Pulmonary and Mediastinal Pathology Rotation

The Pulmonary and Mediastinal Pathology Service handles transbronchial biopsies; open lung, pleural, mediastinal and chest wall biopsies; sublobar resections; lobar resections; and pneumonectomies and lung transplant specimens. A variety of neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions are seen, with many cases coming from patients with interstitial lung disease, various infectious pneumonias, primary or metastatic lung tumors and other conditions.

During this one-month rotation the resident spends the first week reviewing cases prior to sign-out without writing diagnoses, and in subsequent weeks reviewing, and dictating or writing diagnoses prior to sign-out. The rotation also covers specimen grossing, ordering of ancillary studies and special stains, and understanding the use of cancer templates, staging and proper reporting.

• Morning biopsy sign-out
• Specimen grossing on Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• Large specimen afternoon sign-out on Tuesday and Thursday
• Assist with thoracic frozen sections from 7:30–10 a.m. on Mondays and 8:30–10 a.m. on Wednesdays
  

• Thoracic tumor board, third Tuesday
• Pulmonary grand rounds, third Friday
  

There are opportunities for clinical and/or translational research in pulmonary and mediastinal pathology within the pathology department and in collaboration with the Lung Institute.