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Medical Thesis Topics

MD · DNB

50 MD Pathology Thesis Topics

Academic session 2026-2027  · 50 topics

This page lists 50 pathology thesis topics for MD and DNB candidates in India for the 2026-2027 academic session. Pathology has an advantage no clinical specialty shares: the material already exists. Archived blocks, slides, marrow aspirates and blood bank records allow retrospective and cross-sectional work of real quality without waiting for patients to present.

The pathology thesis topics below use that where sensible and prospective collection where the question demands it. They span histopathology, cytology and fine needle aspiration, haematopathology, immunohistochemistry, and transfusion medicine. Several are diagnostic accuracy studies comparing one modality against a reference standard, which is the design pathology supports better than any other discipline.

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  1. A cross-sectional study of the histopathological spectrum of lesions received in a surgical pathology laboratory over a defined periodGet protocol
  2. An observational study of the histopathological pattern of gastrointestinal biopsies received at a tertiary care centreGet protocol
  3. A study of the histopathological spectrum of skin biopsies received for suspected inflammatory dermatosesGet protocol
  4. A cross-sectional study of the histopathological findings in appendicectomy specimens removed for suspected acute appendicitisGet protocol
  5. An observational study of the histopathological spectrum of lymph node biopsies at a tertiary care centreGet protocol
  6. A study of the histopathological pattern of soft tissue tumours received in a surgical pathology laboratoryGet protocol
  7. Evaluation of fine needle aspiration cytology against histopathology in the diagnosis of palpable breast lumpsGet protocol
  8. A comparative study of fine needle aspiration cytology and histopathology in the diagnosis of thyroid swellingsGet protocol
  9. A cross-sectional study of the cytological spectrum of lymph node aspirates at a tertiary care centreGet protocol
  10. An observational study of the diagnostic utility of fine needle aspiration cytology in salivary gland lesionsGet protocol
  11. A study of the cytological findings and adequacy rate of cervical smears received in a cytology laboratoryGet protocol
  12. A comparative study of conventional cervical cytology and liquid based cytology for specimen adequacy and diagnostic yieldGet protocol
  13. Evaluation of pleural and peritoneal fluid cytology against clinical and radiological diagnosis in patients with effusionGet protocol
  14. A cross-sectional study of the haematological and bone marrow findings in patients presenting with pancytopeniaGet protocol
  15. An observational study of the morphological classification and aetiological profile of anaemia in adultsGet protocol
  16. A study of the bone marrow findings in patients presenting with unexplained fever and cytopeniaGet protocol
  17. A comparative study of automated haematology analyser flags against peripheral smear examination for the detection of morphological abnormalitiesGet protocol
  18. A cross-sectional study of the immunophenotypic profile of acute leukaemia diagnosed at a tertiary care centreGet protocol
  19. An observational study of the haematological and biochemical profile of patients with thalassaemia on regular transfusionGet protocol
  20. A study of the clinicopathological profile of patients diagnosed with lymphoma on tissue biopsyGet protocol
  21. A cross-sectional study of the histopathological spectrum of breast lesions received in a surgical pathology laboratoryGet protocol
  22. An observational study of the histological grade and hormone receptor status of carcinoma of the breastGet protocol
  23. A comparative study of oestrogen and progesterone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor two expression with histological grade in breast carcinomaGet protocol
  24. A study of the histopathological findings in axillary lymph nodes in patients undergoing surgery for breast carcinomaGet protocol
  25. A cross-sectional study of the histopathological findings in gastric biopsies with assessment for Helicobacter pyloriGet protocol
  26. An observational study of the histopathological spectrum of liver biopsies received at a tertiary care centreGet protocol
  27. A study of the histopathological findings in gallbladder specimens removed for benign diseaseGet protocol
  28. A cross-sectional study of the clinicopathological profile of colorectal carcinoma specimensGet protocol
  29. A cross-sectional study of the histopathological spectrum of endometrial biopsies in women with abnormal uterine bleedingGet protocol
  30. An observational study of the histopathological findings in hysterectomy specimens removed for benign indicationsGet protocol
  31. A study of the clinicopathological profile of ovarian neoplasms diagnosed at a tertiary care centreGet protocol
  32. A comparative study of cervical cytology findings with subsequent cervical biopsy in women screened for cervical carcinomaGet protocol
  33. A cross-sectional study of the histopathological spectrum of renal biopsies in adults with glomerular diseaseGet protocol
  34. An observational study of the clinicopathological profile of renal tumours received in a surgical pathology laboratoryGet protocol
  35. A study of the histopathological findings in prostatic biopsies performed for suspected malignancyGet protocol
  36. A cross-sectional study of the histopathological spectrum of urinary bladder biopsiesGet protocol
  37. A study of the diagnostic utility of a defined immunohistochemical panel in the classification of poorly differentiated malignanciesGet protocol
  38. An observational study of Ki-67 proliferation index and its correlation with histological grade in carcinoma of the breastGet protocol
  39. A comparative study of immunohistochemical expression patterns with morphological diagnosis in spindle cell lesionsGet protocol
  40. A study of p53 immunohistochemical expression and its correlation with histological grade in urothelial carcinomaGet protocol
  41. An observational study of the immunohistochemical profile of gastrointestinal stromal tumours diagnosed at a tertiary care centreGet protocol
  42. A cross-sectional study of the prevalence of transfusion transmissible infections among voluntary blood donorsGet protocol
  43. An observational study of the causes and rate of blood donor deferral at a blood centreGet protocol
  44. A study of the frequency and nature of adverse donor reactions during whole blood donationGet protocol
  45. A cross-sectional study of blood component utilisation and wastage in a hospital blood bankGet protocol
  46. An observational study of the frequency and type of acute transfusion reactions reported at a tertiary care hospitalGet protocol
  47. A cross-sectional study of preanalytical errors in samples received in a clinical pathology laboratoryGet protocol
  48. An observational study of turnaround time and its determinants for histopathology reportingGet protocol
  49. A study of the concordance between frozen section and final histopathological diagnosisGet protocol
  50. A cross-sectional study of the pattern of findings in medicolegal autopsies conducted at a tertiary care centreGet protocol

