Description

This four-week elective provides visiting medical students with broad exposure to anatomic and clinical pathology through rotations across multiple pathology subspecialties and laboratory medicine services.

Unless a specific subspecialty area is requested by students (subject to approval), they will spend two weeks in surgical pathology rotating through a variety of different areas, including frozen section, subspecialty surgical pathology areas (may include gastrointestinal, genitourinary, thoracic, neuropathology, gynecologic, head and neck, renal, and bone and soft tissue), and cytopathology. 

Students will also spend two weeks in hematopathology and clinical pathology, including transfusion medicine, apheresis, microbiology, phlebotomy/core lab, and clinical chemistry. The exact number of days in each area may vary depending on staffing and availability.

Spots are extremely limited for this rotation experience, and acceptance is based on committee approval.

Elective goals

The main goal of the pathology elective is to gain exposure to a variety of subspecialty areas in both anatomic and clinical pathology and to further understand the role that pathology holds in the diagnosis of disease and management of patients.

1. Observe the workings of a busy pathology department and the role of pathologists in the evaluation and treatment of patients.
2. Recognize how pathology guides clinical medicine and appreciate the consultative role of pathologists in patient care.
3. Gain an understanding of how anatomic and clinical pathologists approach their respective diagnostic challenges and collaborate with the clinical care team.

Activity outline

Students will observe in various areas of the department of laboratory medicine and pathology including one-on-one and group teaching sessions with other trainees including fellows and visiting clinicians.

Students are expected to engage in active learning by reviewing and studying pathology using online and textbook-based resources.

Method of evaluation

Students are evaluated through MedHub. Per Mayo Clinic institutional policy, faculty and residents/fellows will not complete any outside evaluations. Students will be provided with an electronic performance evaluation via Mayo Clinic’s MedHub portal. A final summative evaluation will be sent to the student and the student's school official upon completion of the clerkship.