Pathology

Description: This program is designed to provide comprehensive training in the basic understanding, histologic evaluation and laboratory examination of hematologic disorders. The program emphasizes diagnostic tissue hematopathology and integration of all specialized techniques (immunopathology, flow cytometry,cytogenetics, molecular biology, etc.) for final diagnosis, as well as assessment of hematologic specimens from blood and bone marrow, and coagulation disorders. Currently, the service processes about 1600 bone marrow biopsies, 500-600 diagnostic lymphoid tissue specimens (lymph nodes, spleens, etc) andabout 1800 consult cases. All bone marrow biopsies are accompanied by a Wright-Giemsa stained aspirate smear.
 
The Hematopathology Service is very busy and is highly interactive for trainees, staff, and clinicians. Trainees act as consultants in the initial interpretation of data for the Hematology-Oncology Service and play a role in patient management. The trainees are involved in presenting pathology material at several conferences for the clinical service: the Lymphoma Conference (every other week, attended by Pathology, Radiology, Hematology-Oncology and Radiotherapy Divisions) in which interesting and/or complicated lymphoma cases are discussed, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) weekly conference (Hematopathology topics average about once/month) in which a disease is discussed in depth, and occasionally for the DFCI new patient conference (weekly conference).The trainees also present cases for review and discussion at the weekly Hematopathology Interesting Case Conference which is attended by the senior staff as well as by interested residents. Fellows are given increasing responsibilities as they progress through the fellowship. However, for legal purposes, all final diagnoses are made and signed out by the senior staff pathologist. The fellows do have increasing latitude in discussing their opinion with clinicians, ordering special studies on cases, and providing preliminary interpretations of frozen sections. Our goal is to train both academic pathologists and pathologists who will assume positions in private practices. Generally, individuals pursuing an academic route will spend additional years in basic or clinical research. Fellows who plan a career in private practice will frequently obtain additional training inhematopathology and/or surgical pathology. The year spent in the Hematopathology Fellowship program provides an excellent basis for either of these ultimate goals.