OMED 8217 Pathology Elective Clerkship
The pathology elective clerkship will expose the student to surgical and/or clinical pathology/laboratory medicine in a community-based pathology practice. This two-week experience is designed to provide experiential learning in anatomic and/or clinical pathology, surgical pathology, and/or laboratory medicine. Students working under the auspice of a community-based pathologist will consider morphologic and clinical aspects of disease by evaluation of gross surgical specimens, interpretation of histopathology glass slides (with ancillary studies), and consideration of differential diagnoses. Introduction to cytopathology procedures and specimen interpretation will vary depending on the elective clerkship site. This clerkship will highlight principles of laboratory medicine, including best practices in the cost-effective use and interpretation of clinical laboratory testing to optimize patient outcomes. Students will learn the clinical use of and methods used to perform the laboratory tests (in hematology and coagulation, clinical chemistry, microbiology, serology, and transfusion medicine) most commonly encountered by primary care physicians. The clerkship may be customized to meet the needs of students who desire to pursue a career in pathology, primary care, or surgical specialties.