Pathology

The Department of Pathology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, is committed to providing state-of-the-art training to prepare physicians and scientists for leadership roles in pathology and academic medicine.

Three Resident Training Pathways

First, we offer three resident training pathways: Our combined anatomic pathology/clinical pathology (AP/CP) pathway provides comprehensive training in all areas of tissue diagnostics and laboratory medicine. Our AP only pathway prepares residents for careers as academic surgical pathologists. Our CP only pathway prepares residents for careers as future leaders in laboratory medicine.

Second, we offer ACGME-approved fellowship training in: Selective pathology, Cytopathology, Dermatopathology, Hematopathology, Medical microbiology, Transfusion medicine, Molecular genetic pathology, Neuropathology and Experimental Pathology Division.

Third, our experimental pathology division offers multiple opportunities for training in pathology-related basic and applied research endeavors at a graduate student and postdoctoral level.

We also offer opportunities for medical students to learn about surgical, autopsy, and laboratory medicine through elective rotations. All clinical training pathways include extensive opportunities to participate in research projects with world-renowned experts in pathology or related disciplines.

The Department of Pathology is involved with the diagnosis of cancer and other major medical conditions through the gross and microscopic examination of tissue samples obtained from surgical procedures and endoscopy (Anatomic Pathology).

Our department also provides clinical laboratory services to the hospital as well as consults in the areas of clinical chemistry, hematopathology, microbiology, and transfusion medicine (Clinical Pathology). Autopsies are also performed by the clinicians in our department to investigate the causes of death of hospitalized patients to help provide closure and health information to families of our patients.