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Rotating Pediatric Pathology Fellows - Goals and Expectations

  1. Prior to start of rotation fellows email CV to Karen Weber and set up appointment to meet with Rotation Director.
  2. Fellows will meet with Karen Weber first day of rotation to review the web site and be oriented to the service and Biosafety issues followed by meeting with the Fellow for further service orientation.
  3. Each fellow is assigned a desk or study area in the Neuropathology Rotating Resident's Room.
  4. At the end of the rotation, the fellow will complete a self evaluation and hand in case management forms. The attendings and NP Fellow will complete an evaluation of the fellow. A meeting will then be scheduled with the Rotation Director to discuss the evaluation.
  5. Fellow will complete self-evaluation at 6 and 12 months and review with rotation director.

The pediatric pathology fellow rotation in neuropathology is a self-study elective designed to consolidate and extend the residents knowledge of diseases of the nervous system with a particular focus on the developing nervous system.

GOALS

On completion of the rotation fellows will be able to demonstrate competence in:

  1. The functional neuroanatomy of the brain and spinal cord.
  2. Diagnostic features of the major CNS tumors, including clinical presentation, radiologic findings, microscopic morphology, therapeutic approach and prognosis.
  3. Pathophysiology and pathologic anatomy of the major diseases of the nervous system including cardiovascular, infectious, autoimmune, neurodegenerative and developmental.
  4. The role of diagnostic neuropathology including why and when to use intraoperative consultations in the clinical management of patients with neurologic symptoms including neuromuscular disease.

ACTIVITIES

  1. On 3rd Friday of every month:
    • Attend Friday brain cuttings when pediatric brains on schedule, write up gross findings, review histology, recommend evaluation, write microscopic description and final diagnoses
    • Review surgical and autopsy neuropathology from previous weeks
    • Review pediatric neuromuscular cases with NP fellow or attending
    • In consultation with attending select 3-4 cases for presentation at Children’s 10 AM conference on 4th Friday of month, with mentorship from the neuropathology staff in virtual conference
  2. Self Study:
    • Neuropathology Study Guide
    • Neuropathology Virtual Slide Curriculum
    • Canvas quizzes and tests
      • Complete one set of quizzes in first 6 months and second set of quizzes in final 6 months.
  3. On 4th Friday of every month, attend and present at 10 AM Children’s conference
  4. Participate in pediatric intraoperative consultations as available.
  5. Share presentation of NP cases at Children’s M&M and Tuesday autopsy conferences with neuropathology fellow.

EXPECTATIONS

  1. Presentation of cases at monthly Friday Children’s 10:00 AM slide conference.
  2. Complete neuropathology reports on 5 pediatric autopsy brains.
  3. Complete neuropathology reports on 5 neonatal autopsy brains.
  4. Be conversant in vocabulary and disease entities.
  5. Complete reading, Blackboard quizzes and tests.
  6. Remove brain on 5 pediatric cases (including eyes, trigeminal ganglia, sural nerve and muscle when possible).
  7. Create 1 Children’s CPC cases for web.

Further Questions:

Address inquires relating to special interests, scheduling or prerequisites to Karen Weber, Neuropathology Coordinator, Presbyterian Hospital: Tel: 412-624-7897; Email: weberkm@upmc.edu.