Program Directors Message

Welcome! 

We are thrilled you are interested in our residency program and proud to share what makes our training environment special. Our mission is to provide outstanding anatomic and clinical pathology training, deliver the highest quality of care to our patients and engage in ground-breaking research – all in a supportive environment that fosters both professional success and wellness for our trainees.  

Our residents benefit from world-class faculty with a passion for teaching and mentorship. Our faculty pride themselves on being approachable and personable; they are selected for being exceptionally talented teachers. We are, after all, trying to inspire the next generation of leaders in pathology to join our field (and of course our program!). Our faculty’s expertise and ongoing research efforts provide our residents with the opportunity to participate in both independent and collaborative research. We have recently implemented a formalized mentorship program for all PGY-1 and 2 residents to explore career development opportunities and maintain wellness. Residents are also intimately involved in medical student teaching, both in preclinical courses and pathology observerships.

Our high volume cancer and trauma centers provide a huge variety of specimen types and complexity, ensuring you will be exceptionally well-trained across diverse subspecialties of pathology. Our residents have direct input into the four-year curriculum, which is both highly organized and flexible with built-in elective time. The curriculum builds in graduated responsibility, including tumor board coverage and “hot seat” rotations as residents gain experience. Recent curriculum updates include CP lab director rotations, restructured AP electives, formalized informatics training, a new molecular genetics rotation, a reimagined two-week boot camp for incoming PGY-1’s (thanks to our fabulous chief residents) and more. The residents participate extensively in ongoing quality assurance projects ranging from lab stewardship to internal and external lab inspections. Check out a recent publication to learn more about our important work in auditing myeloid mutation panel test selection.

• Pathology Trainees Gain Clinical Pathology Experience as Lab Consultants Through Auditing Myeloid Mutation Panel Send-Out Tests

Diversity, equity and inclusion are core values of our program and department, and residents receive formal DEI education across a number of didactic settings. We are proud that our trainees and faculty come from diverse and non-traditional backgrounds; we believe it makes us stronger as a department and as health care providers. Our program has a well-deserved reputation for the collegial and supportive training environment, and we take resident wellness seriously! We’re excited about the fun and well-rounded spin our residency has put on education.

Check out our X and Instagram presence for our latest social activities.

We look forward to meeting you!  Please do not hesitate to reach out if we can answer questions.

Best,

Rima Koka, MD, PhD – Pathology Residency Program Director

Michael E. Kallen, MD – Pathology Residency Associate Program Director

Parvez M. Lokhandwala, MBBS, MSc, PhD – Pathology Residency Associate Program Director

Katie Horton – Program Coordinator

Olga B. Ioffe, MD – Director of Anatomic Pathology and Vice Dean for Education