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Professionalism, commitment and research by professionals on the Campus are the key elements in offering patients excellent care.
We are committed to research as a tool to provide solutions to the daily challenges we face in the field of medical healthcare.
We generate, transform and transmit knowledge in all areas of the health sciences, helping to train the professionals of the future.
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Pathological anatomy, Cross-departmental services
Since its creation, our Department has enjoyed significant quantitative and qualitative growth in the areas of patient care, teaching and research. Cancer is an increasingly common illness; we offer high-quality care linked to clinical and translational research, applying the knowledge of basic research to the prevention and treatment of clinical cases. This means we can see patients from outside our catchment area who can participate in clinical trials. We are a reference centre in all areas of clinical oncology.
These diseases are complex to diagnose and treat, making a multidisciplinary approach essential. That is why our Department works to incorporate a range of professional techniques and contributions to tackle all aspects of care and integrate them into the care process. This means we can improve the care process and ensure quality. Examples of this are our genetic counselling and high-risk illness prevention clinics.
In accordance with the analysis and forecasts included in the latest version of the Catalan Health Plan and the Oncology Master Plan, we must bring forward priority actions in the field of oncological disease in Catalonia. Vall d'Hebron University Hospital is especially equipped to offer a comprehensive Oncology Care Plan, with different services all working in coordination. This is possible thanks to our specialised departments such as Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, Clinical Haematology, surgical specialties, medical specialties, Pathological Anatomy, Image Diagnostics and Primary Care. Our professional expertise and ability to work in collaboration are the key to fulfilling this mission.
This is why care for people suffering from oncology is structured into processes in place for all operations, with appropriate timing based on a holistic vision of the care process. At our Department, we incorporate everything these patients need in terms of prevention, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.
We base this oncological care on three central pillars: our staff, equipment and clinical research. On the one hand, we guarantee the excellence of our staff through internal training programmes in the field of hospital care, as well as establishing collaboration and training exchanges with other renowned, prestigious centres. On the other hand, we offer the latest equipment and carry out clinical, translational and basic research.
We are working to incorporate primary care into the network of oncology treatment at the Hospital, as we believe holistic care in oncology requires incorporation and coordination of all the different healthcare areas involved in treating patients.
As mentioned previously, research is one of the key pillars of our Department, and we are present at the most prestigious international forums where future research and oncological care are discussed. We participate in Cancer Core Europe, the largest cancer platform in Europe, where our Department is one of just seven European departments present.
We have a biomedical research centre made up of scientists and doctors who work together to link basic science with clinical research: the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO). Our main purpose is to promote and develop excellence in research into oncological diseases.
The VHIO also works to increase our contribution to the development of new therapies that improve the treatment of cancer. Its goals also include modelling scientific practices in the clinic for the benefit of oncology patients, excellence in scientific research in the fields of basic, translational and clinical research, and scientific cooperation between national and international cancer research institutions. By promoting all activities related to cancer research, we contribute to improving the quality of life of our patients.
The Anatomy Department studies diseases through direct microscope observation of tissues (biopsies, surgical samples, clinical autopsies) and body fluids (cytologies, fine needle aspiration punctures), to obtain the most accurate diagnoses to ensure proper treatment of the illness. Our mission is to offer the patient all the benefits of the best in medical, prognostic and predictive diagnosis using the most advanced molecular technologies.
Surgical pathology and cytopathology are a key part of diagnosing patients receiving treatment at our hospital. Our pathologists are highly specialised in a diverse range of pathologies, are internationally recognised and are leaders in the different fields of anatomopathological diagnosis. Our professionals can be found on commissions, committees and clinical management teams throughout the Hospital. We have a wide range of technological resources, histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques, electronic microscopy and molecular pathology, which means we can carry out morphological diagnosis with both prognostic data and treatment targets, which form the basis ofpersonalised medicine. We also perform diagnosis reviews with second opinions for samples from other centres.
We receive the highest volume of samples of all Catalan public hospitals (more than 90,000 biopsy and cytology samples a year). We are a leading centre, and are proud to receive the most complex and specialised pathologies in all clinical and surgical areas. Our focus is on:
We are leading and/or actively participating in multiple research projects, both in collaboration with other hospital research departments and units as well as in national and international multi-centre clinical studies and trials.
We have a basic research unit at the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute that pursues several lines of research into cancer pathology. Our research into foetal and developmental pathology should also be highlighted.
We have a Tumour Bank and a Foetal Tissue Bank, as well as a Brain Bank, which are all part of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Biobank (HUVH Biobank).
Thanks to the availability of advanced technology and the collective experience of our pathologists in interpreting tissue disease, we play a key role in the translational research by the various applied clinical research groups at the Hospital.
We offer undergraduate and postgraduate education with comprehensive educational opportunities for students of the Autonomous University of Barcelona’s (UAB) Faculty of Medicine, practicum for biology and biotechnology students, as well as participating in various UAB master's degrees, and directing Doctoral Theses within the Doctorate in Surgery and Morphological Sciences Programme at the UAB.
We also host practicum for professional training for specialists in pathological anatomy and cytodiagnostics, from different schools and colleges in Barcelona.
Our teaching unit is accredited by the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality for specialist training of 3 residents a year in the pathological anatomy specialty. This training lasts for 4 years and consists of rotation between the areas of knowledge pertaining to the specialty, such as autopsy pathology, surgical pathology, cytopathology and molecular pathology. Residents have the possibility of taking part in research projects in the field as part of their training. The Department promotes their attendance at scientific congresses and events where they can present the results of their studies, and actively promotes their participation in scientific publications. We encourage the 4th year resident to complete a three-month training period in a leading European or American Pathological Anatomy department in one of the areas of knowledge in order to provide them with complementary training.
For professionals working in our department we organise continuing education refresher courses in pathological anatomy to promote innovation in clinical health care. We organise training placements for both domestic and foreign professionals, especially in transplant pathology, paediatric pathology and molecular pathology.
The complexity of the diagnoses and treatments performed by the Medical Oncology Department requires working in multidisciplinary teams of specialists, with the aim of providing an integrated approach from diagnosis to the end of treatment. For this same reason, we work in expert cancer-specific committees and assess each case as a team to determine the appropriate treatment for each person. If you train with us, you will be working with highly qualified professionals and the latest generation technology. Training is backed up by our own training programmes and through collaboration with centres of recognised quality and prestige.
Medical Oncology training itinerary
The core of this teaching unit is provided by the Medical Oncology Department, with participation from Haematology, Internal Medicine, Radiation Oncology, Radiology, Pathological Anatomy, Infectious Diseases and Palliative Care, the Intensive Care Unit and the A&E Department. The Unit can accommodate three residents per year. Residents’ training in Medical Oncology takes five years in total. The two first years are spent on core training, with the following three years dedicated specifically to specialisation.
Residents in medical oncology are expected to have in-depth knowledge of preventative, diagnostic and therapeutic choices for cancer. For this reason it is important that they continuously update their knowledge of cancer biology. To this end, they must take part in research projects that promote excellence in research. They will also have the opportunity to become familiar with the main lines of research in the Department and to take part in some of them. Over the course of training, residents learn to have a critical and open approach to the high volume of clinical studies and advances in the specialisation, whilst always keeping ethical considerations at the forefront of their work.
Why do your residency at Vall d’Hebron?
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