University of Virginia Health System

ELECTIVES IN ANATOMIC PATHOLOGY

Cutting Room Supervisor and Surgical Pathology Sign Out

This elective is for PG3s and above, to extend the experience of gross examination by serving as a consultant for junior residents. Selected cases can then be signed out with the junior resident reviewed by an attending pathologist. Available the first six months of the year.

The focus of this rotation is on quality control and quality assurance activities in the immunohistology laboratory, histology laboratory, and cytopathology. This provides access to cases of special interest as well as cases requiring modified diagnoses during QA assessment.

The resident signs out all transplantation related biopsies with the on-service resident; these biopsies will be reviewed with a faculty member the same day. Resident will also sign out all transplantation related autopsies and perform necessary clinical laboratory liaison work. The option exists for giving the weekly transplantation conference. Ample time will be available for initiation and completion of small clinicopathologic research projects for intended publication.

This rotation is a continuation of training in cytopathology with the residents gaining more experience in all aspects including cervicovaginal, medical and fine needle aspiration specimens. The resident will be exposed to QC activities and the growing impact of governmental regulation in this field. 

This three month elective is offered once a year with consent of the director (Dr. Patterson). Arrangements must be made six months in advance. The structure of the elective is flexible and could include hands-on exposure to dermatology patients, study of selected topics through journal articles and microscopic slides, extensive teaching slide reviews based on archival material, limited sign-out and teaching responsibilities, preparation of an original manuscript, or a combination of these activities.

A two to three month rotation devoted to the organization and completion of a clinicopathologic project in conjunction with one or more attendings. The expected endpoint is a publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The resident supervises the gross examination of all breast biopsies that arrive in the frozen section area. In addition to microscopic examination of all UVA cases in conjunction with the resident assigned to the case, there will be access to consultation cases through the fellow. The resident will give all mammography conferences during this rotation.

This elective focuses on the application of molecular biology techniques to diagnostic surgical pathology. In situ hybridization/immunohistochemistry is one major focus that would allow experimentation in examining specific clinicopathologic questions. The length of the rotation is flexible.

Duration is from 1 to 3 months. This elective offers in-depth training in immunopathological interpretation of native and transplantation renal diseases, projects that include clinical correlative studies and applied, translational research that improves current diagnostic approaches.