Pathology

Surgical Pathology

Residents spend a total of 14 months on 7 surgical subspecialty services (2 months each): 

  • Cardiothoracic and skin pathology
  • Obstetric/gynecologic and general pathology
  • Head and neck pathology
  • Gastrointestinal/liver pathology
  • Genitourinary/renal/pediatric pathology
  • Breast pathology
  • Bone and soft tissue pathology

In addition, they spend 1 month on the endoscopic GI biopsy service. 

Residents have three months of senior level rotations in surgical pathology (1 month each):

  • Intraoperative consultation (“frozen section”) service at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center
  • Junior Attending supervisor on the Westwood UCLA campus, supervising junior residents on surgical subspecialty services, the gross room, and the Telepathology service.
  • Junior Attending at the Santa Monica UCLA campus, developing diagnostic proficiency on the general surgical pathology service.  

All services are on the Westwood-UCLA campus with the exception of bone and soft tissue and Junior Attending at Santa Monica which are both at the Santa Monica-UCLA/Orthopedic Hospital campus (approximately 20 minutes from the Westwood-UCLA campus). 

Resident responsibilities while on surgical pathology rotations:

Gross pathologic examination/sectioning: daily, limited to specimens on subspecialty service.

Preview and preparation of reports: Residents are responsible for drafting reports for all cases on their services in preparation for sign-out with the attending pathologist on service. Graduated responsibility is achieved over time as more senior residents are expected to "take-ownership" of their cases and prepare more complete "sign-out" ready reports. 

Daily sign-out sessions with attending sub-specialty pathologist. 

Residents of all levels regularly present at specialty specific tumor boards and radiology-pathology conferences. Residents are also considered the point person for clinician communications for their service. 

Junior residents receive supervision by service specific fellows, senior residents, the JA-Westwood, pathology assistants in the gross room, and attending pathologists as appropriate.