Giving Correct names to Disciplines in Pathology in the 21st Century: A Review of Working Environments among Pathologists across Nigeria

Abstract

A name gives one identity, inspiration, strength, vision and an ability to see far into the future end from the beginning. Pathology disciplines therefore need correct and proper names that will carry along it all those attributes to enable them explore all her potentials unhindered in the 21st century practice of Medicine in the country. This study reviewed the functions of Medical Microbiologists and Haematologists in the midst of incessant inter-professional rivalry involving medical laboratory scientist in the country's teaching hospitals. Data was collected based on information from electronic, online and print media, and social media platforms. Questionnaires were administered to assess the knowledge of students of Adeyemi College of Education Ondo-City on the difference between Consultant Medical Microbiologists and Academic Microbiologists. We found out that in over 85% of the crisis in the medical laboratories in the country are from either Medical Microbiology and or Haematology laboratories; disciplines whose names have little to do with pathology, and that Anatomic Pathology and Chemical Pathology disciplines are usually only in solidarity with the two. Also other health personnel including scientists do not feel fully convinced that Consultants in the former two disciplines (Medical Microbiology and Haematology) are truly Pathologists. It was also found that 90% of members of the general public cannot differentiate between a Pathologist who specializes in Microbiology from an individual who graduated with BSc or MSc in Microbiology and so could hardly understand why such could not also practice as Consultant Microbiologist or Lecture in Clinical Pathology departments. At the University of Medical Sciences teaching Hospital Complex (UNIMED THC) where both the discipline and the Department are named Microbial Pathology, the tension has substantially been put under check. The two subspecialties should be properly named as: Microbial Pathology and Haematologic Pathology instead of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, and Haematology respectively along with their respective Departments.