Residency Program
Pathology Residency Training Program
Our fully accredited program in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology based at Downstate Medical Center, the only academic medical center in Brooklyn, offers an outstanding training experience. Trainees are exposed to an exciting mix of case material in our three teaching affiliates: University Hospital of Brooklyn, Kings County Hospital Center, and the New York Harbor Healthcare System (mainly at the Brooklyn Veterans Affairs Medical Center). Fully accredited fellowship training also is available in Neuropathology link and Dermatopathology.
The main objective of our program is to train physicians to be competent practitioners of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology in a variety of settings, e.g., academic medical centers, community hospitals, and referral laboratories. Residents are expected to develop knowledge, skills, and aptitudes consistent with the six ACGME General Competencies.
Our faculty has broad-based and nationally recognized expertise in all major areas of pathology. They oversee a comprehensive didactic program that includes case and special topic presentations and lectures, textbook review, unknown slide conferences, and journal clubs. Anatomic Pathology rotations and exposures include training in autopsy pathology, surgical pathology, renal pathology, dermatopathology, forensic pathology, neuropathology, cytopathology, pediatric pathology, and electron microscopy. Clinical pathology includes training in transfusion medicine, molecular pathology, clinical chemistry, hematopathology, immunology, microbiology, laboratory management, and interpretive analysis of laboratory test results. Elective rotations offering opportunity for more in-depth training and/or clinical or basic research are available at advanced levels of training.
Trainees are encouraged to conduct clinical or basic science research, present their work at national and regional meetings, and contribute to the scientific literature. The diverse array of clinical material is ideal for case studies and other clinical research. In addition, residents may work in basic science laboratories; investigators within the department have active research programs in infrared spectroscopic imaging and diffuse optical tomography; memory, learning and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease; cancer-related peptides and therapeutics, and immunologic aspects of asthma and HIV infection.
Types and Numbers of Appointments
The program has positions for 23 pathology residents and fellows. Residents may choose a combined 4-year AP/CP, 3-year AP only or 3-year CP only program. Neuropathology fellowships also are available link to neuropath fellowship page.
Facilities
Our facilities include approximately 1403 beds at the three hospitals. The laboratories are staffed by faculty members of the Department of Pathology of SUNY Downstate Medical Centers. The clinical material reflects the diversity of our hospitals and communities. Both forensic and medical autopsies are performed at the modern facility of the Brooklyn Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of New York City on our campus. Investigators in the department maintain research laboratories in the Basic Sciences Building of the College of Medicine as well as at the New York Harbor Healthcare System (mainly at the Brooklyn Veterans Affairs Medical Center). The HSCB library is one of the largest medical libraries in the United States and features extensive computer facilities.
Community
The large variety of cultural, recreational and educational opportunities available in New York City are well known. Perhaps less well known are the extraordinary entertainment, recreational and cultural opportunities in Brooklyn link . In addition, the student center has lounges, a large gym, pool, squash and tennis courts, a sauna and music rooms.
Stipends and Benefits
In 2008 -2009, PGY-1 residents receive a stipend of approximately $51,644 - $52,984. Residents are provided with professional liability, medical care and hospitalization insurance, dental insurance, and approximately four weeks of vacation.
Staff
Suzanne S. Mirra MD Professor and Chair, neuropathology; Khaled I. Abu-Lawi PhD Clinical Associate Professor, microbiology; Teresa M. Alasio MD Clinical Assistant Professor, surgical pathology, cytopathology; Virginia Anderson MD Associate Professor, pediatric pathology; Thomas Athanassiades MD Associate Professor, medical student education; Constantine A. Axiotis MD Professor, surgical pathology oncology; Randall Barbour PhD Professor, optical imaging; Patrick Chen MD, PhD Professor, cytopathology, immunology; Stephen J. deRoux MD Clinical Assistant Professor, forensic pathology; Fidelina DeSoto MD Clinical Assistant Professor, surgical pathology; Helen G. Durkin PhD Associate Professor, immunology; Elena T. Estuita MD Clinical Assistant Professor, surgical pathology, cytopathology; Elizabeth Gloster MD Professor, transfusion medicine, surgical and pediatric pathology; Susan R.S. Gottesman PhD, MD Professor, hematopathology; Raavi Gupta, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, surgical pathology, hematopathology; Edward Heilman MD Associate Professor, dermatopathology; Joan H. Howanitz MD Professor, clinical pathology, chemical pathology; Peter J. Howanitz MD Professor, clinical pathology, chemical pathology; Y.D. Kim MD Assistant Professor, surgical pathology; Felicitas Lacbawan, MD, Visiting Associate Professor, molecular pathology; Jenny Libien MD, PhD Assistant Professor, neuropathology, autopsy pathology; Josef Michl MD Associate Professor, hematology, cellular immunology; Anthony Nicastri MD Professor, surgical pathology, renal pathology; Maja Nowakowski PhD Associate Professor, immunology; Philip Pappalardo MD Assistant Professor, transfusion medicine; Matthew R. Pincus MD, PhD Professor, clinical pathology; Padmanabha R. Pulakhandam MD Clinical Assistant Professor, hematopathology; Chandrakant Rao MD Clinical Professor, neuropathology; Martin Salwen MD Distinguished Service Professor, clinical pathology, computers; Janet A. Schneller MD Clinical Professor, surgical pathology, cytology; Charles Shao MD, PhD Clinical Associate Professor, neuropathology, surgical pathology; Haseeb A. Siddiqi PhD Assistant Professor, parasitology; Marshall P. Solomon DDS Clinical Professor, oral pathology; Carl Vinciguerra MD Assistant Professor, blood banking, hematology; Carolyn Webber MD Professor Emeritus; Rosemary Wieczorek MD Clinical Associate Professor, surgical pathology; immunopathology; Carmencita Yudis MD Clinical Assistant Professor, surgical pathology.
Applications
All applications to our program must be submitted via the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). The Program does not accept hard copy applications via regular mail, fax nor electronic copies via email. Residency candidates must be graduates of approved medical schools in the United States or Canada. Applicants from the United States and Canada should have USMLE Step I score of 80 or above. Graduates of foreign medical schools must have an ECFMG certificate. Applicants from international medical schools should have USMLE scores for Step I, II (CK) of 80 or above. References and interviews are required. Applications should be received by December 30, for appointments beginning July 1 of the following year.
In the past the program has sponsored both J-1 and H-1 Visas and expects to continue this policy for 2009-2010.
Additional Inquiries:
Peter J. Howanitz, MD, Residency Program Director
Elizabeth Snypes, Residency Program Education Coordinator
Department of Pathology
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
450 Clarkson Avenue, Box 25
Brooklyn, NY 11203
Phone: 718-270-8173
Email: pathologyresidency@downstate.edu
All applications should be made through the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
More Information
Resident News
Autopsy Pathology Curriculum
Clinical Chemistry Goals and Responsibilities
Clinical Pathology Resident Education at the Brooklyn Veterans Administration Hospital
Cytogenetics
Cytopathology Curriculum Goals and Objectives
Dermatopathology Curriculum Goals and Objectives
Forensic Pathology Goals and Objectives
Hematology Curriculum
Microbiology Curriculum
Neuropathology Curriculum
Pediatric Pathology Curriculum
Surgical Pathology Curriculum
Transfusion Medicine Curriculum
