Selective Surgical Pathology Fellowship

About the Fellowship

General Program Information

The MGH Pathology Department, Anatomic and Molecular Pathology Division, has a high volume of surgical pathology cases that is inclusive of a wide array of unusual entities (more than 85,000 primary accessions annually). The Division is organized into diagnostic subspecialties (see below). The combination of abundant material and renown faculty with broad expertise makes our program an excellent fellowship experience.

Scope of Training 

The Selective Surgical Pathology Fellowship is a one-year, ACGME-accredited program. The goal of this fellowship is to combine in-depth training in various subspecialties of surgical pathology with opportunities for conducting research and to provide a basis for a future career in academic pathology. Fellows choose one to three subspecialties for special focus from the following ten major areas: Bone and Soft Tissue (BST), Breast (BR), Cardiovascular (CV), Gastrointestinal (GI), Genitourinary (GU), Gynecologic (GYN), Head and Neck (ENT), Obstetric and Perinatal (OB), Pulmonary (PP), and Renal Pathology (RP). Experience in the Frozen Section (FS) Laboratory is integral to all subspecialties. In addition to the main focus area(s), fellows do short rotations in the remaining subspecialties.

Fellows are encouraged, and expected, to prepare one or more abstracts for presentation at annual national or international meetings.

Clinical and Call Responsibilities

One-half up to two-thirds of the fellows’ clinical service time is dedicated to their chosen areas of subspecialty focus.  The remaining clinical service time is distributed among the other services to ensure broad exposure to all major subspecialty areas. A sample distribution of weeks depending on the number of subspecialty focus areas is shown in the table below.

The fellows sign out one-on-one with individual subspecialty faculty on a weekly basis. The fellow is expected to work cases up to completion, including decisions regarding ancillary studies.

The selective surgical pathology fellows sign out frozen sections on nights and weekends, typically covering six to seven weeks of home call including weeknight and weekend calls. Before starting their call responsibilities, the fellows become familiarized with our frozen section laboratory by acting in the role of junior and senior residents. When on call, fellows are paired with junior residents. Subspecialty faculty are available for frozen section consultation.

Conferences

Pathology Conferences and Lectures

These include Pathology Grand Rounds, Molecular Pathology and Research Conference, Surgical Pathology Outs Conferences, and Subspecialty Consensus Conferences. Fellows are expected to attend these conferences except when precluded by urgent clinical responsibilities, as they cover both primary information relevant to their training and more advanced research and basic science topics.

In order to learn how to critically review the medical literature and give a formal presentation, fellows are required to give Molecular Pathology and Research Conferences based on interesting cases. This is a formal, didactic presentation to other fellows, residents and faculty involving review of the recent literature on both basic science and clinical aspects of a disease topic.

Fellows also have the opportunity to attend graduate medical education courses hosted by the department, including annual offerings in Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology, Dermatopathology, Gastrointestinal Pathology and Head and Neck Pathology.

Clinicopathological Conferences 

Many services have weekly multidisciplinary conferences during which pathologists present current cases and discuss patient management with their clinical colleagues. Fellows rotating on each of the corresponding pathology subspecialty services are expected to participate in these conferences by presenting cases and engaging in discussion of clinical management. These include Gynecology Tumor Board, Head and Neck Tumor Board, Sarcoma Tumor Board, Musculoskeletal Radiology Conference, Renal Conference, GI Conference, GU Conference, Thoracic Conference, and Breast Multidisciplinary Conferences.  Additionally, the Clinicopathologic Conferences (published in the New England Journal of Medicine as the Case Records of the Massachusetts General Hospital) are held weekly, and fellows are encouraged to present at these.

Faculty Supervision of Fellows

Fellows are supervised by the director and faculty of the surgical subspecialty(ies) in which they have chosen to focus. The Surgical Pathology Fellowship Program is administered by Program Director, Vania Nosé, MD, PhD.

Vacation Time/Personal Time

The Surgical Pathology Fellowship Program allows up to four weeks of vacation/personal time per year.

How to Apply

We will begin accepting applications for academic year 2023-2024 in May 2021.

The subspecialty faculty and the fellowship committee review applications. Selection is based on proof of interest in the chosen subspecialty, quality of training in surgical pathology, letters of support and potential for independent research.

Below is a list of Surgical Pathology subspecialties:

• Bone and Soft Tissue
• Breast
• Cardiovascular
• Gastrointestinal
• Genitourinary
• Gynecologic
• Head and Neck
• Obstetric and Perinatal
• Pulmonary
• Renal

Eligibility Requirements

You must be a graduate or prospective graduate of an accredited anatomic pathology or combined anatomic and clinical pathology residency program, and eligible for a full medical license in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Review Massachusetts's medical license requirements here.

Foreign/international medical graduates (FMGs, IMGs) must meet the requirements above, and in addition, must be eligible for an H-1B  or J-1 Visa. Click the following link for more information on H-1B Visa requirements or J-1 Visa requirements.

Application Material

• Cover letter, specifically stating:
  1. Subspecialty areas of interest
  2. Whether you wish to be considered for the Selective Surgical Pathology Fellowship, the Surgical Pathology Signout Fellowship, or both

• CAP Standardized Fellowship Application (You must use this version of the application. Click link to download.)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Statement
• Three (3) letters of recommendation (one of which must be from your current program director)
• USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3 scores (foreign medical graduates only, COMLEX scores)
• Foreign medical graduates only: ECFMG Certificate, and CSA or TOEFL (you do not have to provide a CSA or TOEFL if you are currently in a U.S. medical residency program)

Your application will not be reviewed until we have received all the documents on the list above.

Contact Information

Applications and letters of recommendation should be sent via email:

Jaclyn Brogna
Graduate Medical Education Program Manager
617-726-0367
jbrogna@partners.org

Alternatively, materials may be sent via ground mail:

Surgical Pathology Fellowship Program
Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street, Warren 219
Boston, MA 02114
Attn: Jaclyn Brogna, Graduate Medical Education Program Manager

Please note that materials sent via ground mail may take longer to process.

All letters of recommendation should be addressed to:

Dr. Vania Nosé
Director, Surgical Pathology Fellowship Program

Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street, Warren 219
Boston, MA 02114

Selection Process

Following an initial assessment of their complete application materials, selected applicants will be invited for a one-day interview with the appropriate subspecialty fellowship director(s) and staff members as well as fellowship committee members. Virtual interviews may be offered as an alternative in extenuating circumstances.