents and young specialist pathologists in their first five years of specialization, took part in the survey. The institutions where the participants received training were university hospitals (53.8%), training and research hospitals (34.9%), affiliated university hospitals (9%), and private university hospitals (9%), respectively. 92.9% of respondents indicated the absence of forensic pathology training in their residency programs, and only 13.8% reported exposure to forensic pathology on external rotations during their training. Additionally, 84.8% of the participants expressed a desire for the inclusion of forensic pathology rotations in the core curriculum. The majority of the participants stated that they lacked knowledge about the job descriptions and activities of forensic pathologists, emphasizing the need for such training during their residency and some young specialist pathologists disclosed difficulties in handling forensic matters throughout their expertise. Conclusion: The results of the survey reveal a significant deficiency in forensic pathology education across institutions in Türkiye, accompanied by a low level of awareness, To address this issue and prevent a major gap in specialty training, it is crucial to incorporate forensic pathology training into the core curriculum for pathology and provide external rotations in cases where in-departmental training is not feasible.