Department of Pathology

Pathology Residency Program Curriculum

Core Curriculum (36 months)

Anatomic Pathology - 18 months
During the first month of their first year, new residents have an orientation period in surgical and autopsy pathology techniques with close supervision by the faculty and experienced residents.

The Pathology Department makes extensive use of computer programs in anatomic and clinical pathology and the residents get experience in using them.

During the 18 months of anatomic pathology, residents receive training in surgical pathology and autopsy pathology, including the following subjects:

• Surgical pathology (9 months), includes experience in multiple areas in addition to general surgical pathology
  • Dermatopathology , including immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence;
  • Pediatric pathology , including neonatal, and infant surgical material.
  • Gynecologic pathology , including experience in gynecologic oncology.
• Cytopathology (3 months), including FNA biopsy hands-on experience and the use image analysis, immunohistochemistry, and DNA flow cytometry
• Neuropathology with neuroscience conferences and consultative visits by a neuropathologist
• Molecular pathology (0.5 month during anatomic and clinical pathology), includes the use of DNA probes to identify HPV in tissue and cytologic preparations, and the use of gene rearrangement studies and immunophenotyping for lymphomas
• Electron microscopy (1 month), overlaps that of surgical pathology, where it is used the most
• Experimental pathology (2 months), includes the use of DNA flow cytometry of solid tumors, and cell surface markers for hematologic neoplasms
• Cytogenetics (0.5 month), with conferences, lectures and optional laboratory experience
• Immunopathology , including immunohistochemistry, cell surface markers, transplantation pathology, and the study of immunoprotein disorders.
• Autopsy pathology (6 months), in addition to general inpatient autopsy material, includes the following:
  • Forensic autopsies, including forensic toxicology, medical microscopy, and other forensic tests.
    Pediatric pathology, including stillborns, neonatal autopsies, and SIDS cases.
  • Neuropathology, including large numbers of cases of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, other degenerative neurological disorders, and numerous inflammatory, traumatic, and neoplastic diseases.

Clinical Pathology - 18 months

During the 18 months of required time on clinical pathology, residents rotate through all the major divisions of the clinical laboratory. At the beginning of the clinical pathology core, residents have a one-month orientation period. Residents are also instructed in laboratory management, hospital, and laboratory computer use, and LIS as appropriate in each rotation.

• Hematology (4 months), includes medical microscopy, coagulation, immunopathology with extensive use of cell surface markers, molecular pathology, bone marrow procedures, the use of gene rearrangement studies in lymphomas and leukemias, and the use of immunoelectrophoresis, and other specialized immunochemical procedures, and rounds with the hemato-oncologist during this rotation
• Microbiology (4 months), includes bacteriology, parasitology, mycology, mycobacteriology, and virology, and rounds with the infectious disease staff.
• Chemistry (5 months), includes serology, toxicology, endocrinology, data processing, quality assurance, laboratory management, medical writing, and rounds with the internal medicine staff
• Immunopathology
• Transfusion medicine (3 months during the first and third years), includes paternity testing, using the HLA system, and other aspects of immunohematology
  Molecular Pathology (0.5 month), overlaps clinical and anatomic pathology. The residents learn to use DNA probes with hands on experience in the lab.

Pathology Elective Rotations (12 months) and
Qualifying 5th Year (12 months)

Any of the above rotations, alone or in combination, are available to the resident depending on his or her interest. The rotation schedule is flexible, and electives can be arranged during any of the years of training except year 1, in which the resident is too busy learning the basics.