ACE: Anatomical Pathology

School of Medicine

This four week Advanced Clinical Experience is designed to provide in-depth exposure to the practice of anatomic pathology via a mixture of services and is an ideal way to gain additional insight into the field for both those students considering pathology as a career and those who plan to pursue clinical specialties which frequently make use of pathology services. Depending on specific student interest and service availability, the setting for this clerkship may include the sub-specialty-oriented surgical pathology service at VUMC, the general surgical pathology service at the TVHS VA Hospital, the cytopathology service at VUMC, the pediatric surgical pathology service at Monroe Carrell Jr. Children's Hospital and the autopsy pathology service at VUMC.  Emphasis is placed on introducing the student to the methods of specimen processing, evaluation and diagnosis in anatomic pathology with a particular focus on the relationship that anatomic pathologists maintain with clinical colleagues in the context of patient care efforts. Opportunities will exist for students to see a range of specimen types from fine needle aspiration biopsies to multi-organ resections and full autopsies.  Students will work closely with pathology residents and fellows and will participate in a variety of tasks including pathologist performed biopsies, intra-operative consultations, gross specimen evaluation and selection of histologic sections for microscopic review. Additionally students will preview microscopic slides and dictate draft reports for selected cases and will subsequently participate in case review, ancillary test ordering/evaluation and final case sign out with the attending pathologist.  Students will be expected to attend the various intradepartmental educational conferences in anatomic pathology as they occur.