Pathology Residency Program

This program provides a strong foundation in both clinical and anatomic pathology, to prepare residents for either an academic- or community-based practice. Such training includes two years of core anatomic and clinical pathology rotations, followed by a third year of advanced training with graduated responsibilities in both areas. Collaborative or intra-departmental research is encouraged, as is the identification of an area of interest/expertise.. The schedule consists of 4-week modules. Elective time can be used to further investigate an area of interest or for research.

The program culminates in our innovative fourth year of training customized to the residents’ interests and future career goals. Residents plan their fourth year in conjunction with faculty mentors and educational leadership. The fourth year allows residents to spend multiple months in areas of interest, mastering skills and functioning at a higher level with graduated responsibility and scholarly activity.

Many residents who finish the program continue their training with subspecialty fellowships either at Montefiore Medical Center (MMC) or at other distinguished programs.

Wide varieties of regularly scheduled teaching conferences are conducted in the various subspecialties of Pathology, as well as with relevant clinical departments. Dedicated, protected didactic time is built into the daily schedule.

During both AP and CP rotations residents are exposed to and become involved in lab management and clinical consultative experience to excel in a position in an academic environment, community hospital setting, or commercial laboratory. Electives include Gynecologic Pathology, Ultrastructural Pathology, Biopsy “Hot Seat,” “Junior Attending" sign out, Orthopedic Pathology, Ophthalmic Pathology, Oral Pathology, Immunohistochemical and specialized Laboratory techniques, and Molecular Pathology, among others.

Four weeks of vacation are provided each year. Scheduling of the four years of residency is individualized; however, residents will spend time in both AP and CP during each year of training.

The objective of the CP Residency Division is to prepare the resident to ultimately function independently as a director of a clinical laboratory. In analyzing what directors actually do, it becomes clear that they utilize a broad knowledge base of information in their specialty to advise clinicians as to the choice of laboratory tests and significance of laboratory test results. Directors devise diagnostic strategies, interpret laboratory tests, troubleshoot procedures, choose among different methodologies in establishing new tests for the laboratory and evaluate instrumentation. They must also oversee quality management and performance improvement plans, prepare budgets and cost analyses, as well as teach technologists, Pathology residents and other clinicians. Although they rarely actually perform routine diagnostic testing, directors must have a comprehensive knowledge of the principles, methodologies and implications of each test to effectively carry out their duties. To achieve this level of knowledge we will pursue a system of training that begins with passive learning of each specialty and progresses to hands on experience in the activities that Directors are expected to perform.

Our clinical laboratories conduct around 10+ million tests per year. The division comprises laboratories in Microbiology, Clinical Chemistry, Transfusion Medicine, Molecular Pathology, Cytogenetics, Stem Cell Transplantation, HLA, Hematology and Biochemical Genetics, among others.