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Choosing a MD Pathology thesis topic

Can a pathology thesis use archived blocks and slides?

Yes, and it is one of the strongest reasons to choose pathology for a thesis. Retrospective studies on archived paraffin blocks allow adequate numbers for uncommon conditions that would take years to collect prospectively. Ethics approval is still required, and the committee will want to know how patient identifiers are handled and whether a waiver of consent is being sought for archived material.

Which designs suit a pathology thesis best?

Diagnostic accuracy and agreement studies suit pathology better than any other specialty, because a reference standard usually exists in the same department. Comparing cytology against histopathology, a rapid stain against a conventional one, or an immunohistochemical marker against morphological diagnosis all give a clear, quantifiable result.

Does an immunohistochemistry-based pathology thesis need extra funding?

Often, and it is worth checking before the topic is finalised. Antibody panels are consumable costs that departments may or may not absorb, and a study requiring several markers on two hundred cases can become expensive. A study built around markers already in routine use is far more likely to finish on time.

Thesis and protocol questions

How is a thesis topic different from a thesis protocol?

The topic is the title — the question a study sets out to answer, together with the population and the design. The protocol is the full document built around it: background, review of literature, aims and objectives, inclusion and exclusion criteria, sample size calculation, methodology, statistical plan, ethics considerations, consent documents and references. A topic is agreed with a guide first; the protocol is written afterwards and submitted to the institutional ethics committee.

When does a postgraduate thesis have to be submitted?

For most Indian postgraduate programmes the protocol is submitted within the first six months of joining, and the completed thesis is submitted at least six months before the final examination. Exact deadlines are set by the university, so the departmental circular for the current session takes precedence over any general timeline.

How is sample size decided for a postgraduate thesis?

Sample size follows from the primary objective, not the other way round. A prevalence study is powered from an expected proportion and an acceptable margin of error; a comparative study is powered from the expected difference between groups, the standard deviation, alpha and desired power. The figure should then be checked against the institution's actual case load for the study period, because a statistically ideal sample that cannot be recruited in the time available is not a workable plan.

Does a thesis topic need ethics committee approval?

Yes. Every postgraduate thesis involving human participants, human data or human samples requires clearance from the institutional ethics committee before data collection begins. Approval is granted on the protocol rather than on the title, and the submission usually includes the protocol, the participant information sheet and the consent form in English and in the local language.

What makes a topic realistic for a three-year postgraduate programme?

A workable topic can be completed at a single centre, with equipment and investigations that are already available in routine practice, within roughly eighteen months of data collection. Topics that depend on external funding, specialised assays, multicentre coordination or long follow-up tend to stall. Choosing a condition the department already sees in volume matters more than choosing a novel one.

Can a thesis be published as a research paper afterwards?

Yes, and it is generally expected. A thesis is usually condensed into a paper of around three to four thousand words, restructured into the standard introduction, methods, results and discussion format, with the review of literature shortened considerably. Journals differ in their requirements, and the ethics approval number from the original thesis is normally cited in the methods section.

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