General Surgical Pathology Fellowship

This program is designed to provide comprehensive advanced training in a complex subspecialty field and experience in general surgical pathology. The fellowship includes extensive training in immunohistochemistry and specialized techniques in cytogenetics and molecular pathology.

Fellows may select one of three selective subspecialties as their primary focus:

• Head and Neck Pathology
• Thoracic Pathology
• Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology

The remaining fellowship year is designated for generalized experience throughout other specialties in surgical pathology and intraoperative consultations.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital receives a large volume of both in-house primary cases, in-system consultations, and out-of-system consultations that provide our fellows with ample opportunity to see complex and rare diagnoses.

The Pathology department plays an integral part in the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, including teaching opportunities for M1 and M2 students for interested fellows. Translational research opportunities in head and neck, thoracic, and bone and soft tissue pathology are available.

About Northwestern Memorial Hospital

The fellowship takes place at one of Feinberg's clinical affiliates, Northwestern Memorial Hospital — one of the largest referral centers in the Midwest. The main hospital serves as the central hub for many hospitals in communities around Chicago and accessions more than 55,000 in-house and 4,000 consultation surgical cases per year, with a significant volume in all surgical pathology subspecialties.

Training Time

Fellows will receive dedicated training time in both general surgical pathology and their selective subspecialty interspersed throughout the year:

• General Surgical Pathology: 20-24 weeks, allocated amongst rotations outside of the selective subspecialty
• Selective Subspecialty Pathology: 24-28 weeks
• Frozen Sections: Four weeks

The fellows sign out one-on-one with individual subspecialty faculty on a weekly basis and take part in sign-outs with residents during resident sign-out days. Fellows are trained to preview and work up both in-house and consult cases, make decisions regarding performance and interpretation of ancillary molecular testing, and write insightful and accurate reports. Additional responsibilities include resident teaching at the microscope and in the gross room as needed.

After four to six months, the fellow may be proctored for primary sign-out in their chosen subspecialty. While on frozen sections, the fellow learns with the primary attending at the scope for the first three weeks, and then serves as the primary frozen section attending for the final week. This fellowship has no anatomical pathology call requirement.

Finally, the fellow is expected to participate in multidisciplinary tumor boards in their chosen subspecialty. Tumor boards occur:

• Once per week for head and neck oncology
• Once per week for soft tissue and orthopedic oncology
• Twice per week for thoracic oncology and interstitial lung disease

Candidates must be board-eligible or certified in anatomic pathology (AP or AP/CP) and be able to obtain an unrestricted permanent Illinois medical license. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States and maintain appropriate employment authorization for the duration of the fellowship. Due to the clinical responsibilities associated with this fellowship, including responsibilities during the final six months of training, the program is unable to sponsor or support training or employment visas for this position.

The stipend is commensurate with the fellow's Postgraduate Year (PGY) of training. Find stipend information via the McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University site.

Submit the following documents via email to the fellowship program coordinator at surgpathfellowship@northwestern.edu 

• Personal Statement 
• Current CV
• Three letters of recommendation 
• ASTP Application

This fellowship is participating in the unified approach and common timeline for subspecialty fellowship recruitment, endorsed by the Association of Pathology chairs.

Find more fellowship application resources from the Association for Academic Pathology.

Training at Northwestern University provides diverse and challenging clinical experiences and world-class education located in the heart of the beautiful city of Chicago.

Watch a video to learn more about the fellowship experience at Northwestern:

• Discover Feinberg
• Northwestern Medicine Community Partnership Program
• Learn More About Chicago
• Get to Know Streeterville