Gastrointestinal Pathology

Gastrointestinal (GI), hepatic, and pancreaticobiliary pathology is a high-volume, citywide subspecialty practice delivered by multiple faculty with focused interest and subspecialty training/experience across Calgary sites (FMC, RGH, SHC, ACH).

Program Overview

The service includes alternating comprehensive in-house subspecialty sign-out and a citywide consultation/consensus model. This concentrated case mix provides broad exposure to neoplastic and non-neoplastic pathology of the luminal GI tract, liver/biliary tree, and pancreaticobiliary system, and supports advanced training toward independent subspecialty practice.

Statement of Clinical Focus

The purpose of the fellowship is to train a subspecialty pathologist who can:

Diagnose routine, complex, and unusual GI, hepatic, and pancreaticobiliary specimens (biopsies and resections) with appropriate use of ancillary testing.
Function effectively as a consultant, integrating clinical/radiologic/laboratory information, communicating clearly with clinicians and pathologists, and recognizing diagnostic uncertainty and limitations.
Contribute to the academic mission through teaching, quality activities, and scholarship (research or other scholarly output).
The fellowship follows a supervised clinical practice model with graduated autonomy, complemented by structured teaching, rounds, and scholarly activity, consistent with contemporary GI pathology fellowship training standards.

Eligibility Requirements

All applicants for MD Post Graduate Fellowships must fulfill the following prerequisites:

Royal College Certification in Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology or Diagnostic and Clinical Pathology or equivalent OR eligibility for Royal College certification in Diagnostic and Molecular Pathology or Diagnostic and Clinical Pathology
Legally allowed to work in Canada
Able to satisfy the eligibility requirements of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) for Post Graduate Trainees

Curriculum Overview

The Fellow is expected to attend and participate in the following rounds:

Weekly GI Citywide Consensus Rounds: Wednesday 1100-1200 hrs, online and/or in-person multi-headed microscope (FMC). Review of interesting or challenging surgical pathology cases.
GI Teaching Rounds: TBD. Online and/or multi-headed microscope (FMC). Review and presentation of interesting teaching cases by various members of the GI group/including fellow. These rounds are scheduled at the discretion of the DMP Lead resident.
Arthur Child Tumour Board Advanced GI Malignancy Rounds: Bi-weekly, Tuesday 0730-0830 hrs. Rounds that include clinicopathological correlation of complex and advanced GI malignancies for treatment planning. Fellows are encouraged to review cases and present under the instruction of the staff pathologist.
Arthur Child Tumour Board – GI Oncology: weekly, Thursday 1630-1730 hrs. Rounds that include clinicopathological correlation of complex and advanced GI malignancies for treatment planning. Fellows are encouraged to review cases and present under the instruction of the staff pathologist.
(Optional) TBCC Endocrine Pathology Rounds: Bi-weekly, Tuesday 1200-1300 hrs. Rounds that include clinicopathological correlation of complex gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (but not limited to).

Specific Rotations (as applicable):

Foothills Medical Centre, Rockyview General Hospital, South Health Campus, Peter Lougheed Centre