Massachusetts General Hospital

Overview

The Medical Microbiology Fellowship at MGH, a one year, ACGME approved program, provides advance training to prepare pathologists and infectious disease specialists to serve as directors of a clinical microbiology laboratory.  Our graduates possess an in-depth understanding of medical microbiology including the selection, validation, and interpretation of diagnostic microbiology tests.  Our trainees will also be capable of managing a high volume, complex diagnostic laboratory. To these ends, the program will provide a comprehensive curriculum consisting of didactics, rotation through all sections of the clinical microbiology laboratory as well as rotations with various clinical services to gain an understanding of how testing in the microbiology laboratory informs clinical decision making.  Particular emphasis will be placed on laboratory operation and management.  Graduates of this program may choose to develop an area of research in microbiology that will prepare them for a career as a laboratory director at an academic health center.

Faculty

• Eric Rosenberg MD, Program Director,
  Associate Professor of Medicine and Co-Director, Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
• W. Stephen Black-Schaffer, MD,
  Associate Professor of Pathology, Pathology Program Director
• John A. Branda, MD,
  Assistant Professor of Pathology, Associate Director, Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
• Stephen B. Calderwood, MD,
  Professor of Medicine, Chief, Infectious Disease Division
• Mary Jane Ferraro, Ph.D, MPH,  
  Professor of Pathology and Medicine, Director, Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
• David C. Hooper, MD,
  Professor of Medicine, Chief, Infection Control Unit
• John Iafrate, MD,
  Associate Professor of Pathology, Director, Molecular Pathology Laboratory
• Kent B Lewandrowski, MD
  Associate Professor of Pathology, Director of Pathology Laboratory and Molecular Medicine

Fellows in Medical Microbiology must complete either:

1. Residency training in anatomic, clinical or combined anatomic/clinical pathology in a US based training program, with primary certification or eligibility by the American Board of Pathology.  

OR

2. Fellows may also complete a U.S. primary residence in Internal Medicine or Pediatrics followed by completion of an ACGME accredited fellowship in Infectious Diseases.

Applicants must be eligible for a Massachusetts medical license

Updated 9/13/2011

Goals and Objectives

The Mass General Pathology Service medical microbiology fellowship goals are to:

• Gain the knowledge and skills specifically required to manage a high volume, complex diagnostic laboratory.
• Provide a comprehensive curriculum consisting of didactics, weekly conferences, and in-depth rotations through all sections of the clinical microbiology laboratory.
• Understand disease processes, selection of tests, and interpretation of results.

Structure of the Program

The medical microbiology fellowship curriculum is designed to be completed within 12 months.  For a fellow whose goal is to practice academic medicine, the training would consist of those same 12 months of clinical training with an opportunity to do an additional 12 months of scholarly research.

The following table shows a sample curriculum for the clinical year.

The Mass General Pathology Service medical microbiology fellowship provides those fellows seeking to practice academic medicine with an opportunity to take an additional 12 months to do scholarly research.

Applicants should send a completed CAP standardized Application for Pathology Fellowships, a current CV, one-page personal statement concerning their interest in Medical Microbiology, USMLE transcript, and three letters of reference to:

Eric S. Rosenberg, MD
Program Director, Medical Microbiology Fellowship Training Program
Massachusetts General Hospital
Gray J-504
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA  02114

Phone:  617-724-7519
Fax:  617-643-6343
E-Mail: erosenberg1@partners.org

updated 9/13/2011