Medical Student Education

Information for M3s and M4s

Join other interested Medical Students, Pathology House Staff, and Faculty for an informal Pizza Lunch held periodically through the year. Announcements will be sent to appropriate classes by e-mail.

 

We invite you to explore the clinical discipline of Pathology as a career choice, as well as learn the contribution Pathology can make to the remainder of your medical education.

 

The numerous educational opportunities and courses in the Department of Pathology are described below. They include a year long Externship, Research Fellowships, MSTP research training, and a required and elective Clerkships.

 

Please feel free to contact one of us for additional information at any time:

Fred R Dee MD, Vice Chair for Educational Affairs, Course Director, and Director of House Staff Training Programs (fred-dee@uiowa.edu)

 

Michael Cohen MD, Departmental Head (michael-cohen@uiowa.edu)

 

Educational opportunities and courses in the Department of Pathology:

 

Externships for Medical Students in Pathology. Each year we accept six students for a full year of clinical training in the department. Only one in five students participating in this program are interested in Pathology as a career, indicating their benefit to medical students in general. These externships can be taken mid M2, M3 or even M4 year, and pay a salary $15,650. Externs are also involved in teaching and may participate in research projects.

 

Research opportunities available in Pathology include cancer biology, immunobiology, neurobiology, cardiovascular disease, cellular and molecular biology, and anti-infectives research. The entire spectrum of cutting edge research methodology is available in the department. We have recently added the emerging technology of laser capture microscopy, which can capture the nuclear material of single cells identified under the microscope.

 

MSTP Research Training. MSTP students may choose Pathology faculty as mentors. Although there is no PhD awarded in the discipline of in Pathology, most of the Pathology research faculty have an appointment in an interdisciplinary program or have a joint appointment in one of the basic science disciplines. Students working with Pathology faculty are awarded their degree in these disciplines.

 

Emory D. Warner Medical Student Research Fellows spend a full year of research working with faculty. The stipend is $22,000. This fellowship can be taken any time after completion of the M1 year.

 

Laboratory Medicine and Pathology Clinical Clerkship. All M3 or M4 students take this one semester hour course. In this course you will learn principles of interpretation of laboratory testing, as well as the ways in which the Clinical Pathology Laboratories help in diagnosis of individual patient's disease.

 

Research Clerkships in Pathology. Pathology faculty sponsor short research rotations in the Clinical Years. Research projects include: 1) clinical research. 2) basic research. 3) development and evaluation of educational resources for medical student courses.

 

Elective Clinical Clerkships. There are six clerkships offered:
Surgical Pathology
Autopsy Pathology
Hematopathology
Clinical Microbiology
Immunopathology
Transfusion Medicine

 

Residency Training for a Career in Pathology
Pathology is an excellent career choice for future physicians who have a strong interest in the mechanisms and morphologic aspects of disease.