Neuropathology Fellowship Brochure

TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Neuropathology is a division within the Department of Pathology.. Its primary concern is the teaching of diagnostic neuropathology to the Neu

C urriculum E xpectations`

Fellows are expected to participate in all

weekly conferences and other service-related

activities Fellows are expected to play an

instrumental role in the autopsy service and are

responsible for reviewing the clinical record

and removing the brain and other relevant

tissue specimens In addition, they are

responsible for reviewing relevant clinical

pathological and molecular studies related to

the case Fellows are expected to assist in all

frozen sections diagnoses, nerve and muscle

biopsies, and final surgical diagnoses A

minimum of 12 months must be devoted to

clinical service activities Fellows are

encouraged to devote 3-12 months pursuing an

independent research project in basic or

translational neuroscience, and to publish their

findings in a peer reviewed journal

TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

Neuropathology is a division within the

Department of Pathology Its primary concern

is the teaching of diagnostic neuropathology to

the Neuropathology Fellows and Pathology

Residents utilizing clinical pathological

correlation, as well as a variety of molecular,

histological, and immunologic techniques

FELLOWS SALARY AND BENEFITS

Fellows are employees of the Rhode Island Hospital and are appointed with renewable one-year contracts approved by the Graduate Medical Education Committee at Rhode Island Hospital Stipends are commensurate with the year of postgraduate training, four weeks of paid vacation plus approximately 10 holidays, malpractice insurance, and reduced rates for health insurance Some moneys are available for travel expenses, book purchase, and meeting/course registration

Fellows will have ready access to the Program Director, as well as to the technical and clerical staff within the Neuropathology Division

Division of Neuropathology Director: Edward G Stopa, M.D.

Department of Pathology Rhode Island Hospital

593 Eddy Street Providence, RI 02903 (401) 444-5155 Email: Edward_Stopa@Brown.edu

NEUROPATHOLOGY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

2014-2016

B ROWN Medical School / L IFESPAN

G OALS

To train career neuropathologists in clinical 

diagnostic skills through the use of gross, 

microscopic and ultrastructural analyses of 

tissue samples obtained within a hospital 

setting which offers a diverse and steady case 

mix and excellent support services

To provide research skills by exposure to 

techniques and methodology, which will enable

the trainee to qualify, enter, and contribute in 

research fields or academic medicine

To encourage dialogue, independent 

investigation, and interdisciplinary cooperation 

with other members of the Pathology 

Department, The Department of Clinical 

Neurosciences and various basic science 

departments with the medical school

In accordance with hospital guidelines, an

attending pathologist with the appropriate

hospital privileges must make all autopsy and

surgical final diagnoses Fellows are expected

to participate in this process by organizing

autopsy and surgical case material, rendering a

preliminary pathological diagnosis, and signing

out final diagnoses under the supervision of a

member of the neuropathology staff The

attending staff works closely with the fellows

and is readily available to make

recommendations and answer questions

Background: Neuropathology, one of the

oldest medical subspecialties, emerged as a profession during the 19th century Since then, many distinguished individuals in the fields of neurology and psychiatry have been practicing neuropathologists including: Freud, Alzheimer, Charcot and Kraeplin Neuropathology is primarily an academic discipline, aimed at understanding the pathological reactions of all parts of the central and peripheral nervous systems at both the gross and microscopic levels In addition, neuropathologists serve as valuable consultants to other clinicians who are involved in the treatment of patients with brain tumors, neuromuscular disorders, infections and degenerative diseases

Fellowship Description: Drs Stopa, de la

Monte and Donahue represent the third generation of neuropathologists at Rhode Island Hospital Various records within our division date back to the turn of the century The neuropathology fellowship originated in the early 1970’s under the mentorship of Dr

Stanley Aronson, the former dean of the Brown University School of Medicine At that time, there were approximately six full-time neuropathologists working within the state of Rhode Island The fellowship has been ACGME approved since its origin In the past, the fellowship position was filled primarily by anatomic pathology, neurosurgery or neurology residents who wanted one year of additional neuropathology experience

Current fellowship applicants are individuals who have been previous trained in anatomic pathology, neurology or neurosurgery The American Board of Pathology now requires board eligibility in one of these three disciplines prior to obtaining board certification

in neuropathology

The Division of Neuropathology is physically located at Rhode Island Hospital The faculty includes three full-time neuropathologists There is also a full-time histotechnologist, devoted to doing the special stains required for studying the nervous system The

neuropathology laboratory includes space for the staff and fellows, as well as an assortment

of single and multi-headed microscope rooms Research electives are available in two NIH funded research laboratories with the neuropathology division (Drs Stopa ,de la Monte and Donahue)

The Neuropathology Division services all of the Brown affiliated hospitals, as well as all of the community hospital in Rhode Island, Southeastern Massachusetts and Western Connecticut In addition, we provide consultation services to the Medical Examiner’s Offices of Rhode Island and Iowa