Austrian Society of Neuropathology

Website: www.oegnp.at

(updated 28 June 2012)

General information
In Austria, Neuropathology has been recognized as independent clinical specialty since 1994. The total number of board-certified neuropathologists is currently 21 (the Austrian population is 8 million inhabitants). Ten colleagues work full-time in Neuropathology at the Medical Universities of Vienna (5), Graz (2), and Innsbruck (1), and at the academic teaching hospital Wagner Jauregg in Linz (1). The other colleagues hold a second specialty degree, and work primarily in Neurology or  general Pathology. The current number of residents in Neuropathology is 3 (2 in Vienna, 1 in Linz). At the Medical Universities, Neuropathology is tightly interacting with the Clinical Neuroscience disciplines, and also with general Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

Austrian Neuropathologists are in charge of the following coordinating functions:

Austrian Reference Center for Human Prion Diseases (ÖRPE, coordinator: Gabor Kovacs)
Austrian Brain Tumour Registry (ABTR, coordinator: Johannes Hainfellner)
Interdisciplinary PhD program Clinical Neurosciences at the Medical University of Vienna (CLINS, coordinator: Johannes Hainfellner)

Neuropathology training
The following Institutes are recognized as Neuropathology training centers:

  • the Institute of Neurology at the Medical University of Vienna
  • the Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology at the Wagner-Jauregg academic teaching hospital in Linz

Efforts have been made to establish Neuropathology training at the Medical Universities of Graz and Innsbruck. We anticipate that Graz and Innnsbruck can meet the essential prerequisites for accreditation as training centers in the near future.

Neuropathology training requirements include 4 years Neuropathology and 6 months general Pathology. An additional 1.5 year can be variably combined, giving the opportunity to extend training time in Neuropathology, general Pathology, and/or to get training in Neurology or Neurosurgery.

The 6 years postgraduate specialization time needs to be completed by a board exam in Neuropathology according to the formal requirements as defined by the Austrian Medical Chamber.

Meetings
Austrian Neuropathology Society meetings take place twice per year (spring and autumn meetings). The sites of the meeting are rotating all over Austria, taking place at hospitals with Neuropathology service or interest in Neuropathology.

An important item of each meeting is the discussion of interesting and challenging cases (“The interesting case – Clinic and Neuropathology”). Clinicians (neurologists, neurosurgeons, oncologists, pediatricians, etc.) actively participate in these scientific case presentations and discussions.

Interaction with other Societies and Organizations
There are close interactions with National Societies of neighbouring countries, in particular the Hungarian and German Societies.

Members of the Austrian Society are elected members of international bodies, such as the International Society of Neuropathology (ISN) and the European Confederation of Neuropathological Societies (Euro-CNS).

In addition, Austrian neuropathologists are involved in the activities of international organizations such as the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), the European Association of Neurooncology (EANO), BrainNet Europe, EU research programs, etc.

Executive Board:

Executive Board for the period 2014-2016:

President: Johannes A. Hainfellner, Vienna
Secretary: Serge Weis, Linz
Treasurer: Johannes Haybäck, Graz
Euro-CNS Councilors: Johannes A. Hainfellner, Vienna and Adelheid Woehrer, Vienna

Submitted by Johannes Hainfellner, Vienna