DMMC Hosts Unique National Integrated Autopsy Workshop

The Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology (FMT) and the Department of Pathology at Datta Meghe Medical College, a constituent unit of Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education & Research (Deemed to be University), Off Campus, Nagpur, jointly organized an integrated national workshop recently titled “Bridging the Macroscopic and Microscopic: Practical Insights from Organ Dissection to Histopathology in Autopsy Practice.”

The inaugural session was graced by the presence Dr. Anup Marar (Director, DMIHER – Off Campus), Dr. Ujwal Gajbe (Dean), and Dr. B. R. Singh (Vice Dean). Organising Chairpersons Dr. Prakash Mohite (Professor & Head, FMT) and Dr. Pratibha Dawande (Professor & Head, Pathology) welcomed the gathering and underlined the unique vision of the workshop in fostering meaningful interdisciplinary collaboration.

The workshop emphasized the critical interface between gross organ dissection in medico-legal autopsies and the subsequent histopathological examination. While both specialties contribute immensely to determining the cause of death and advancing medico-legal jurisprudence, they often operate in parallel. This workshop addressed the need to integrate these perspectives, offering a rare academic platform where forensic experts and pathologists could engage in joint discussions, live demonstrations, and hands-on practices. Such initiatives are of growing importance in today’s medico-legal practice, where accuracy, precision, and interdepartmental synergy are indispensable in ensuring not only better academic training but also justice delivery in sensitive medico-legal cases.

The academic deliberations were enriched by eminent speakers including Dr. Ashish Wankhede (Professor & Head, GMC Jagdalpur), Dr. Shailendra Dhawane (GMC Nagpur), Dr. Hrishikesh Pathak (GMC Nagpur), and Dr. Kajal Hatgoankar (DMMC, Nagpur). Their sessions brought forth practical insights and cutting-edge updates. Dr. Sameer Golawar (Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, GMC) served as the MMC Observer, adding professional value and oversight to the proceedings.

The workshop saw active participation of more than 130 delegates, comprising postgraduate students and faculty from Maharashtra and other states, in both online and offline modes. The participants appreciated the academic depth, interactive learning, and practical applicability of the sessions, recognizing the workshop as a much-needed bridge between theoretical understanding and applied medico-legal practice.

The presence of distinguished senior academicians including Dr. Anil Anjankar (Ex-Registrar, DMIHER), Dr. Ajay Keoliya, Dr. Vipul Ambade, Dr. Satin Meshram, Dr. Sharad Kuchewar, Dr. Sudhir Ninave, Dr. A. Mukherjee, and Dr. Milind Bhatkule further dignified the event and reflected institutional support for advancing such interdisciplinary initiatives.

The organizing committee, comprising Dr. Shivanand Karmakar, Dr. Rajesh Chintalwar, Dr. Sundeep Ingale, Dr. Ashok Jivane, Dr. Milind Pande, Dr. Shirish Modi, and Dr. Rachana Reddy, meticulously coordinated all aspects of the workshop. The program concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Dr. Sundeep Ingale, who warmly acknowledged the contributions of speakers, dignitaries, participants, and team members in making the workshop a resounding success.

By addressing a long-recognized gap in medical education and medico-legal training, this integrated workshop not only enriched academic learning but also set a benchmark for future national-level collaborations between Pathology and Forensic Medicine. It highlighted the need for regular, structured, and practice-oriented workshops to build capacity among budding professionals and reinforce the role of interdisciplinary cooperation in medico-legal practice.