Chemical Pathology

Welcome to the Department of Chemical Pathology
at the University of Pretoria

Chemical Pathology (also known as clinical biochemistry/clinical chemistry) is
a discipline that interfaces with almost every clinical specialty, as up to 70% of
clinical diagnosis requires the input of laboratory investigations. In this
Department, we are passionate about, and dedicated to the discipline in
particular and pathology in general and this is borne out in our enthusiasm to
achieve excellence in teaching, clinical training, research and laboratory
service. Chemical Pathology overlaps with the discipline of metabolic
medicine and in some countries, the UK, for example, it is integrated with
metabolic medicine to cover the domains of lipidology, metabolic bone disease,
nutrition, inherited metabolic disorders and diabetes/endocrinology. This
illustrates the vast overlap of chemical pathology with clinical medicine.  Thus,
chemical pathologists are often called upon to manage these disorders either in
the outpatient or inpatient setting. A substantial component of the discipline
also overlaps with molecular genetics owing to the importance of molecular
diagnosis in many inherited metabolic diseases. In summary, Chemical
Pathology occupies a central facilitative and enabling role in clinical medicine,
without which proper patient management will not be possible. It is not just in
secondary and tertiary health care where it is important, chemical pathology is
also important for primary health care where screening tests are often used to
determine disease patterns and occurrences and risk management in otherwise
healthy individuals. 

Prospective students who are looking for more information are encouraged to
contact the department on 012-319-2114