Washington University/B-JH/SLCH Consortium Gynecologic and Breast Pathology Program

The Gynecologic and Breast Pathology Fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis and Barnes-Jewish Hospital is a prestigious and immersive 12-month program designed to prepare graduates for future academic leadership in the fields of gynecologic and breast pathology. Launched in 2020, this fellowship is built upon the longstanding foundations of the surgical pathology fellowship program and emphasizes a structured, comprehensive training experience across various rotating specialties within surgical pathology.

Curriculum

The fellowship's curriculum is meticulously crafted and consists of several key rotations:

Breast Pathology

A significant part of the fellowship is dedicated to breast pathology, where fellows spend five months. During this rotation, fellows are responsible for reviewing half of the in-house breast cases and all inside/outside consults. They will pre-dictate cases, coordinate ancillary testing, and communicate preliminary diagnoses to clinical staff as needed. The breast pathology fellow is expected to meet with the assigned attending pathologist for daily case reviews and signouts. Furthermore, competency-based grossing of selected large cases is a crucial part of this rotation, along with weekly presentations at the tumor board.

Obstetric and Gynecologic Pathology

In the obstetric/gynecologic pathology service, which also lasts five months, fellows review half of current surgical cases and all consults. They are engaged with the assigned staff pathologist for signout purposes and must initially gross cases to gain familiarity with local practices. Educational objectives must be met to excuse them from further grossing responsibilities. Like the breast pathology rotation, this segment also includes participation in a weekly gynecologic oncology tumor board.

Frozen Section

A one-month rotation is dedicated to working on the frozen section service. Here, fellows alternate between two frozen section areas and are partnered with a technician or physician assistant. This service handles around thirty frozen sections per day, allowing fellows to gain practical experience under direct supervision from attending pathologists.

Research and Elective Time

Lastly, fellows are required to complete a research or quality improvement project during approximately four weeks of elective time. They must submit a hypothesis-driven research project for publication intentions and support. Additionally, fellows partake in various didactic activities such as sessions at the journal club and presentations at unknown conferences.

Facilities

The fellowship program is conducted in state-of-the-art facilities within the BJC Institute of Health, an expansive 680,000 square-foot building situated on the Washington University School of Medicine campus. This comprehensive setting enhances the learning experience and offers exposure to cutting-edge medical resources.

Application Requirements

Applicants must hold an MD or DO degree (or equivalent international degree with ECFMG certification) and must be board-certified or board-eligible in anatomic pathology. The program is legally authorized to sponsor J-1 visas for international medical graduates. Applications for the fellowship require submission of a CV, a personal statement, USMLE scores (step 3 is optional), and letters of recommendation. Typically, there are two fellowship positions available each year.

Competitiveness

The Gynecologic and Breast Pathology Fellowship is highly competitive and is designed to attract candidates with outstanding residency training at well-regarded pathology programs. The program is also friendly towards DO and IMG candidates, reflecting the institution's commitment to diversity and inclusion.