General Surgical Pathology Fellowship
The Department of Pathology offers a one year Advanced Specialty Training Program (ASTP) position in General Surgical Pathology and a designated selective subspecialty. Fellows will have focused training in one of the following subspecialty areas of their choosing: Head and Neck Pathology, Thoracic Pathology, or Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology. In addition, half of the year will be flexibly designed to encompass other areas of surgical pathology depending on the fellow’s needs.
General surgical pathology training is provided in the areas of gastrointestinal/liver pathology, genitourinary pathology, gynecologic pathology, breast pathology, cytopathology, and molecular pathology. The program also provides opportunities for translational research and medical students/resident teaching. This position is for a non-tenure eligible junior faculty position with the rank of Instructor.
Recruitment
We are accepting applications for the 2025-26 academic year.
Fellowship applications are closed for the 2026-27 academic year.
Program Director
Professor, Pathology (Soft Tissue Pathology), Pathology (Head and Neck Pathology)
Program Faculty
Education & Research
This program is designed to provide comprehensive advanced training in a complex subspecialty field and experience in general surgical pathology. The fellowship includes extensive training in immunohistochemistry and specialized techniques in cytogenetics and molecular pathology.
Fellows may select one of three selective subspecialties as their primary focus:
- Head and Neck Pathology
- Thoracic Pathology
- Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology
Fellows may select one of three selective subspecialties as their primary focus: Head and Neck Pathology, Thoracic Pathology, or Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology. The remaining fellowship year is designated for generalized experience throughout other specialties in surgical pathology and intraoperative consultations. Northwestern Memorial Hospital receives a large volume of both in-house primary cases, in-system consultations, and out-of-system consultations that provide our fellows with ample opportunity to see complex and rare diagnoses.
The Pathology department plays an integral part in the Feinberg School of Medicine including teaching opportunities for M1 and M2 student for the interested fellow. Translational research opportunities in head and neck, thoracic, and bone and soft tissue pathology are available.
Clinical Experience
About Northwestern Memorial Hospital
The Department of Pathology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital is one of the largest referral centers in the Midwest. The main hospital acts at the central hub for many hospitals in the communities around the city of Chicago. The main hospital accessions more than 55,000 in-house and 4,000 consultation surgical cases per year, with a significant volume in all surgical pathology subspecialties.
Training Time
Fellows will receive dedicated training time in both general surgical pathology and their selective subspecialty interspersed throughout the year:
- General Surgical Pathology: 20-24 weeks, allocated amongst rotations outside of the selective subspecialty
- Selective Subspecialty Pathology: 24-28 weeks
- Frozen sections: 4 weeks
The fellows sign out one-on-one with individual subspecialty faculty on a weekly basis and take part in sign outs with residents during resident sign out days. The fellows are trained to preview and work up both in-house and consult cases, make decisions regarding performance and interpretation of ancillary molecular testing, and write insightful and accurate reports. Additional responsibilities include resident teaching at the microscope and in the gross room as needed.
After a period of 4-6 months, the fellow may be proctored for primary sign out in their chosen subspecialty. While on frozen sections, the fellow learns with the primary attending at the scope for the first 3 weeks, and then is on as the primary frozen section attending for the final week. There is no AP call requirement for this fellowship.
Finally, the fellow is expected to participate in multidisciplinary tumor boards in their chosen subspecialty. Tumor boards occur once per week for head and neck oncology, once per week for soft tissue and orthopedic oncology, and twice per week for thoracic oncology and interstitial lung disease.
Requirements
Stipend
The stipend is commensurate with the below PGY designations based on the trainee's experience.
- PGY1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $67,105
- PGY2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $69,752
- PGY3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $72,102
- PGY4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $76,174
- PGY5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $79,252
- PGY6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $81,707
- PGY7+. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $84,878
Application Process
Submit the following documents via email to the Program Coordinator at surgpathfellowship@northwestern.edu
- Personal Statement
- Current CV
- Three letters of recommendation
- ASTP Application
This fellowship is participating in the unified approach and common timeline for subspecialty fellowship recruitment, endorsed by the Association of Pathology Chairs.
Find more fellowship application resources from the Association for Academic Pathology.
Why Northwestern?
Training at Northwestern University provides diverse and challenging clinical experiences and world-class education located in the heart of the beautiful city of Chicago. Learn more via the videos below.