University of Kentucky College of Medicine Program

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

800 Rose Street, Ste MS 117

Lexington, KY 40536

A Brief History

The University of Kentucky Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine was started in 1960 by Wellington B. Stewart, M.D., who was the first chair of the department, then known as the Department of Pathology. Including Dr. Stewart, the department started with 11 faculty members located in two buildings: Harold W. Brown, M.D., Dr.P.H., LL.D., P. Raphael Caffery, M.D., H. Davis Chipps, M.D., James T. McClellan, M.D., Arthur S. Morse, Jr., M.D., Rudolph J. Muelling, Jr., M.D., Donal D. O'Sullivan, M.D., James T. Packer, M.D., John A. Shively, M.D., and Robert A. Stewart, M.D. Our name changed to Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in 1993 and now have more than 30 faculty located in six buildings. We moved into new departmental quarters (MS 117) in the summer of 1995.

The recent expansion of the Univerisity Hospital provided the department with a new surgical pathology suite. February 20, 2012 marks the first official day of business.

Affiliations

Strong affiliations within the University are with the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging and the Markey Cancer Centerboth of which share faculty lines and resources with this department for its operations. Other affiliations include theLexington Veteran's Affairs Medical Center; the St. Claire Medical Center; the Kentucky Blood Center; and the State Medical Examiners Program. These affiliations give a contrasting mix of patient care activities that offer a broader spectrum of opportunity for our residents.

We offer a monthly continuing education course for pathologists which draws pathologists from the local community and from many parts of the state including Eastern and Western Kentucky.

Anatomic and Clinical Pathology Residency Program

The University of Kentucky Pathology residency training program is located in Lexington, KY. The Department of Pathology provides anatomic and clinical laboaratory services to University of Kentucky Hos pital, Children's Hospital, Kentucky Clinic and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In addition, pathology services are also provided at St. Claire Medical Center located at Morehead. {C}

In fulfilling its service responsibilities, the Department performs approximately 200 autopsies per year and processes over 19,000 surgical specimens. In addition, approximately 24,300 smears are received for cytological study. An additional 730 medical legal autopsies are performed by three medical examiners (faculty members) at the Commonwealth's Central Laboratory Facility in Frankfort and are available for residents' education.

The aim of program is to hone diagnostic skills, competence and accuracy in anatomical and laboratory pathology. The main focus of the program is to develop team based approach to work, self-directed learning and critical self evaluation. The four year training program is designed to provide comprehensive training in both anatomical and laboratory medicine.

Each year four residency positions are filled through NRMP match program. All residency applications are accepted through ERAS. The deadline for application is November 15th.

Inqueries, contact:  Gregory J Davis, MD Univ of Kentucky Med Ctr Pathology & Lab Med Ste MS117 800 Rose St Lexington, KY 40536-0298

Tel: (859) 323-6183 Fax: (859) 323-2094

E-mail: gjdavis@email.uky.edu

Comment 1: 3/26/2013

Program name:      University of Kentucky

Program Director:  Duncan MacIvor, MD

Number of residents (per year / total):            4/16

Visas sponsored?   ?

Pros:   Very complex & wide array of cases & specimens; we serve almost the entire half of Kentucky; this is an area where preventative care is scarce & patients present with advanced stages of disease.

Average work hours on surgical path?           55-60 hours/week. Often less on CP months.

Are you allowed to do external rotations? Yes.

Do you feel you have:

·         Adequate preview time? yes

·         Adequate reading time? yes

·         Adequate support staff (PA’s, Secretarial, etc…)? One PA currently for surg path. A second PA is scheduled to start September 2013.

·         Adequate AP Teaching? Yes. We just implemented a 2 year didactic curriculum organized by organ system. This encompasses both AP and CP topics; integrating them as needed (pneumonia with the lung block, Thyroid function testing with head and neck block, etc).

·         Adequate CP Teaching? Yes

·         Graduated responsibilities? Yes

Fellowship Programs offered? Please list.        Neuro, cyto x2, surg path x2

CAP Standardized Fellowship Application Accepted? ?

Additional benefits to trainees (Book Fund, Travel Fund, Other resources):  book fund; limited travel fund

Famous Faculty:     Paul Bachner (previous CAP President); Greg Davis, MD; Norbert W. Tietz, PhD, 

Comment 2: 10/30/14

Do you feel you have:

·         Adequate support staff (PA’s, Secretarial, etc…)? One PA currently for surg path. They are looking for a second PA.

·         Adequate AP Teaching? Yes and no. There is a tendency to pull from CP rotations to cover AP rotations a good deal. 

Additional benefits to trainees (Book Fund, Travel Fund, Other resources):  very limited book fund; limited travel fund- very difficult in terms of paperwork for reimbursement and some of the costs of interview candidates ended up on resident credit cards. 

 Comment 3: (date here) Please add any new comments here. Do not change comments above. 

Cytopathology Fellowship

This is a one-year clinically oriented program providing extensive training and experience in gynecologic, nongynecologic, and fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology. The pathology service performs majority of the aspirates at the University hospital and the adjacent VA hospital. The total number of cytology specimens accessioned annually is about 24,000 with about 13% abnormal gynecologic specimens, and over 1,700 FNAs. In addition, the training program is devoted to honing laboratory management and quality assurance skills. Opportunities are provided for teaching and research in cytopathology. Training in immunocytochemistry and other ancillary techniques are also included.

The fellowship lasts 12 months and will generally start July 1. The majority of months will be spent doing clinical cytopathology including special techniques. There will be three months of research/elective and one month for vacation and professional meeting leave. The program is accredited by ACGME for 2 positions every year. In certain years, a 2 year combined cytopathology/surgical pathology fellowship is offered.

