November 17th, 2016

Dalen Agnew, Michigan State University

Committee Chair

This Webinar IS…

2017 Phase II Anatomic Pathology

Exam in Tampa

Website resources

Highlights of Tampa facility

Sample Questions (histology essays and

MC)

Q&A

This Webinar IS NOT…

Phase I exam

Phase II exam in Ames

Clinical Pathology exam (Nov 10 – find it

on the website)

This Webinar IS…

Being recorded

Webinar recording and powerpoint will be

posted on ACVP website for review

Website Resources

Website - Administrative

Administrative

information relevant

to all exams

Website - Content

Information concerning

content or taking of a

specific exam

(facilities, schedules,

sample questions,

other resources)

Phase I

Phase II Ames

2017 is the final year the traditional Phase II examination is

being offered in Ames, IA

Only certain (repeat) candidates are eligible for the

traditional examination in Ames in 2017

Phase II Ames Ames candidates:

Review reading list –

different cut-off date!

Phase II Tampa

Phase II AP Exam in Tampa

One day exam (7.1 hours)

August 15th or 16th, 2017 (to be

assigned)

ABP Testing Center, Tampa, FL

Phase II AP Exam in Tampa

Day divided into 3 sessions

Histopathology essays

Interpretation MCQs

Knowledge MCQs

All sessions contain a mixture of topics,

conditions and species

Computers in Tampa

Computer-based

Very user-friendly

Cut and paste functions

Don’t count on Spell-check

You can move around within each section,

but not between sections

Coming to website: more computer details

Short practice test on exam day

Phase II Anatomic Pathology

Day divided into 3 sessions

But all scores are combined into a single

pass/fail result for the entire exam

What score do I need to pass?

New exam = new standard setting study

Will not know cut score (passing point) until

after the exam has been taken

Phase II Anatomic Pathology

Microscopic Essays

Interpretation MCQs

Knowledge MCQs

Essays

2.6 hour session

12 glass slides

~ 13 minutes/glass slide

Essay Logistics

Previous (Ames) = handwritten, page limit

1 page/glass slide (plus the back side if

desperate)

Going forward (Tampa) = character limit

8000 characters, including spaces

~ 2 full typed pages in Word

NOT an issue for glass slides

Essay Logistics

Solitary carrel

Will not share slide flat with neighbor

But cases will likely be divided into two

groups (A and B) and each candidate will

exchange group A for group B (or vice

versa) when ready

Essay Logistics

Microscope provided

But you may bring your own

No timers/watches allowed

“Time remaining” on computer

3:00 --- 0:00 4, 10, 40 and 100x

Histopathology Essay

Logistics Enter write-ups on computer

Only information entered electronically will be

graded

Glass Slides

Very little has changed in how these are

chosen, used in the examination, and

graded.

Only 12 slides now, not 18.

No “panels,” immunohistochemistry,

electron microscopy, or cytology

These will be covered in the Interpretative

section.

Case Selection

•Test value/quality of the lesion(s)

•Quality of the slide

•Diversification matrix for cases

-Process

- Tissue

-Cause

-Species

-Contributor

Case Selection

Pathologic Process

Infectious/inflammatory/immunologic

Degeneration/necrosis

Disturbance of growth (includes neoplasia)

Genetic/metabolic/nutritional

Chemical/toxic

Case Selection

Organ System

Cardiovascular

Digestive

Endocrine

Hemolymphatic

Liver

Eye/Special senses

Musculoskeletal

Reproductive

Respiratory

Integumentary

Urinary

Pancreas

Nervous

Case Selection

Etiology

Bacteria

Fungi

Parasite

Virus

Circulatory

Toxic/chemical

Deficiency

Genetic

Multiple etiologies

Other

Case Selection

Species

Small animal (dog and cat)

Large animal (ox, sheep, goat, pig and

horse)

Laboratory animal

Non-mammalian, exotic, wildlife and zoo

animals (NEWZ)

Organization/Clarity (OC) Points

Three specific categories of O/C points

Logical and clear description of the

microscopic features that leads to the

correct diagnosis

Appropriate use of anatomic pathology

and/or scientific terminology

Clear differentiation between a primary and

secondary process

Not used in every case

Determined by EC consensus

If used, typically one point; maximum of two

points

Tissue From a Cat: Skin Pyogranulomatous inflammation expands dermis

and panniculus, adnexal atrophy/loss

Tissue from a Cat: Skin

Epitheliod macrophages, neutrophils, lymphocytes

and plasma cells

Tissue from a Cat: Skin

Multinucleated macrophages

Fungal yeast - size, shape, wall, budding

Tissue from a Cat: Skin

Necrosis, tissue tracts, hemorrhage, fibrin

Tissue from a Cat: Skin

Morphologic Diagnosis (2 points):

Pyogranulomatous dermatitis and

panniculitis with intra-lesional yeast

Cause(es) (4 points):

Blastomyces dermatitidis

Tissue From a Baboon

HistopathologicDescription (16 points):

Name the disease (4 points):

Tissue from a Baboon

Small intestine, mass, effacing muscularis,

transmural/serosa to submucosa

Tissue from a Baboon

Branching glands, variably size/ectatic, contents,

cuboidal to columnar cells, apical blebs

Tissue from a Baboon

Proliferative stroma, surrounding epithelium,

cellularity, organization, spindle shape, mitoses,

with eosinophils

Tissue from a Baboon

Name the disease (4 points):

Endometriosis

Phase II Anatomic Pathology

Microscopic Essays

Interpretation MCQs

Knowledge MCQs

Interpretation MCQs

50-70% gross images

20-50% microscopic images

○ histopathology,

○ IHC,

○ EM,

○ cytopathology,

○ hematology

0-10% clinical pathology/data items

These may be combined in a single

question

There may be multiple images

Phase II Anatomic Pathology

Microscopic Essays

Interpretation MCQs

Knowledge MCQs

Knowledge MCQ

Similar to what were previously the

Veterinary Pathology sections –

NEWZ

Lab Animal

Large Animal

Small Animal

More textbook/literature based

Critical knowledge an entry level

pathologist should have available

Do not be surprised to see an image

Based on the JTA results that were

just completed.

Interpretation vs Knowledge MCQ?

Doesn’t matter very much

Equally weighted, P/F exam

2.5 vs 2 hours

More important

Is this something an entry-level (minimally

competent) candidate should know?

Additional Q&A session

ACVP Meeting in New Orleans

Tuesday, 12:15-1:15