Course Content
🔬 Station 1 — Identification of Tuberculous Osteomyelitis
Learning Outcomes Identify tuberculous osteomyelitis from a provided gross specimen or histopathology image/slide. Identify the key gross and microscopic morphological features supporting the diagnosis. Differentiate the lesion from common pyogenic osteomyelitis when provided with relevant findings.
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Identification of Tuberculous Osteomyelitis
🔬 Station 2 — Identification of Common Bone Tumours
Learning Outcomes Identify the provided bone tumour from a gross specimen, image or histopathology slide. Identify the key morphological features supporting the diagnosis. Differentiate osteosarcoma, osteoclastoma and chondrosarcoma using characteristic morphological findings.
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Identification of Common Bone Tumours
🧪 Station 3 — ASO Test by Latex Agglutination
Learning Outcomes Prepare the specimen and reagents required for the ASO latex agglutination test. Demonstrate the correct steps of the latex agglutination technique. Interpret visible agglutination and report the test as positive or negative.
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ASO Test by Latex Agglutination
🔬 Station 4 — Identification of Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Basal Cell Carcinoma of Skin
Learning Outcomes Identify SCC or BCC from a provided gross specimen/image or histopathology slide. Identify the important morphological features supporting the diagnosis. Differentiate squamous cell carcinoma from basal cell carcinoma on morphological grounds.
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Topic: 🔬 Station 4 — Identification of Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Basal Cell Carcinoma of Skin
💊 Station 5 — Prescription Writing for Gout and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Learning Outcomes Write a complete and rational prescription for a patient with gout or rheumatoid arthritis based on the supplied clinical scenario. Select an appropriate drug, dose, route, frequency and duration. Demonstrate the essential components of safe prescription writing.
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Prescription Writing for Gout and Rheumatoid Arthritis
💊 Station 6 — Prescription Writing for Common Dermatological Disorders
Learning Outcomes Write an appropriate prescription for a supplied case of scabies or psoriasis. Select the appropriate preparation, route, dose/frequency and duration. Include essential patient instructions relevant to safe and effective treatment.
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Prescription Writing for Common Dermatological Disorders
⚖️ Station 7 — Identification of Mechanical Wounds and Causative Weapon
Learning Outcomes Identify the type of mechanical wound from a provided model, image or injury photograph. Recognize abrasion, bruise, laceration, incised wound or stab wound from its characteristic features. Identify the probable causative weapon/mechanism and relevant medico-legal significance.
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Identification of Mechanical Wounds and Causative Weapon
🔫 Station 8 — Examination of Firearm Injury and Identification of Bullet/Ammunition
Learning Outcomes Identify a firearm entry or exit wound from the provided image/model and describe its important features. Interpret features relevant to the probable range or mechanism of firing when demonstrated. Identify a supplied bullet/ammunition specimen and document the important medico-legal findings.
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Examination of Firearm Injury and Identification of Bullet/Ammunition
🩺 Station 9 — Focused Musculoskeletal History and Examination
Learning Outcomes Obtain a focused history relevant to a common musculoskeletal complaint. Perform an appropriate focused general and musculoskeletal examination. Present the relevant positive and negative findings in an organized manner.
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Focused Musculoskeletal History and Examination
🦴 Station 10 — X-Ray Interpretation of Fracture/Dislocation and Initial Limb Management
Learning Outcomes Identify a fracture or dislocation on a provided X-ray. Describe the site, type, displacement and/or angulation of the injury systematically. Demonstrate or describe appropriate immediate immobilization and initial management of the injured limb.
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X-Ray Interpretation of Fracture/Dislocation and Initial Limb Management
AIM OSPE/OSCE Lab — MSK-II Module | 3rd Year MBBS

AIM OSCE / OSPE • MBBS

🔬 Station 4 — Identification of Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Basal Cell Carcinoma of Skin

Rapid Revision • Practical Skills • Viva

🎯 Task

CANDIDATE TASK

You are provided with a skin lesion specimen/image and/or an H&E-stained histopathology slide. Identify the lesion, state the important morphological features supporting your diagnosis, and distinguish it from the other common keratinocyte carcinoma on morphological grounds.

⚡ Model Station Answer What to say in the exam

Squamous cell carcinoma: typically shows an irregular keratotic or ulcerated lesion. Microscopically there are invasive nests and cords of atypical squamous cells with keratin pearls, individual cell keratinization and intercellular bridges.
Basal cell carcinoma: classically appears as a pearly nodule with a raised rolled border, often with central ulceration. Microscopically there are nests of basaloid cells with peripheral palisading and stromal retraction clefts.
Key distinction: SCC shows squamous differentiation and keratin formation, whereas BCC shows basaloid nests with palisading and retraction.

🔎 Stepwise Procedure / Approach

  1. Orient yourself to the material. Decide whether you are viewing a clinical/gross lesion, cut specimen or histopathology slide.
  2. Assess the gross surface. Look for keratinization, crusting, ulceration, a pearly appearance, rolled margins or an infiltrative irregular lesion.
  3. Examine low-power architecture. Determine whether tumour cells form invasive squamous nests or predominantly basaloid nests and cords.
  4. Assess the tumour cells. Look for squamous maturation and eosinophilic cytoplasm versus small basaloid cells with scant cytoplasm.
  5. Search for the hallmark feature. Identify keratin pearls/intercellular bridges for SCC or peripheral palisading/retraction clefts for BCC.
  6. Correlate gross and microscopic morphology. Use the strongest characteristic features rather than relying on a single nonspecific finding.
  7. State the diagnosis and distinction. Name the lesion and briefly give two or three supporting features that separate it from the alternative.

🖼️ Visual Learning

VISUAL 1

SCC versus BCC — Gross and Microscopic Identification

🎥 Practical Video

🎥 Practical Demonstration — Skin Tumours: SCC and BCC

Source: Dr.Polaris • MBBS Pathology Teaching

Review the characteristic appearance and microscopic morphology of squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, with emphasis on features useful for undergraduate pathology identification.

▶ Watch Practical Video

 

📝 Important Viva Questions

 

Q1. What is the most characteristic microscopic feature of a well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma?
Answer: Keratin pearl formation within invasive nests of malignant squamous cells is a classic feature.

Q2. What are intercellular bridges?
Answer: They are visible connections between adjacent squamous cells produced by desmosomal attachments and are evidence of squamous differentiation.

Q3. What are the two classic microscopic clues to basal cell carcinoma?
Answer: Peripheral palisading of basaloid cells and retraction clefts between tumour nests and surrounding stroma.

Q4. What is the classic gross appearance of basal cell carcinoma?
Answer: A pearly or translucent nodule with a raised rolled border, telangiectasia and sometimes central ulceration, producing the classic “rodent ulcer” appearance.

Q5. How would you distinguish SCC from BCC microscopically?
Answer: SCC shows malignant squamous cells with keratinization, keratin pearls and intercellular bridges. BCC shows basaloid nests with peripheral palisading and stromal retraction.

Q6. Which of the two tumours has the greater tendency to metastasize?
Answer: Squamous cell carcinoma has a greater metastatic potential. Basal cell carcinoma is predominantly locally invasive and metastasis is very rare.

Q7. What common examination mistake should be avoided when identifying these lesions?
Answer: Do not diagnose from ulceration alone. Identify the characteristic tumour architecture and cellular morphology, especially keratinization in SCC or palisading and retraction in BCC.

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