Joanne Y. To ¹ & Ali Moghimi ^{1, 2}

¹ Department of Histopathology, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia ² Faculty of Medicine and Health, The Children's Hospital at Westmead Clinical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Background: The global shortage of perinatal and paediatric pathologists has resulted in a workforce crisis, emphasizing the need for strategies to support and expand these critical subspecialties. Training exposure and trainees' perceptions likely influence workforce numbers.

Methods: An online survey was distributed to Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia trainees in Anatomical, Forensic, and General Pathology to assess their perception and attitudes toward perinatal/paediatric pathology. The survey included 18 questions on trainees’ prior exposure and 51 statements exploring perceptions and barriers, with an option for comments.

Results: The survey received 100 responses (86 Australian, 14 international). One-fourth were first-year trainees. A total of 58 trainees had completed rotations in these subspecialties. Nearly 41% had considered them as career options. Almost one-third reported insufficient educational resources. The most cited barriers to pursuing these fields included lack of teaching resources, limited exposure, and a general anatomical pathology exam-focused curriculum.

Conclusion: This survey was the first study of its kind assessing trainee’s perceptions of perinatal/paediatric pathology. Many expressed positive views and interest, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to enhance exposure, teaching resources, and curriculum alignment. These measures are essential to mitigate the growing workforce crisis and ensure the future sustainability of these vital subspecialties.