Anatomic Pathology Rotations

Surgical Pathology (Core Rotation – Emory University Hospital)

Emory University Hospital’s core surgical pathology rotation (approximately 55,000 specimens per year) utilizes a dedicated subspecialty signout model. The subspecialty model allows for improved patient care and resident education, with dedicated faculty members for each organ system signing out specimens daily.

The subspecialty signout model is constructed of six services:

1. Breast pathology
2. Gynecologic pathology
3. Gastrointestinal pathology
4. Genitourinary pathology
5. Lung pathology
6. Head and Neck pathology (at EUH-Midtown)

During the rotation, residents spend one month on a given subspecialty service. Daily responsibilities include the gross examination and sampling of surgical resection specimens, as well as signing out of biopsies and routine surgical specimens. Protected time to preview cases is provided each day. Fully-trained Pathology Assistants provide support and teaching in the gross and frozen section rooms throughout the day.

Autopsy (Core Rotation)

The core autopsy service provides coverage for Emory University Hospital, Emory Midtown Hospital and Grady Memorial Hospital. Annually, 150-200 autopsies are performed within the Emory system, with an additional 80-100 autopsies performed at Grady Memorial. Emory residents do not have difficulty getting the required number of autopsy cases in order to sit for the boards.

Cytopathology (Core Rotation)

Core cytopathology rotations consist of a month at Emory University Hospital and a month at Grady Memorial Hospital. This optimizes the exposure to a wide variety of clinical cytopathology specimens that currently total around 65,000, of which over 4,000 are fine needle aspirations.

External General AP Rotations (Atlanta VA Medical Center, Grady Memorial, Emory Midtown)

In addition to the core anatomic pathology rotations, there are general rotations at Atlanta Veteran’s Administration (VA) Medical Center, Grady Memorial Hospital, and Emory University Hospital-Midtown. These rotations begin in the second year of training, and are intended to expand the scope of cases and practice environments each resident sees.

Pediatric Pathology

Residents participate in grossing, frozen section analysis, and diagnosis of pediatric specimens with board-certified pediatric pathologists at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta–Egleston.

Soft Tissue Pathology

In addition to gross and microscopic examination of in-house soft tissue tumor cases, this rotation allows residents to review daily the high volume of consultation cases referred annually from all over the world.

Dermatopathology

Residents review approximately 15,000 dermatopathology specimens yearly alongside board-certified dermatopathologists.

Neuropathology

Residents examine in-house neurosurgical specimens and participate in both autopsy brain-cutting and microscopic examination for the in-house autopsy service.

Gastrointestinal Pathology

This elective provides residents a focused emphasis on gastrointestinal, medical and transplant hepatic pathology.

Forensic Pathology

Emory residents rotate at the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office to perform autopsies for natural and unnatural causes of death, participate in crime scene investigations, and observe courtroom forensic testimony.

Additional upper level elective rotations include an infectious disease pathology rotation at the neighboring Center for Disease Control (CDC), renal pathology, immunohistochemistry, as well as upper-level / fellowship preparation versions of core rotations.