General Surgical Pathology

The program is designed to provide comprehensive advanced training in diagnostic surgical pathology, including standard diagnostic practices, immunohistochemistry and specialized techniques such as cytogenetics and molecular pathology.  

The major goal of this fellowship is to combine in-depth training in various subspecialties of
surgical pathology. Fellows choose one to three subspecialties for special focus from the
following three major areas: Bone and Soft Tissue, Head and Neck, and Thoracic. Experience in the Frozen Section Laboratory is integral to all subspecialties. In addition to the main focus
area(s), fellows do short rotations in the remaining subspecialties.

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.

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.

Timeline

• First 6 months: 20 weeks (approximately 80% time) for head and neck, bone and soft tissue and thoracic surgical pathology cases, consultation cases, and tumor board preparation; 2-3 weeks for grossing of head and neck, bone and soft tissue and thoracic surgical pathology specimens and surgical pathology frozen sections; 2-3 weeks electives, including gynecologic pathology, gastrointestinal pathology, perinatal pathology, or other subspecialty rotations such as breast and genitourinary pathology;
• Second 6 months: Hospital privileges as junior attending for signing out head and neck, bone and soft tissue and thoracic pathology surgical pathology cases;
• Completion of 1 year fellowship should achieve: Competency in the morphologic criteria for all types of head and neck, bone and soft tissue and thoracic pathology specimens; formulation of diagnosis, comments and staging summaries based on AJCC and CAP guidelines; ability to incorporate molecular and immunohistochemistry results into the practice of daily and challenging cases; ability to communicate effectively with clinicians for patient management.

The trainee is required to have completed an ACGME Residency in Anatomic Pathology, or a combined Anatomic/Clinical Pathology Program. Please note that ASTP Fellowships with Northwestern require credentialing through Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and therefore can only accept candidates that are US Citizens/Permanent Citizens or Green Card Holders.

The stipend is commensurate with the below PGY designations based on the trainee's experience. 

• PGY1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $67,105
• PGY2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,752
• PGY3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $72,102
• PGY4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $76,174
• PGY5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $79,252
• PGY6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $81,707
• PGY7+. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $84,878

Submit the following documents via email to Tyler Sutton 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.

For more information visit: https://www.apcprods.org/fellowship-application-resources 

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