Pathology Residency & Fellowships

 

Thanks for your interest in our Pathology Residency Program. Our chair, James M. Musser MD, PhD, and I invite you to review our program’s video to learn about the program structure from the following pages. 

 

Our residency program is accredited by the ACGME for 20 trainees, and we usually recruit 5 trainees annually. We have 13 fellowships, 12 that are accredited by the ACGME and the 13^th, in Clinical Chemistry, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Clinical Chemistry. Houston Methodist Hospital is affiliated with Texas A&M College of Medicine and serves as a training site for MS3 and MS4 medical students. In addition, Houston Methodist Hospital houses a new medical school program, also with Texas A&M, in Engineering Medicine. The medical students from both programs may rotate in our Department, and our trainees have the opportunity to interact with and teach these students.

 

Recruitment is a special time for us, and we look forward to meeting you! The majority of our rotations occur within Houston Methodist Hospital. Houston Methodist Hospital is ranked in the Top 20 Hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Reports, is ranked in 10 specialties, and is consistently ranked the number one hospital in Texas. Houston Methodist Hospital is an adult hospital without pediatric services. We were the first department of pathology in the United States to be approved to transfuse convalescent plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 to acutely ill patients hospitalized with active COVID-19 infection. Our department has supported diagnostic testing for COVID-19 for our entire seven-hospital system, which encompassed 17-40% of all hospital positive COVID-19 cases in Houston. Our clinical pathology services (blood banking/transfusion medicine, hematopathology, microbiology, and clinical laboratory services, including molecular diagnostics) and anatomic pathology services (surgical pathology and subspecialties, cytopathology and autopsy service) are second to none. The residency program provides two daily conferences, at 8 am and noon. Our Friday morning didactic anatomic pathology conference is broadcast throughout the Texas Medical Center and to another institution outside of the state of Texas. Our Monday morning unknown conference can be viewed digitally through RecutClub.com. We welcome your participation and review of our unknown cases!

 

Our program offers a Resident Research Track that is tailored to each candidate’s skills, interests, and expertise. An additional application form (beyond ERAS) is required.

 

The residency program is structured to meet the needs of each individual in the context of requirements by the ACGME for training and the American Board of Pathology for certification. Anatomic and Clinical Pathology rotations are mixed throughout the years of training, and interested candidates may enter training in AP/CP, AP/NP, AP only, or CP-only tracks. Interest in the CP-only track should be declared, as there is a separate matching program for that track. The other options are contained in the general match. Outside required rotations are at the Harris County Institute for Forensic Sciences, and pediatric pathology at University of Texas – Houston, Hermann Children’s Hospital, as well as two required rotations (PGY3 and PGY4) at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Autopsy and Surgical Pathology. The program is structured to develop graduated responsibility in all areas of Pathology. Residents participate in leadership and management activities in the department, and are critical elements in the preparation for CAP Accreditation of the laboratories. A myriad of other elective opportunities are available. We create a supportive educational setting that provides for individual growth and development for all. Our residents are involved in hospital committees, GME committees, and volunteer activities sponsored by the hospital system and we encourage their participation in committee activities in organized pathology when possible. We look forward to hearing from you, and we welcome any questions you may have regarding any of our programs.

 

Please feel free to contact me with any questions about our program.

 

Houston Methodist Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine Residency and Fellowship Programs from Houston Methodist on Vimeo.

 

The Houston Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center stood out while searching for a pathology residency. Its world-renowned reputation for cutting-edge medical research, innovative technologies, and diverse patient population offers invaluable opportunities for clinical training and professional growth. Within our program, there is a truly unique and comprehensive teaching experience in both anatomic and clinical pathology, providing residents with hands-on training, mentorship, and exposure to a wide range of pathology subspecialties. Amidst this journey, I cherish the time spent with my co-residents, who make the experience fun and meaningful. Beyond medicine, I love Houston for its vibrant culture, diverse communities, and boundless prospects for personal and professional advancement.

 

Haneen Salah, MBBS

Chief Resident

Resident Physician, PGY-4

htsalah@houstonmethodist.org

Navigating the residency interview process can be just as exciting and stimulating as it is anxiety-inducing and taxing. Choosing where to invest the next several years of your life is no small feat! For me, finding a program with a diverse case load and a supportive, tight-knit community was paramount. Houston Methodist has not only met but exceeded my expectations in both regards. The breadth and complexity of cases both here and at the specialized rotations across the Texas Medical Center, coupled with daily didactics and guidance from world-renowned faculty, has been enriching beyond measure. As a Houston native, I anticipated that returning to my city where I could be near my family and lifelong friends would be a priceless experience. However, I could not have even imagined just how much I would enjoy coming to work each day to interact with the amazing residents and fellows that have represented my home away from my literal home/apartment. All-in-all, I'm confident that the skills and connections fostered here will prepare me for any path my career may take in the future.

 

Shandice Waugh, MD

Chief Resident

Resident Physician, PGY-3

sbwaugh@houstonmethodist.org

Houston Methodist is a fantastic place to do additional training in both anatomic and clinical pathology fellowships. We have a collaborative group of fellows, and we are exposed to a wide variety of surgical cases, laboratory management opportunities, and research projects. We have amazing faculty who help guide and educate you along the way. During my fellowship in clinical informatics, I was able to help program and evaluate tools in the realms of clinical microbiology, transfusion medicine, anatomic pathology, and hematopathology as well as take part in the transition to digital pathology. I was also able to write a microgrant and my informatics faculty helped sponsor and fine tune my research project. Every day, I love what I do and know I made the right decision in choosing Houston Methodist.

 

John Rogers, MD

Chief Fellow

Hematopathology and Clinical Informatics Fellow, PGY-6

jtrogers@houstonmethodist.org