Breast Pathology Fellowship

We are pleased to announce the inaugural MGB Breast Pathology Fellowship for academic year 2027-28. The fellowship is a collaborative program between the breast pathology services at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), and fellows will rotate at both sites. This one-year fellowship aims to provide comprehensive training in breast pathology, combining the strengths and resources of both institutions to prepare fellows for academic careers devoted to the study of breast pathology.

Fellowship Overview

Clinical Diagnostic Services:

• The fellowship offers extensive exposure to clinical breast pathology. Combined, the two academic medical centers review over 11,000 breast pathology cases per year, encompassing broad exposure to core biopsies, surgical excisions and mastectomies, and consultations. Case complexity is high. Fellows will develop expertise in diagnostic breast pathology and the interpretation of ancillary studies, learn to recognize diagnostic pitfalls and minimize errors, and gain experience in communicating effectively with clinicians.
• Fellows will participate in personal consultation services at both institutions, providing diagnoses for challenging breast pathology cases. This includes Dr. Stuart Schnitt's Personal Consultation Service at BWH, which handles over 600 cases annually.
• Fellows will develop expertise in the interpretation of immunohistochemical tests for breast cancer biomarkers and will gain exposure to HER2 FISH testing.

Elective and Academic/Research Time:

• Fellows will have dedicated elective time and academic/research time.
• Fellows are expected to participate in clinical or translational research projects carried out with members of the MGB breast pathology team, including opportunities for collaboration with our colleagues in breast imaging, surgical oncology, radiation oncology, and medical oncology.
• Fellows are encouraged to prepare abstracts for presentation at national or international meetings.

Multidisciplinary Education:

• The multidisciplinary approach to breast care is crucial for providing comprehensive and effective treatment to patients. It is a cornerstone of the breast pathology fellowship. Fellows will gain exposure to the multidisciplinary aspects of patient management through:
  • Presentation at multidisciplinary conferences, tumor boards, and pathology-radiology correlation conferences to guide patient management
  • Presentation at multidisciplinary case-based teaching conferences with colleagues from breast imaging and breast surgery
  • Multidisciplinary lecture series for fellows with didactic sessions on breast imaging, breast surgery, radiation oncology, and medical oncology
  • Mini-rotations on breast imaging and breast surgery services

Pathology Conferences:

• Weekly breast pathology consensus conferences
• Monthly Longwood Breast Interesting Case conference
• Fellows can attend the teaching sessions for MGB residents, which include unknown case conferences and didactic lectures and which often present advanced material
• Fellows also have the opportunity to attend Harvard Medical School continuing medical education courses hosted by the department, including annual offerings in Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology, Dermatopathology, and Gastrointestinal Pathology
• Quality and Safety Rounds
• Molecular Pathology and Research Conference
• MGB Pathology Grand Rounds

Faculty:

Fellows will work closely with the breast pathology faculty at both institutions, who represent leaders in the field in the areas of diagnostics, translational research, molecular research, and medical education.

• Melinda Lerwill, MD
  Program Director, MGB Breast Pathology Fellowship
  Subspecialty Head, MGH Breast Pathology Service
  mlerwill@mgh.harvard.edu
• Emily Bachert, MD
  Associate Program Director, MGB Breast Pathology Fellowship
  Associate Program Director for Anatomic Pathology at BWH, MGB Pathology Residency
  sbachert@bwh.harvard.edu
• Bayan Alzumaili, MD
• Veerle Bossuyt, MD
• Deborah Dillon, MD
• Anthony Guidi, MD
• Xuefei Hong, MD
• Susan Lester, MD, PhD
• Amy Ly, MD
• Matthew Packer, MD
• Stuart Schnitt, MD
• Dennis Sgroi, MD
• Gulisa Turashvili, MD

Vacation Time:

• Fellows have four weeks of vacation time per year

How to Apply

Fellowship application form, additional application materials, and inquires should be submitted by email to: MGBPathologyfellowships@mgb.org

We will begin accepting applications on May 1, 2025 for academic year 2027-2028. There is no deadline to apply; we will continue accepting applications until we fill all positions. In the summer, information on interviews will be given to selected applicants following review of a complete application.

Application Materials

1. CAP Standardized Pathology Fellowship Application
2. Curriculum Vitae (must be in month/year format 00/0000)
3. Personal Statement describing career goals and surgical pathology interests
4. USMLE Steps 1, 2, & 3 Score Report- (Canadian physicians and Doctors of Osteopathy who are eligible for licensure may substitute documentation of successful completion of LMCC/MCCQE and COMLEX examinations, respectively, in lieu of USMLE examinations)
5. Passport-style photo
6. Three Letters of Recommendation (one letter must be from your current program director or department chair)
   
   Letters of Recommendation should be addressed to:
   Melinda F. Lerwill, MD
   Program Director, MGB Breast Pathology Fellowship
   Department of Pathology, Warren 2
   Massachusetts General Hospital
   55 Fruit Street, Warren 2
   Boston, MA 02114
   
   Letters of Recommendation should be emailed by the letter writer to: MGBPathologyfellowships@mgb.org
   
   
7. Copy of MD Degree (International medical graduates only)
8. Copy of ECFMG Certificate (International medical graduate only)

A limited number of Surgical Pathology Signout Fellowships may be available at MGH in any given year. If you are interested in the Signout Fellowship program, please see additional information here and address any inquires to Dr. Melinda Lerwill at mlerwill@mgh.harvard.edu.