Resident Manual

Anatomic Pathology

Guidelines for Combined Autopsy/Cytology Months

• During the combined autopsy/cytology months, if there are two junior residents on, they will take alternate autopsies. If performing an autopsy, the resident has no cytology responsibilities on that day. If not performing a postmortem, the resident should preview the cytology cases in the morning and attend the cytology sign-out in the early afternoon. After sign-out, the afternoon hours may be spent on completion of autopsies (writing up histories, gross descriptions, slide review, microscopic descriptions, and CPCs), doing the recommended reading for cytology, preparing for conferences, etc.

• The first block of Cytopathology is gynecologic cytopathology.  The schedule and assignments as indicated in the Cytopathology section of this handbook should be followed. Residents doing the combined autopsy/cytology rotation should pace themselves to cover this material in 1 – 2 months.

• The second block of Cytopathology training covers respiratory, urine, gastrointestinal, and CSF cytology and effusions. Residents doing the combined autopsy/cytology rotation should pace themselves to cover this material in 1 - 2 months.

• The third block of Cytopathology training covers fine needle aspiration cytology. Residents doing the combined autopsy/cytology rotation should pace themselves to cover this material in 1 – 2 months. Residents should attend and perform as many fine needle aspirations as possible during this time. (Residents may participate in the FNA service during the first 2 blocks of cytopathology training if they can also complete the required reading and slide review for that block.)

• Additional time on autopsy/cytology after these goals have been accomplished may be used for further study in Gyn, fluid, and FNA cytology.

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