• Strong AP and CP training with “hands on” approach—residents are involved in all calls and cases in the department.
• Weekly conferences specifically for resident training, but not an overly burdensome conference schedule.
• Numerous opportunities and strong support for research including departmental funding for meeting/travel expenses to state, regional, and national meetings where a research project has been accepted for presentation by the resident.
• A steady but not overwhelming work load with adequate case representation, but ample time for independent case review and reading.
• “Three day” surgical pathology sign-out schedule that allows residents to independently review their cases and formulate a diagnosis prior to signing them out with the attending pathologist
• Multi-headed teaching microscopes at multiple locations throughout the department.
• Intradepartmental library with extensive collection of up-to-date texts in all subspecialty areas of pathology
• Excellent support staff which minimizes “scut work”
• Medical student teaching opportunities including weekly “small group” sessions during the second year pathology course.
• Exposure to academic and community type practice settings during rotations at four different hospitals within the University of South Alabama health care system.
• Opportunities for rotations at outside institutions such as the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C.
• Shared autopsy suite with the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences allows continuous “hands on” exposure to forensic pathology.  All medical examiners have a faculty appointment in the Department of Pathology.
• Dieners assist with all autopsies.
• Each resident has his/her own cubicle within the main department with a high quality Olympus microscope.
• Resident computer room with scanner, rewriteable CD burner, compact flash scan disc “Image Mate,” color printer, and computer support personnel.
• Access to digital camera; each resident receives a Compact Flash Card.
• Access to full time photography/graphics specialist employed by the pathology department for assistance with presentations and publications.
• First year residents receive a personal library of basic anatomic and clinical pathology texts.
• Palm Pilot purchased for each resident.
• Pathology organization dues paid by department.
• Alabama medical license application and renewal fees paid by the department.

Monthly Rotations

The residency program is divided into monthly rotations; however, the program provides ongoing exposure to all major areas in pathology.  The residents rotate frequently between anatomic and clinical rotations, and, when applicable, are encouraged to correlate between disciplines.  Each resident is expected to attend conferences on various anatomic and clinical pathology topics each week to maintain and improve skills.

While the first year of residency is more heavily weighted toward the anatomic pathology disciplines, a combination of anatomic and clinical pathology rotations is assigned during each year of residency training.

Lecture and Educational Conferences
          
Autopsy Organ Review –  Mondays
Clinical Call Conference – Mondays
Surgical Pathology Conference – 3 – 4 days per month
Cytopathology Conference – 1 day per month
Board Review Conference – 1 day per month          
Forensic Pathology Conference – 1 day per month
Clinical Pathology Conference – 3 days per month
Dermatopathology Conference – 2 days per month
Neuropathology Conference – 2 days per month
Pathology Grand Rounds – 2 days per month
Journal Club – 1 day per month
Interdisciplinary Conferences – 5 to 6 per month

Work Hours

Residents are on duty on their various rotations from 7:30 – 8:00 a.m. until 5:00   p.m. during the work week.

Call Schedule
           
There is no in-house call for pathology.  Residents take beeper call for a one week interval.  Week night beeper call is from 5:00 p.m. until 7: 30 a.m.  Weekend beeper call is from 5:00 p.m. on Friday until 7:30 a.m. the following Monday.  Residents always have faculty back-up while on call.  The frequency of call is approximately one week in tweleve.

Salary/Benefits*

Stipend
PGY –I             $41,103
PGY-II             $42,647
PGY-III            $44, 734
PGY-IV            $46,562

*Stipends for 06/07

Benefits

       - Life Insurance at no cost
       - Shared cost health care plan for resident and family
       - Professional liability coverage
       - Disability insurance at no cost
       - Free parking at USA hospitals and clinics
       - 25% off all meals
       - 4 weeks paid vacation per year
       - 3 lab coats at beginning of intern year, then 1 lab coat each additional year
       - 10% USA Bookstore discount on books and supplies
       - Free membership in ACP during PGY-I
       - Tuition reimbursement for self and family members on college courses
       - Free use of recreational facilities
       - Discounts n USA athletic events and musical productions
       - Moving allowance - $2.00 per mile up to $1,200.00

Residency Accreditation

Our Pathology residency program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).