The Postgraduate Course in Pathology (PGPAT) was implemented at the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA) in 1972 as a Master’s Degree in Human Pathology and complemented with Doctorate degree in 1989. The success of the course can be attributed to the fact that it was implanted by a group of excellence in Pathology, who worked at the Pathology Department of the University Hospital Professor Edgard Santos (UFBA). The School of Pathology of Bahia, leaded by Prof. Zilton Andrade had in this postgraduate course an important role in the training of pathologists focused on the areas of research and teaching. Since its first evaluation by CAPES the course has obtained concept “A”. With the new evaluation system the course is concept 6. The PGPAT is headquartered at the Gonçalo Moniz Research Center (CPqGM), one of the most productive units of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. In fact, one of the most important milestones for the development of the Gonçalo Moniz Research Center was the displacement of the Postgraduate Course in Human Pathology from the Campus of the Federal University of Bahia to the Research Center. Almost all CPqGM researchers are teachers’ course and a considerable part of students research work is developed in their labs. Even more importantly, the Course maintains its strong link with the University Hospital Professor Edgard Santos, where professors of the course work to guide students in Human Pathology, using material from the routine of the Pathology Service. In this way, the PGPAT constitutes an important nucleus of scientific production and professors training researchers. Many students have become actors of expansion of CPqGM giving it the current dimension. Pathology professors and researchers trained in this course are now spread across several universities and research institutes in the country.
The PGPAT was consolidated under the coordination of Prof. Sônia Andrade, who was in charge for more than 20 years. During 23 years of operation she attended a clientele formed exclusively by doctors with specialization in Pathology or Immunology. The areas of concentration were Pathology and Immunopathology and the lines of research were directed to pathology of parasitic diseases with a strong emphasis on the Chagas Disease study, Schistosomiasis and Leishmaniasis. In the year of 1995 the CPqGM director made the proposal to change the Post-Graduation Course in Interinstitutional Pathology common to UFBA and FIOCRUZ, with extension of care to professionals in various areas of biomedical sciences, involving medicine, biology, Pharmacy, dentistry, etc. The proposal was supported by the Rectory of the Federal University of Bahia and the Presidency of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and an Addendum to the Cooperation Agreement, signed between the two Institutions was developed passing the Postgraduate Course to Pathology Course to be recognized as interinstitutional by the signatories of the Term.