Message from the Chairman
Welcome to the Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Florida. This department has a rich tradition of excellence in clinical medicine, education, and research. Our 65 faculty members practice and teach at two hospitals, Shands at the University of Florida and the immediately adjacent Malcom Randall Veterans Administration Hospital, and help staff the Florida District 8 Medical Examiners Office. Shands is a 606-bed facility that is the tertiary referral center for North Central Florida and Southern Georgia, including serving as a major transplant center, a ‘Trauma One’ center, and the only pediatric inpatient facility for North Central Florida. The Malcom Randall VA Hospital is the central part of the North Florida South Georgia VA Health System, and is a 273-bed hospital that is one of the busiest in the entire Veterans Health Administration.
The Department of Pathology has four divisions: Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, Experimental Pathology, and our Diagnostic Reference Laboratory. Our pathology residency program is a vibrant part of the department. We have approximately 18 Pathology residents and fellows, who play a key role in our patient care, education, and research missions. To this are added department graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and staff, totaling some 200 people in the department. This website provides an overview of the Department, with links to information about faculty, programs, core facilities, and our institution, as well as information about how to apply to our outstanding residency program or clinical fellowships.
The word “Pathology” specifically means “the study of suffering”, but more broadly refers to a specialty that focuses on understanding disease for the purposes of patient care and basic research. A pathologist can move seamlessly between the clinical practice realm and scholarly work, since the intellectual endeavor is identical: to grapple with the mechanisms and manifestations of human disease. This specialty is tremendously rewarding, and our practice affects virtually all patients in the health system.
Our clinical practice comes in two broad categories. In Anatomic Pathology (AP), macroscopic and microscopic examination of tissues is performed, linked with molecular analyses by morphologic methods. In Laboratory Medicine (Clinical Pathology, CP), patient care is delivered through chemical or molecular analyses, microbiology, blood banking, tissue typing, and other laboratory methods. Training is generally linked (AP/CP) in a 4 year program, but single training in AP or CP can be accomplished in 3 years. Accredited subspecialty training is available in our department in Cytopathology, Hematopathology, Neuropathology, and Dermatopathology; fellowships also are available in Surgical Pathology and Gastrointestinal & Liver Pathology. Our department has exceptional strength in these areas, as well as in other subspecialty areas such as bone & soft tissue pathology, gynecologic, pediatric, lung, heart, head & neck, transplantation, and forensic pathology. The Diagnostic Reference Laboratory is an outreach reference laboratory, providing additional expertise in Molecular Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Toxicology, over-and-above our outstanding Anatomic Pathology consultation services. With over $8 million of extramural research grant support, our department has particular strength in the fields of autoimmunity, genetics, diabetes, AIDS, stem cell & regenerative medicine, cell signaling, and epithelial biology. Residents benefit from the balanced strength of our four divisions, and gain broad experience at one of the most complete medical centers in the country.
The University of Florida is a vibrant academic community, with the 6 Colleges of the Health Science Center (Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Health Professions, and Veterinary Medicine), and 18 additional Colleges of the immediately adjacent main University campus. Major centers include the Cancer Center, the Genetics Institute, the Institute for Aging, and the McKnight Brain Institute. Collaborative opportunities abound within the Health Science Center and with the main campus.
The University of Florida campus is located in beautiful north central Florida, amidst gently rolling hills and prairies and with a most agreeable climate. We are within close proximity of the pristine beaches of the Atlantic coast and the fishing villages of the Gulf of Mexico. Gainesville is a vibrant community with numerous and highly accessible cultural, recreational, and athletic activities, with affordable living options ranging from lovely communities within walking distance of campus to rural options within a reasonable commuting distance.
The integration of the Residency program into the daily life of the department provides for an outstanding training experience. We are united by our commitment to patient care, education, and research. It is our pleasure to welcome you to our Department.
Professor and Chairman
