Training in Head and Neck Pathology

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Goals of the Head and Neck/Endocrine Pathology Fellowship

  • Proficiency in the gross and histologic examination of a spectrum of head and neck and endocrine surgical specimens, ranging from small biopsies to extended composite resections.
  • Expertise in the technical and interpretive aspects of intraoperative consultation and interaction with surgical colleagues in this setting.
  • Prioritization of clinicopathologic correlation and familiarization with the pathologist role in a subspecialized multidisciplinary setting.
  • Awareness and integration of new techniques and methodologies that will improve diagnosis, prognosis, and theragnosis, thus providing enhanced patient care.
  • Cultivation of a data-driven analytical mindset in approaching common and uncommon topics in Head and Neck/Endocrine Pathology

Activities and Duties of the Head and Neck/Endocrine Pathology Fellow (see also above tables)

  • ~38-40 weeks of clinical service including:
    • ENT, Endocrine in house service
      • Gross examination (required on select cases first half of fellowship; optional for second half of fellowship)
      • Histologic examination
      • Intraoperative consultation coverage (07:30 – 17:00)
      • Progressively increasing supervision of residents and pathologist assistants
    • Consultation service (including referrals, non-directed and directed consultations)
    • On call coverage for General Surgical Pathology (non-transplant, non-neuropath) 1-2 weeks out of entire year
  • At least 8 weeks of electives/research.  Popular electives include:
    • Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
    • Molecular and Genomic Pathology
    • Cytopathology
    • Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology
    • Dermatopathology
    • Hematopathology
  • At least 1 week for education/conference
  • Coverage of Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Conference held weekly on Monday at 17:00. This will also apply when the Fellow is on "elective rotation."
  • Participation and presentation of cases at ENT/ Endocrine Pathology Slide Seminar, Tuesday at 16:00
  • Moderation of the "Critical Reasoning" sessions in Head and Neck/Endocrine pathology for the Anatomic Pathology Residents
  • Write-up of one Web for UPMC Anatomic Pathology Case of the Month: https://www.path.pitt.edu/case-studies/case-month/anatomic-pathology-case-month
  • At least one academic project suitable for peer review. This may include:
    • Case report or small series
    • Abstract for USCAP
    • Review or book chapter
    • Pathologic analysis (histologic review or immunohistochemical scoring)  for a large scale multidisciplinary basic science or translational project