Residency Training
From their first days in the program, UPMC Pathology residents engage in immersive, hands-on learning within one of the nation's leading academic medical centers. Our individualized and flexible curriculum is designed to support each resident's unique career aspirations while fostering professional development, personal well-being, and work-life integration.
The combined Anatomic Pathology/Clinical Pathology (AP/CP) residency provides four years of comprehensive training. Residents complete 23 months of core Anatomic Pathology and 18 months of core Clinical Pathology training. The first nine months of the PGY1 year are dedicated primarily to foundational AP rotations, including gastrointestinal, bone and soft tissue, genitourinary, head and neck, breast, gynecologic, pediatric, and autopsy pathology. The subsequent 12 months focus largely on core Clinical Pathology experiences in microbiology, immunology, transfusion medicine and blood banking, clinical chemistry, molecular pathology, and hematopathology.
To support early career exploration, residents with a defined subspecialty interest may elect to complete a PGY3+ AP subspecialty rotation, such as neuropathology, dermatopathology, forensic pathology, or cytopathology, during the PGY2 year in preparation for fellowship training. The remainder of the PGY2 through PGY4 years is devoted to completing core requirements and pursuing elective experiences. Residents are encouraged to tailor their training through focused elective rotations and mini-fellowships within our nationally recognized AP Centers of Excellence and CP divisions.
The AP-only track is a three-year program that includes 28 months of core training across the Anatomic Pathology Centers of Excellence, as well as dedicated experience in hematopathology, molecular pathology, informatics, and laboratory management. The remaining months are reserved for individualized electives that allow residents to pursue specific academic and career interests.
The CP-only track is a three-year program that provides 24 months of core training in Clinical Pathology disciplines, supplemented by formal instruction in informatics and laboratory management. Elective rotations comprise the remainder of the curriculum, enabling residents to develop specialized expertise aligned with their professional goals.
FAQ
For more information about our residency program, visit our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.