Introduction

The credit of establishing the Department of Pathology goes to Professor Dr. M. R. Parthasarathy who joined this college on 5th January 1966. His wife Dr. (Mrs.) Grace Parthasarathy helped him to a great extent in establishing the department. She was then serving as a pathologist at the Civil Hospital, Belgaum. Both of them left the college on 14th March 1968 by handing over charge to Dr. K.V. Subbarao.

Dr. Subbarao continued as Head of Dept of Pathology till 31st March 1970. On 1st April 1970 Prof. Dr. A.V.Ramaprasad took over from Dr. Subbarao. Dr. Ramaparasad was instrumental in the further development of the dept. and the construction of the museum.

Dr. Ramaprasad left the college on 30th April 1974 and the charge was taken over by Dr. S.J.Nagalotimath on 1st May 1974. Dr. (Miss) Rani Darbar and Dr. Mohan Reddy assisted Dr. Nagalotimath for the departmental work and further development of the Pathology Museum.

Dr. S.J.Nagalotimath relinquished his services in February 1991 and Dr. (Mrs.) A.V. Dhaded continued as Head of the dept upto April 2005. Dr. P.R.Malur took over charge from Dr.(Mrs) A.V.Dhaded and was Head of the Dept. From 21-04-2005 to 02-03-2010. Dr. P. V. Patil was Head of the Department from 3rd March 2010 to 31st August 2012. Dr. Ganga S. Pilli then took over and was the Head of Department from 1st September 2012 to 30th September 2014. Dr. Hema Bannur was the Head of the Department form 1st October 2014 to 30th September 2016 and Dr. Ramesh Chavan Headed the department from 1st October 2016 to 29th February 2020. Dr. Ranjit Kangle Headed the department from 02.03. 2020 to 31.01.2024. Currently Dr. Vijayalaxmi M. Dhorigol is the Head of Department from 01.02. 2024.

Over these years the dept. of pathology has grown gradually and is now well established. It caters to the diagnostic services to the KLE’s Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre from Hi Tech Laboratory which is NABL accredited. All the staff members of the Pathology Dept. work on rotation to take care of haematology, clinical pathology, histopathology, cytology and Autopsies in addition to Oncopathology & Flowcytometry. Earlier (1966-2002) the laboratory services were rendered to the district hospital, Belgaum.
The department offered MD Degree and DCP (Diploma) Courses. But from 2019 it offers only MD Degree. There are 13 MD seats every year.

The department has a floor space of 22,000 square feet with spacious laboratories. The practical hall is well planned and can accommodate 100 students. The Gallery Lecture Hall is fitted with audio visual amenities and can accommodate more than 250 persons. A small lecture hall which accommodates 100 students is also available. There are three demonstration rooms (No.10,11,12). The museum has been renovated and the new Pathology Museum was inaugurated on 17-03-2012 by Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad, Hon. Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India. The department conducts National CME & PG Course in Pathology for last 41 Years. Every year during the CME an Oration Award and One Teaching in Excellence Award is conferred to the Senior, Experienced, Renowned Pathologist who has contributed to the field of Pathology.