AFIP ready for autopsy

[PathOne]

Well, it seems that the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology is now more or less clinically dead. Just noticed that they've withdrawn their ACGME accreditation in Heme and Dermpath, effective June 30.

Hardly a surprise, as they've received their death sentence quite some time ago, but still kinda sad. It used to be one of the true powerhouses in Pathology. But I guess it's more important patching up kids sent to Iraq nowadays.

I wonder what would be found at their autopsy... Also, there's now a nuclear blastproof building available in DC, if anybody needs it.

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[delicatefade]

It's very unfortunate for us Army HPSP students who are considering pathology. WRAMC would have been my top choice out of the three Army programs because of its proximity to AFIP. Now I'm not so sure it has any advantage.

 

[DrBloodmoney]

As one of those WRAMC path residents, I can say that I feel extremely lucky to have spent the time that I have at the AFIP (we've generally gotten to spend up to 8-12 months there in our 3rd and 4th years). It's an amazing place and it's an absolute tragedy that this is happening. The closing is pretty much a done deal. Fiscal year '08 is shutdown year. They've already had a significant amount of 'brain-drain' and I expect the volume of cases to decrease as other institutions line up they're consulting options for the future.

One of the things still up in the air is the fasicle series. I know that they have several volumes already at the printers, and several in the editing pipelines. So I'm not sure if they're going to get through the entire Series IV for tumors and Series I for non-neoplastic. I get them for free, so obviously I hope they get to print them all.

It's very unfortunate for us Army HPSP students who are considering pathology. WRAMC would have been my top choice out of the three Army programs because of its proximity to AFIP. Now I'm not so sure it has any advantage.

PM me if you have any questions about Army path stuff.

 

[PathOne]

While the fasicles have always been closely associated with AFIP (a great marketing tool, btw), I was under the impression that the fasicles are actually put out by a separate organization, National Registry of Pathology or sum'thin like that? (currently too tired to look it up). However, I don't know if they're actually financed by the AFIP, in which case there'll be trouble, I'm sure.

 

[DrBloodmoney]

While the fasicles have always been closely associated with AFIP (a great marketing tool, btw), I was under the impression that the fasicles are actually put out by a separate organization, National Registry of Pathology or sum'thin like that? (currently too tired to look it up). However, I don't know if they're actually financed by the AFIP, in which case there'll be trouble, I'm sure.

It's the American Registry of Pathology which was split off from the AFIP in the seventies. That's why I'm not too sure what the future will hold for them. They are still physically located in the AFIP.

 

[1Path]

I heard a few years ago that AFIP was going to be "reopened" under either the Naval Medical Center and/or NIH Pathology.

 

[PathOne]

I heard a few years ago that AFIP was going to be "reopened" under either the Naval Medical Center and/or NIH Pathology.

Honestly, I think there's very little to "reopen" these days... Most of their top people have left for greener pastures. Sad. I was there for a couple of weeks in a previous millenium, and was utterly amazed. Especially their forensic people were out of this world. There was this forensic anthropologist Rodriguez. I'll never forget him. He did his ph.d. work on "the body farm", where they studied how to determine time of death by taking fresh bodies and exposing them to various environments for various time periods, in order to determine quantifiable tools for time of death estimation. Actually surprised that it never turned into a huge scandal, as I'm sure it would today.
They also did some really pioneering work on DNA databases, which they for some strange reason never really utillized beyond id purposes, even though I think they basically had DNA from every servicemember.

 

[1Path]

Honestly, I think there's very little to "reopen" these days... Most of their top people have left for greener pastures. Sad. I was there for a couple of weeks in a previous millenium, and was utterly amazed.

I understand form someone who should know that AFIP thanks to the war, is far from being clinically dead especially as far as forensic path is concerned. Anyone care to comment?

 

[DrBloodmoney]

I understand form someone who should know that AFIP thanks to the war, is far from being clinically dead especially as far as forensic path is concerned. Anyone care to comment?

Under BRAC, OAFME (Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner) is going to be under a separate command structure (currently it is a part of the AFIP -- although it is housed at an entirely separate office in Rockville/Gaithersburg, MD as opposed to on the Walter Reed post). They are eventually going to be moving their entire operation to Dover Air Base (where their primary morgue/casualty processing center is).

AFAIK, the AFIP got additional funding to extend its lifespan in the most recent appropriations bill, after heavy lobbying, that was subsequently vetoed by GWB. I'm not sure where they stand now.

 

[1Path]

AFAIK, the AFIP got additional funding to extend its lifespan in the most recent appropriations bill, after heavy lobbying, that was subsequently vetoed by GWB. I'm not sure where they stand now.

So will the AFIP be moving to Dover as well? My contact there says no. I guess I'm just hoping it stays in Metro DC long enough for me to do a rotation there one day.

 

[DrBloodmoney]

So will the AFIP be moving to Dover as well? My contact there says no. I guess I'm just hoping it stays in Metro DC long enough for me to do a rotation there one day.

No they will stay right where they are until they mothball it.

OAFME is just going to separate from under AFIP so it can continue on.