Dermatopathology Fellowship Program
The Dermatopathology fellowship training program offers two courses of study, one for the trainee with a Dermatology background and one for the trainee with a Pathology background. Both programs involve 50% of the trainees time spent in Dermatopathology, while the remaining 50% of the time is spent in either Dermatology of Pathology depending on the background of the trainee.
Both types of trainees should learn appropriate circumstances for performing and be proficient in interpreting immunoperoxidase stains, immunofluorescence studies and electron microscopy. Finally, the fellow should be able to formulate an appropriate Dermatopathology report. Both fellows should be qualified and prepared to take the certification examination in Dermatopathology after one (1) year.
Program Description for a Dermatology Trained Fellow
The main goal for a Dermatology trained fellow is to enhance his/her knowledge of Dermatopathology as much as possible in one year. The fellow should also learn routine and special procedures in pathology, including grossing of specimens, fixation and processing techniques, and slide preparation and staining. The fellow should also gain proficiency in ordering and interpreting appropriate special procedures-special and immunoperoxidase stains, molecular diagnostic studies, (particularly for lymphoproliferative lesions), immunofluorescent procedures, and electron microscopy. Some basic concepts of laboratory management should also be gained. In addition, fellows should acquire enough autopsy experience to be able to perform a complete autopsy prosection, and to formulate and sign out autopsy reports with the pathology attending's.
Program Description for a Pathology Trained Fellow
The foremost goal for a Pathology trained fellow is to learn as much Dermatopathology as possible in one year, recognizing that the one year can only be a start in a career in Dermatopathology. Continued learning will be acquired with experience, and by attending Dermatopathology workshops and meetings long after the fellowship year. Clinico-pathological correlation is extremely important in Dermatopathology, and it is very important that the fellow obtain a solid foundation in clinical Dermatology by seeing patients in the clinics and by attending clinical conferences. The fellow should learn to examine and describe clinical lesions and place them into context with the histopathology from biopsies, formulating and comparing clinical and pathological differentials and arriving at appropriate diagnoses. He should also become proficient in performing routine clinical procedures including biopsies and KOH fungal and parasite microscopic preparations.
Both types of fellows are supervised by both the program director and the director of Dermatopathology, as well as the attending's in clinical dermatology. When on pathology rotations, the fellow is supervised by the rotation directors and pathology faculty performing sign-out functions.
The fellow’s performance and progress in knowledge acquisition are periodically evaluated by the faculty and ultimately by the Chairman of Dermatology, after receiving input from attending's in clinical dermatology and pathology. Similarly the fellow completes evaluation forms on the faculty, the training program in general and the overall learning experience, with suggestions for improvement. Upon entering the program the fellow is registered with the American Board of Dermatology and the American Board of Pathology. At the end of the fellowship and evaluation will be completed for these boards.
Applying for the Fellowship
In order to apply for the fellowship for the 2011-2012 year, we require that you complete the Online Application for Fellowship in Dermatopathology, and supply us with your CV, personal statement and 3 letters of recommendation (it is preferred that one of these be from a Dermatopathologist that you have worked with). We begin accepting applications in March of each year. Interviews are typically in December and/or January. All fellows must be eligible for a State of Pennsylvania Medical Trainee License.
If you are interested in applying to the fellowship, please fill out the online application. If you have any questions, please contact the fellowship coordinator at 412-864-3860 or by e-mail at dermpathed@upmc.edu.
Address
UPP Dermatopathology
Presbyterain South Tower
200 Lothrop Street, Suite 3725
Pittsburgh, PA 15213