Breast Pathology Fellowship

The Breast Pathology Fellowship offers advanced training in neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases of the breast. The fellow will participate in daily signout of in-house cases and consultation material. The volume of the internal cases and consultation cases is growing. On the Breast service there are over 10,500 surgical breast specimens, of which approximately 6,500 are breast biopsies. Approximately 3,000 hormone receptor and HER2 tests are interpreted by the Breast team each year for patients with primary or metastatic breast cancer. On the consultation services, the fellow will see a combination of true consults from the Cleveland Clinic Laboratories reference clients as well as outside cases to be reviewed prior to a patient’s treatment at the Cleveland Clinic. Both types of outside cases provide a more advanced experience for the fellow. The true consults are cases that other pathologists have selected as being diagnostically challenging and requiring consultation at Cleveland Clinic. There will be opportunities to participate in resident education, provide oversight for the grossing of complex cases, and interpret frozen sections. In addition to histopathology, the role of ancillary testing including immunohistochemistry and molecular testing will be emphasized. The fellow will prepare and present cases in weekly tumor boards and is expected to develop clinical translational research projects for presentations at meetings and publication.

Duration:

• One fellowship position with a one-year duration (i.e., starting July 1 through the following June 30).

Responsibilities:

• Diagnostic training, including histologic review and reporting of gynecologic biopsies and resection material.
• Initial review of referral and consultation cases.
• Gross room supervision of residents and pathology assistants.
• Multidisciplinary tumor board presentations with attending supervision.
• A well-defined clinical/translational research project is highly recommended.

Requirements:

• Candidates must be from an ACGME-accredited combined Anatomic/Clinical Pathology or Anatomic Pathology residency training program and board-eligible or board-certified by the American Board of Pathology.

Types and Numbers of Appointments:

• One position is available per academic year: 
• 2024-2025 - Position filled
• 2025-2026 - Position filled
• 2026-2027 - Position available

Stipends:

• Commensurate with the level of training; current information is available at the Cleveland Clinic GME Website.

Applications:

• Download the application here.

The Cleveland Clinic Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute is seeking candidates for Breast Pathology Fellowship for the 2026-2027 academic year. Cleveland Clinic offers an immersive fellowship training experience with an emphasis to a multidisciplinary approach to disease. Fellows will present in weekly GME accredited multidisciplinary tumor boards, participate in translational research, interpretation of surgical biopsy and resections specimens, FISH for HER2 interpretation and second opinion consults.

The main goal of the program is for the fellow to achieve diagnostic excellence. Cleveland Clinic accessions approximately 200,000 surgical specimens a year, including approximately 10,000 breast specimens, and 3,000 breast biomarkers. Our consult service is also very active with approximately 600 cases per year. Cleveland Clinic has a robust accredited AP/CP resident training program, for which the fellow will have the opportunity to actively engage in resident education. Additionally, protected research time is allotted for the fellow to pursue their specific interest in breast pathology research. Fellows are encouraged to participate in on-going translational research with any of the over 70 anatomic pathologists on the professional staff. Of note, although the fellow will participate in frozen section review for learning purposes, there is no call requirement.

A cover letter stating anticipated date of matriculation, curriculum vitae, Cleveland Clinic fellowship application and three letters of recommendation (electronic copies of all documentation are preferred) should be submitted two years in advance (i.e., by July 31, 2024 for the academic year beginning July 1, 2026) to the Program Director.  Applicants will be interviewed on a rolling basis and acceptance to the position will be offered in a similar manner.  Early applications are encouraged.

Website: Fellowship Training Programs

Contacts:

Program Director
Andrew Sciallis, MD
Cleveland Clinic
Department of Pathology
9500 Euclid Avenue, Mail Code: L25
Cleveland, OH 44195
Phone: 216.444.8238
Email: scialla@ccf.org

Associate Program Director
Sherin Hashem, MD, PhD
Phone: 216.442.8112
Email: hashems@ccf.org

Program Coordinator
Darlene Straub
Center for Pathology Education
Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute
Cleveland Clinic
9500 Euclid Avenue, L-13
Cleveland, OH 44195
Phone: 216.217.0596
Fax: 216.444.6715
Email: straubd@ccf.org