Pathology Education Overview

The Division of Education, led by W. Stephen Black-Schaffer, MD, Associate Chief of Pathology, Education and Training, oversees and coordinates all training activities in the Pathology Service, including those relating to undergraduate medical education (UME), graduate medical education (GME) and continuing medical education (CME)

The majority of activities center on our residency and fellowship programs, although the department features extensive activities in CME that include the Case Records of Mass General published in the New England Journal of Medicine and numerous postgraduate courses for practicing pathologists and other clinicians.

Residency and Fellowship Programs

Mass General offers residency training in straight anatomic pathology, straight clinical pathology, combined anatomic and clinical pathology, and combined anatomic pathology and neuropathology. Mass General offers fellowships in cytopathology, hematopathology, neuropathology, and in a wide range of surgical pathology subspecialties (breast, renal, obstetric, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, gynecologic, cardiovascular, ear nose and throat, bone and soft tissue, and genitourinary pathology). In conjunction with the other Harvard teaching hospitals, we also offer fellowships in dermatopathology, molecular and genetic pathology, and transfusion medicine. Post-doctoral research fellowships are available, funded by either individual faculty grant support or a departmental T32 NIH Training Grant.

Clinical Clerkships

The Clinical Clerkship in Anatomic Pathology and Laboratory Medicine provides broad exposure to surgical pathology, cytology and clinical pathology.  Students interested in this clerkship should contact the course director, Dr. John Branda, to discuss enrollment.

Email: jbranda@partners.org
Phone: 617-726-1270

The Clinical Clerkship in Pathology Informatics rotation provides a basic introduction to the field. Students interested in this clerkship should contact Veronica Klepeis, MD, PhD to discuss enrollment.

Email: VKLEPEIS@mgh.harvard.edu 
Phone: 617-743-7903.

Case Records of the MGH

Mass General weekly clinicopathological exercises are published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Conferences are free and many are approved for Category 1 CME credit. Forms to receive credit are handled by the department at Mass General that is hosting the rounds. See Case Records of Mass General for more information including the schedule of upcoming conferences and how to search for published cases on the New England Journal of Medicine website.

Continuing Medical Education Courses

The department offers a broad array of continuing medical education (CME) courses for practicing pathologists and other physicians.

Global Health Program

The Pathology Global Health Program offers opportunities to collaborate with health care providers and academics in developing countries. In the context of global health, the opportunity for knowledge transfer and improved laboratory diagnostics promises great returns.

Putschar Lectureship

The Walter G. J. Putschar Lectureship of the Pathology Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital is an annual visiting lectureship celebrating the legacy of Dr. Walter Putschar.