Candidates may take a 4-year combined anatomic and clinical pathology track, a 3-year anatomic or clinical pathology track, or a 4 year combined pathology-neuropathology track. Residents learn a core foundation of skills that becomes the basis for increased responsibility as the resident progresses through the program. In Anatomic Pathology, residents focus on surgical, cytological, neuro-, pediatric, and autopsy pathology with training in the most current diagnostic techniques, including immunohistochemistry and molecular diagnostics. In Laboratory Medicine, clinical pathology residents start with a core curriculum that encompasses the disciplines of clinical chemistry, coagulation, cytogenetics, genetics, hematology, immunology, microbiology, transfusion medicine and blood banking, and virology. Anatomic Pathology residents have a 2-year core program. Beyond the first year of Laboratory Medicine, residents work with their faculty advisors to develop a program of elective studies tailored to their unique subspecialty interests. All residents are actively engaged in quality assurance, laboratory management and informatics.
Residents are encouraged to explore options for research, with diverse opportunities in clinical, translational and basic research. A 1-year research fellowship tailored to the trainee’s interests is available to residents pursuing research as part of an academic career. Departmental research training programs are available for residents in aging, cardiovascular disease, developmental biology, DNA replication and repair, environmental pathology, gastrointestinal pathology, genetic pathology, hematopathology, neuropathology, renal disease, somatic cell genetics and tumor biology. Our combined research assets include over 68,000 square feet of research facilities. We are one of the largest recipients of NIH funding among pathology training programs. Approximately a third of our graduates now staff community hospitals and clinics across the nation, 40% combine clinical practice with academic commitments, and 25% are faculty members in major medical schools.
Usually 7-8 first-year residency positions are available each year. Clinical fellowships are available for individuals interested in advanced training including bone and soft tissue pathology, breast and gynecological pathology, cardiovascular and pulmonary pathology, clinical chemistry, cytopathology, dermatopathology, genitourinary, and gastrointestinal and hepatic pathology, hematopathology, clinical microbiology, molecular genetic pathology, neuropathology, pediatric pathology, renal pathology, surgical pathology.
The program is based at University of Washington Medical Center with rotations at affiliated hospitals: Harborview Medical Center, King County Medical Examiner’s Office, BloodWorks Northwest, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and VA Puget Sound Health Services. Elective studies are also available at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Northwest Hospital, and Swedish Medical Center. UWMC and its affiliates provide tertiary medical care to the five-state region of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. A total of over 1,500 beds provide 1,600 autopsies (including 1,300 forensic), 54,000 surgical and 29,000 cytology specimens each year. More than 7 million clinical laboratory tests are done yearly.
Seattle, a tri-county metropolitan center of 3.8 million people, is beautifully situated on the shores of Puget Sound between two major mountain ranges: the coastal Olympic Range and the eastern Cascade Range. Abundant outdoor recreational opportunities are available within an hour’s drive from the hospitals. Seattle enjoys all the cultural opportunities of a major metropolitan area.
The University of Washington is an equal opportunity institution.