Applicants who are Board-eligible in AP or AP/CP at the start of the fellowship are preferred. Candidates should be eligible for a medical license in the state of Kentucky. Universal application and/or letters of inquiry, including CV, should be sent to: Dana Richards, MD, Director, Cytopathology Fellowship, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kentucky Medical Center, 800 Rose Street Ste MS117, Lexington, KY 40536-0298. Phone: (859) 257-5525

Pros:

1) opportunity to see a full variety of cytology cases on a daily basis (as opposed to the programs that split exfoliative and FNA duties into different days)

2) Excellent attendings who are great instructors; friendly laboratory staff who are very helpful; not too much "scut work

Cons:

Due to billing policies, trainees do not have absolute autonomy at immediate assessments, attendings need to present for immediate evaluation of FNA procedures.

Surgical Pathology Fellowship

A one-year fellowship in surgical pathology is offered at the University of Kentucky, Chandler Medical Center. The Division accessions over 19,000 cases per year and performs approximately 3,000 frozen sections. A high proportion of surgical accessions are related to the diagnosis and staging of neoplasms and specialized experiences are available in hematologic, cardiac, renal, neuro, gynecologic and uropathology in addition to immunopathology, molecular pathology, electron microscopy and flow cytometry. The program includes 9 months of surgical pathology and 3 months of elective. Approximately one month of vacation/travel is included.

The fellowship is open to individuals who are board eligible or certified in anatomic pathology or anatomic and clinical pathology.

Pros:

1) Comprehensive training in signing out a variety of disease pathology, including rare diagnoses.

2) Corelating gross and microscopic findings: Grossing and sign out of surgical specimens done by same person.

Cons:

1) At times, can be a busy rotation.

2) Does not have a Dermatopathology Board certified faculty member.

Neuropathology Fellowship

http://www.mc.uky.edu/pathology/training/neurofell.asp A two-year fellowship in neuropathology is offered at the University of Kentucky, Chandler Medical Center. A high proportion of surgical neuropathological accessions are related to the diagnosis and staging of neoplasms but there are many dementia autopsies linked to the University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Center. Approximately one month of vacation/travel is included. Critically important, a six-month research block is scheduled following the clinical 18 month segment at the beginning of the fellowship.

The fellowship is open to individuals who are board eligible or certified in anatomic pathology or anatomic and clinical pathology. Universal Application (including personal statement, dean's letter with transcript, 3 letters of recommendation, USMLE scores and ECFMG certificate if IMG) and letters of inquiry, including CV, should be sent to: Dr. Peter Nelson, Director - Neuropathology Fellowship, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, 800 Rose Street, Ste MS-117, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0298. Phone: (859) 323-6183.

Post Sophomore Medical Student Fellowship

No longer active.

Some of Our Own

Our Director

Paul Bachner, MD

Active interests in bone pathology and laboratory management, with many publications in the area of laboratory quality management. He is a past president of the College of American Pathologists and remains active in the leadership of the CAP. He also keeps chocolates in his room!

Our Neuro Team

Peter Nelson, MD PhD NIH-funded experimental neuropathologist whose work has focused on neurodegenerative diseases, including clinical-pathological correlations and RNA neurochemistry studies.

Our Forensic Team

Gregory J Davis, MD Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Director of the Residency Training Program, Forensic Consultation Service, and Autopsy Service. Professor in the Graduate Center for Toxicology of the College of Medicine and am an Assistant State Medical Examiner. Co-author in a chapter in Forensic Pathology of Infancy and Childhood textbook. He hosts a weekly radio spot, “Dr Greg Davis on Medicine,” on WUKY 91.3 FM UK Public Radio/NPR.

John C. Hunsaker, III, JD, MD, MA Served as Associate Chief Medical Examiner in Kentucky since February 1983, and is tenured Professor and Director of the Division of Forensic Pathology at the University of KY. He has performed over seven thousand autopsies and testified extensively as an expert witness. Authoring numerous papers and book chapters, Dr. Hunsaker is on the editorial board of the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, American Forensic Pathology, Inc., and is the North American Editor of Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology. He is a Past President [2006] and Chair of the Board 2007] of the National Association Medical Examiners, and has been an officer of the Pathology/Biology Section of American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Fall 2011. He authored/co-authored chapters in the Handbook of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Pathology of Infancy and Childhood.

Our ClinPath Team

C. Darrell Jennings, MD Considerable experience in the laboratory support of solid organ and marrow/stem cell transplantation. His research involves rodent models of graft vs. host disease and inflammatory bowel disease. He is also interested in medical education and the application of "lean" and "GMP" management principles to education.

Charles T Lutz, MD PhD Responsible for clinical molecular diagnostic testing, HLA tissue typing, and protein electrophoresis interpretation. His research centers on regulation of human natural killer (NK) lymphocytes.

Julie Ribes, MD PhD Has a passion for all things microbiological with special interest in parasites. She LOVES bugs and will make anyone who spends more than five minutes in her office find a special place in their heart for bugs as well.

Ronald Whitley, PhD DABCC FACB His primary scientific/research interests include applications of immunoassays and mass spectrometry to endocrine and genetic disorders. He authored/co-authored the general endocrine, thyroid, adrenal and catecholamine chapters in the Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry, 2nd and 3rd editions, and authored the endocrine and amino acids sections in the Clinical Guide to Laboratory Tests, 2nd and 3rd editions. He has helped developed consensus-based guidelines for using tumor markers in thyroid cancer, and for follow up testing for metabolic diseases identified by expanded newborn screening. He has also helped develop CLSI consensus documents for immunoassay systems, newborn screening blood collections, and newborn screening by tandem mass spectrometry.