Message from Vice Chair- Suzanne Z. Powell, MD

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 13th, 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.

Vice-Chair for Education,

Dr. Suzanne Z. Powell

Message from Chief Resident- Katie DiScipio, MD, PhD

Choosing the right residency program can feel like a daunting task. Personally, I was interested in finding a place with a strong and balanced anatomic and clinical pathology training, diverse and complex case material, and a supportive community and training environment.  I can say that Houston Methodist has offered me an outstanding training experience meeting all these criteria and more.  Being at the heart of the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world, provides residents with unmatched exposure to a high-volume diverse patient population with a wide spectrum of rarity and complexity, world-class faculty and experts in their fields, and cutting-edge research.  From day one of my training, I felt welcomed into a close-knit family where faculty and residents genuinely support each other—not just professionally, but personally too. I must also mention that Houston has been an incredible place to live (and this comes from a native New Englander who hates the heat and humidity).  It is one of the most vibrant and diverse cities in the country with something for everyone from delicious food, wonderful parks and museums, and an exciting sports scene. I have no regrets about my decision to choose Houston Methodist, and I truly believe our program equips our trainees to become confident, well-rounded pathologists ready to thrive and lead in any setting.

Katie DiScipio, MD, PhD

Chief Resident, PGY-3

kadiscipio@houstonmethodist.org

Message from Chief Resident- Keri Janowiak, MD

While applying and interviewing for pathology residency positions, my main focus was finding a program where the learning environment was equally challenging and supportive.  I found exactly what I was looking for at Houston Methodist.  Over the last few years, I've experienced rigorous training in both anatomic and clinical pathology, and I've especially appreciated our early and ongoing exposure to a wide range of AP and CP subspecialties.  We have a curriculum that blends daily didactics with hands-on diagnostic experience, and our location within the world-renowned Texas Medical Center ensures that we encounter diverse and complex cases throughout our training.  But what really makes this program special to me now is the people.  My co-residents and I learn together, celebrate each other’s successes, and support each other through all the challenges of residency.  I have incredible faculty mentors who  have helped me figure out my career goals, select a subspecialty, and secure my top-choice fellowship position.  Many of our faculty have also helped residents discover and pursue interests in research, education, advocacy, and pathology leadership positions.  From day one, our residents work side-by-side with faculty who are not only leading experts in their fields, but are also approachable and committed to teaching the next generation of pathologists.  Graduates of the Houston Methodist pathology residency program are prepared for careers in any subspecialty and any practice setting; we also leave with lifelong friendships, professional networks, and the confidence that comes from training in a program where our growth truly matters.

Keri Janowiak, MD

Chief Resident, PGY-4

kajanowiak@houstonmethodist.org

How to Apply

For residency applications: Graduates of Texas Medical Board (TMB)-approved medical schools, including international schools, seeking their first postdoctoral appointment are selected through the National Residency Matching Program (NRMP). All candidates must be eligible for a TMB physician-in-training permit. Applications will be accepted via ERAS through December 31st of the previous academic year, and all necessary documentation must be received by that date.

ERAS link for qualified applicants: www.aamc.org

For fellowship applications: Fellowship candidates may apply directly with the Department. Below are our fellowship applications available for download. For fellowship candidates, you are welcome to use either one of the application forms.

• Application for Non-Match, Transfer Applicant, or Fellowship Applicant (.pdf)
• Standardized Application for Pathology Fellowships (.pdf) 

Drug and Tobacco Screening

Job seekers will be tested for nicotine and drug usage during the post-offer physical.

If a job seeker tests positive for nicotine use, including nicotine gum and patches, the offer will be rescinded, and individuals will be given the opportunity to participate in a free Houston Methodist-provided tobacco cessation program. Job seekers wishing to reapply after testing positive for nicotine may do so 90 days after the date the initial offer was rescinded.

If the job seeker tests positive for drug use, the offer will be rescinded. Job seekers wishing to reapply after the drug screening is positive may do so one year after the date the initial offer was rescinded.

Background Check

Prior to employment start date, job seekers must complete a criminal background check.

Houston Methodist trainees have completed fellowships in hematopathology, blood banking/transfusion medicine, HLA, cytology, surgical pathology, gastrointestinal pathology, genitourinary pathology, neuropathology, molecular genetic pathology, dermatopathology, bone and soft tissue pathology, oncologic surgical pathology, ophthalmic pathology, and pediatric pathology at the following institutions:

• Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles
• Emory University
• Houston Methodist Hospital
• MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City
• Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City
• Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine
• University of California, San Francisco
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
• University of Texas at Houston
• University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
• Washington University

Houston Methodist trainees are now practicing in the following locations:

• Emory University
• Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences
• Henry Ford Medical Center
• MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Northshore LIJ/Hofstra Health System
• Northwestern University, Chicago
• Temple University
• Ohio State University
• Tulane University
• Université de Montréal
• University of Arkansas
• University of California, Davis
• University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville
• University of Kentucky
• University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
• University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio
• Vanderbilt University
• Austin (private practice)
• Dallas (private practice)
• Houston (private practice)
• Phoenix (private practice)
• San Antonio (private practice)