Preceptor: Kristen M. Thomas, MD
Contact: Remy Moon,  Remy.Moon@NYULangone.org, tel: 212-263-1063 or
Giselle Johnson, Giselle.Johnson@NYULangone.org, tel: 212-263-7852

Prerequisites: None

Description

This is an advanced 4-week elective that seeks to build on knowledge, and experiences gained in the pre-clerkship and clerkship years. It may be used to build upon experience from the 2-week Pathology Introductory Elective.

As an advanced elective, students will be expected to serve at the level of a sub-intern. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the core principles, foundational knowledge, and essential skills relevant to the specialty through encounters with a diverse range of cases reflective of this specialty. Students have the opportunity to see how the "book knowledge" of pathology is applied to the practice of diagnostic pathology and its key role in clinical decision-making. Students will gain this experience through spending time on the surgical pathology service where the student will be exposed to a large variety of diagnostic surgical and medical specimens, and will learn how to approach specimen evaluation on both the gross and microscopic level, considering clinical history, disease mechanisms, and the implications of diagnoses for patient management.

Students will work closely with the resident and attending physicians in the gross examination and sectioning of specimens, in performing frozen sections, and in microscopic sign out. There are numerous didactic conferences in which students will participate. In addition to general surgical pathology, students will be introduced to autopsy pathology. To accommodate students with particular interests, part of the time may be spent in one of the subspecialty areas, including obstetrical/gynecological pathology, cytopathology, hematopathology, neuropathology, bone and soft tissue pathology, pediatric pathology, gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary pathology, breast pathology, uropathology, GU pathology, and ENT pathology.

Objectives of the Elective

By the end of this elective, through daily contact with patients and didactics, you will:

1. Gain a deeper understanding of the field of pathology, building on your pre-clerkship and clerkship experiences, through a broad exposure to pathologic diseases
2. Learn how to approach specimen evaluation on both the gross and microscopic level, considering clinical history, disease mechanisms, and the implications of diagnoses for patient management
3. Gain "hands-on" experience through graduated levels of responsibility for the sectioning and microscopic evaluation of surgical and medical specimens
4. Gain insight into the interdisciplinary nature of this specialty and how our clinicians interact with other medical disciplines to provide comprehensive patient care
5. Ensure your choice of pathology as a career 

Key Responsibilities of the student while on Elective

By enrolling in this elective, you have agreed to:

1. Participate in at least 35 contact hours of education each week
2. Provide communication of any excused absences to the Office of Student Affairs (excused absence form) and to the elective coordinator, in a timely fashion 
3. Arrive, in a timely fashion to all locations to which you are assigned  
4. Work closely with residents and attendings, and be an active participant in the care of patients
5. Participate in one or more autopsies, as they become available
6. Attend all didactics provided for trainees, as outlined below

Key Responsibilities of the preceptor/residents/faculty while you are on Elective

By accepting your enrollment in this elective, the department has agreed to:

1. Clearly communicate their expectations of you
2. Maintain a supportive clinical learning environment 
3. Ensure that you have access to a broad case mix and clinical experience  
4. Provide the education necessary for you to gain an understanding of the patients and pathology reflective of this specialty
5. Provide feedback on your clinical skills

Didactic Program

Resident didactic lectures take place most days from 8-9 am in Smilow 601C. Other intradepartmental and interdepartmental conferences including consensus conferences, tumor boards, Autopsy conference, grand round, resident grand round, seminars and interesting cases conference are highly variable depending on the week and the subspecialty service. A schedule will be provided to each student at the start of the rotation.

Method of Evaluation

Students are evaluated on the basis of their performance and participation in the above-outlined areas. A slide test will be given at the beginning of the rotation and end of the rotation. Students will be given feedback on a rolling basis, as well and at a mid-elective and a summation meeting with Dr. Thomas (or designated person) at the end of the two-weeks, at which additional feedback will be given and solicited from the student. Elective credit will be given for only those dates attended.

Scheduling Information

Duration: 4 Weeks 
Months Offered: All year except July and August
Student point of contact before start of elective: Kristen M. Thomas, MD, Kristen.Thomas@NYULangone.org
On day 1, students report to: The Anatomic Pathology Suite, Tisch Hospital 4th floor, Room 412
Students per elective block: 2 (2 NYU and 2 visiting)

Application Process for Visiting Students

Please contact Remy Moon (Remy.Moon@NYULangone.org) to obtain application forms.