The overall goal of our Pathology Residency Program is to provide an educational environment that will produce highly competent, compassionate healthcare professionals who are independent thinkers, effective communicators, lifelong learners, knowledgeable teachers, successful laboratory managers, and valued members of the patient care team.
To that end, we’ve redesigned our program to accelerate the time required for the newly minted pathologist to enter the workforce equipped with the knowledge base and professional skills to practice 21st Century medicine. We’re committed to training a new generation of pathologists who are proactive members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team, and are well-prepared to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing healthcare environment.
Combined Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Training 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.
AP Division
The Anatomic Pathology Division is part of the Unified Department of Pathology, which provides service to Montefiore Medical Center (MMC) – including the Moses Division (West Campus), Weiler/Einstein Division (East Campus) and North Division (Wakefield Campus). Residents and fellows rotate between the hospitals, which together comprise over 1,500 beds and annually process over 60,000 surgical specimens, 43,500 cytology specimens (including fine needle aspirations) and 250 autopsies. In addition, the Department of Pathology has a molecular cytogenetics laboratory and a molecular diagnostics facility. The Anatomic Pathology faculty have a wide range of subspecialty and research interests, are eager to teach, and are accessible to the pathologists-in-training. Additionally, the Department of Pathology actively participates in teaching medical students at the affiliated Albert Einstein College of Medicine. AP-CP and AP only residents must complete anatomic core rotations and electives which are divided into 4 week blocks. Residents are encouraged to become involved in research projects ranging from case reports to immunohistochemical studies, to translational studies. Access to the Internet as well as comprehensive libraries is available at all campuses for literature reviews, Internet study sites, and case work-ups.
CP Division
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.
Anatomic Pathology or Clinical Pathology Program Only
Residents who chose AP or CP only pathway, take required core rotations during their first two years, followed by a third year that is tailored to fit the specific needs of the resident. All residents come into the program on the AP/CP track. They have the opportunity to declare their intention to follow an AP or CP only curriculum early in PGY1.
Residency Program Tracks
- Combined Anatomic and Clinical Pathology (AP/CP) – 4 years
- Anatomic Pathology or Clinical Pathology (AP or CP) – 3 years
- Pathologist Investigator Pathway (AP or CP and post-doctoral research) – 4 years
Track 1 – Combined AP/CP: This track provides intensive foundational training in both Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. The program is combined, with residents experiencing both AP and CP rotations during the year. The anatomic pathology required core includes rotations in diagnostic surgical pathology, autopsy and forensic medicine, cytology, dermatopathology, hematopathology, and neuropathology. The clinical pathology required core includes rotations in hematology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, transfusion medicine, and molecular and immunodiagnostics. Elective time is arranged as to the individual resident’s interests either in research or in diagnostic fields.
Track 2 – AP only or CP only: This track provides training in either anatomic or clinical pathology and consists of the first two years comprised of core rotations of anatomic/clinical pathology rotations, as well as elective time. In an AP only track, cytogenetics/molecular genetics, molecular diagnostics, junior attending in surgical pathology, laboratory management and informatics are added to the curriculum as requirements. Electives can be tailored to fit the specific needs of the resident.
Track 3 – Pathologist Investigator Pathway (AP/Research or CP/Research): This track is directed towards residents who are interested in a research-oriented residency program. It is composed of two years of anatomic or clinical pathology training as described in track #2, followed by two years of supported post-doctoral research in any lab of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Einstein is one of the top 20 medical research institutions in the United States and offers a wide variety of research opportunities.
Core Rotation Requirements: Each rotation comprises a number of four-week “blocks.” Residents are allocated four weeks of vacation per year. Scheduling of the four years of residency is individualized, however a generic version of our schedule is indicated below.
| Year 4 |
Special Focus |
|
AP Count |
|
CP Count |
|
| Year 3 |
4 Blocks |
Cytology (1)
Dermatopathology (1)
Neuropathology (1)
Forensic Pathology (1) |
8 Blocks |
Hematopathology (2)
Chemistry/Endocrine Hybrid (1)
Hematology/Clinical Hematology Hybrid (1)
Microbiology/Infectious Disease Hybrid (2)
Transfusion Medicine-Advanced (1)
Lab Management (1) |
| Year 2 |
5 Blocks |
AP (4.5)
Selective (0.5) |
7 Blocks |
Chemistry (1)
Microbiology (2)
Transfusion Medicine (2)
Molecular (1)
Cytogenetics (1) |
| Year 1 |
9 Blocks |
AP (7.5, including bootcamp)
Cytopathology (1)
Selective (0.5) |
3 Blocks |
Chemistry/Intro to Clinical Labs (1)
Hematology (2) |
| Total (PGY1-3): |
18 Blocks |
|
18 Blocks |
|