Pathology Informatics Essentials for Residents (PIER)

PIER Announcements

Monitor this section for PIER updates. As new information becomes available it will be posted here.

PIER RELEASE 3

The PIER curriculum was reviewed by informatics experts and updated with more current and relevant resource options such as the 2018 CAP Clinical Informatics Resource Guide, a comprehensive resource of curated, recent information on this topic researched and compiled by informatics experts. In addition, there are some new and updated practical exercises to support your pathology residency education training needs.

The Association for Pathology Informatics (API) curated specific presentations from their annual Pathology Informatics Summit meetings and mapped them to the four PIER Essentials, covering over 80% of the PIER curriculum. There is a special web page on their site for PIER so that faculty and residents can access these video presentations and the presentation files and use them to teach and learn informatics concepts through the PIER curriculum. Click on the links below or see page 11 of the PIER Resource Toolkit.

Information Page: www.pathologyinformatics.org/pier_and_api.php
Access to presentations (API membership required): www.pathologyinformatics.org/pier_resources.php

What is PIER?

PIER is a research-based instructional resource developed by the Association of Pathology Chairs, Association for Pathology Informatics, and College of American Pathologists that presents training topics, implementation strategies and resource options for PRODS and faculty to effectively provide informatics training to their residents and meet ACGME informatics milestone requirements. PIER is also an effective resource for aspiring specialists to develop prerequisite pathology informatics knowledge and skills prior to advanced training or fellowships. For further information, see PIER At-a-Glance (PDF).

PIER Release 3 (October 2018)

PIER Instructional Resource Guide, Release 3.1 (PDF) - This guide, written for PRODS and faculty, explains PIER's approach and the pathology informatics curriculum scope and sequence
PIER Resource Toolkit Release 3.2 (PDF) - The Toolkit provides interactive instructional tools and support information to successfully plan, implement, and manage PIER.

PIER Implementation Webinars

Important Note: The below webinars were recorded in 2016 as part of the launch activities for PIER Release 2. The majority of the information provided is still very useful but please be aware that there may be a few references to enhancements made to Release 2 that were changed or further improved in Release.3.

Helpful implementation webinars are available for PRODS, either those “Gearing Up” to use PIER for the first time or those “Continuing With PIER” who want to sharpen implementation. Links to past webinar recordings can be found below.

Not using PIER yet?

Gearing Up for PIER Webinar

PIER-Experienced Faculty:
Scott Anderson, MD

The Gearing Up for PIER Webinar is for PRODS with little or no experience using PIER, who are interested in learning more about it before making implementation decisions. This webinar for residency programs of all sizes provides an overview of PIER’s informatics curriculum and PIER Toolkit, featuring different ways programs have used PIER, how to solve common challenges, and helpful start-up implementation hints and tips.

Already using PIER?

Continuing with PIER Webinar

PIER-Experienced Faculty:
Suzanne Z. Powell, MD
Scott Wesley Long, MD, PhD

The Continuing with PIER Webinar is for PRODS who know and understand PIER, have implemented one or more of the four PIER Essentials with residents, and are planning to use it this coming year. This interactive webinar zeroes in on common implementation and content challenges for residency programs of all sizes, featuring different ways of implementing PIER successfully, working around limited in-house informatics experts and/or faculty resources, solving scheduling challenges, and managing instructional materials.

Additional Resources

Pathology Informatics Training Review Checklist (PDF)
This assessment tool is for PRODS whose programs have a need to implement and/or further develop pathology informatics training. It is intended to help PRODS identify the degree to which their residency programs have the bandwidth and conditions necessary for successful informatics training implementation.

Publications

Pathology Informatics Essentials for Residents: A Flexible Informatics Curriculum Linked to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestones
Henricks, WH et al.

PIER Leadership Committee

The committee is comprised of GME and informatics experts representing APC, API, and CAP in addition to resident members.

Representing APC, Program Directors, GME Education
Scott R. Anderson, MD, Chair, University of Vermont Medical Center
Michael J. Esposito, MD, Zucker SOM at Hofstra/Northwell
Marie C. DeFrances, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

Representing CAP, API, Informatics Experts
Bruce Levy, MD, CPE, Geisinger Health
Andrew Quinn, MD, Parkland Health & Hospital System and UT Southwestern Medical Center

Representing Residents
Yonah Ziemba, MD, Northwell Health
Simone Arvisais-Anhalt, MD, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Questions or Comments?

Contact Sue Plath, PIER Project Lead, at [email protected] or 847-832-7624.

PIER License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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