Centre for Oncopathology is changing paradigms in teaching methodologies

In 2020, when most of the world went into lockdown due to the pandemic, the use of technology grew in manifolds and all of us learnt and adapted new ways of functioning

Red dots indicate locations of OTPPGP Attendees

Most of the Post Graduate colleges were shut for formal conduction of PG teaching. The PGs were largely deployed in handling samples from COVID-19 patients, in vaccination drives or other COVID related activities.

All physical meetings and conferences were cancelled and a dire need for a substitute modality of teaching without physical contact emerged.

It was during this period, when a group of pathologists from the Centre for Oncopathology and Tata Memorial Hospital collaborated and initiated the Online Training Programme for Post Graduate students in Pathology (OTPPGP).

OTPPGP is a curriculum-based long term pathology learning portal. The programme endeavoured to plug the gaps in the existing PG teaching program. It exposed the PGs to the best teachers and a wide range of teaching material.

Soon thereafter, pathologists in private practice as well as faculty members of medical colleges also started to attend. As it gained momentum, global experts in the field, were engaged to share from their experience and practice.

OTPPGP received tremendous response from the medical fraternity and witnessed a participation of over 2000 people per class in multiple sessions.

As the world evolved and overcame COVID-19, OTPPGP has also evolved. Even though the students have returned to physical classes, there have been requests to keep the online programme running.

From lectures and discussions, the programme evolved to workshops, debates, symposia, career planning, journal club discussion.

Presently, the programme is in its third year. It is run on a new platform with more focus on PG learning and special emphasis on basic biology and general pathology case illustrations.