Scheduling Methods for AP Residents, Off Service Residents and Medical Students
Surgical Pathology Sign-out
1) The schedule for the upcoming block, which includes staff who have already been
scheduled, is given to the chief resident prior to the block
2) The chief resident generally assigns the AP residents to two sign-out days each week
in the “major” pathology subspecialties (these include GI, GU, Gynecology, Breast,
Lung, etc).
3) For other, more “low volume” specialties (Soft tissue and bone, Cardiac, Kidney,
Lymph Node, etc) residents on these rotations are assigned to sign out every day of
the week (excluding Monday academic day).
4) The chief resident ensures that residents are assigned to all staff with equal
distribution amongst the staff within each specialty, although, at times it is difficult
with staff/resident vacation and availability,
Grossing
1) 1-2 residents are assigned to gross each day (Tuesday through Friday)
2) Prior to each block, the chief resident assigns residents to gross in the upcoming block
3) All residents who are going through specialties that include grossing (GI, gyne, Head
and Neck, etc.) will be assigned to gross a minimum of 1 day per week.
4)
5) The dedicated residents grossing bench is shared amongst the residents scheduled to
gross that day when more than one resident is scheduled
6) Extra PA benches can be utilized to gross when available
7) There is a procedure in place for Gross bench assignment for residents.
Intraoperative Consultation
1) 1-2 residents are assigned each day (Tuesday through Friday) to do frozen sections
with the staff pathologist between 8am and 4:30pm.
2) Prior to each block, the chief resident assigns residents for frozen section in the
upcoming block.
3) An even distribution amongst residents is generally the goal, however, junior
residents (PGY 2-3) typically receive more frozen section days than senior residents
(PGY4-5). This means that during an average block, a junior resident will typically
receive an average 3-4 frozen section days, while a senior resident will receive on
average 1-2.
4) Sometimes two residents may be assigned for a frozen section day, with the pairing
of a junior and senior resident.
5) Some of the reasons for this discrepancy in distribution include the relatively large
number of residents in relation to the number of available days for frozen section and
the nature of senior rotations (frequently off site and/or expected to sign out every day
of the week).
Autopsy
1) Residents complete 3 blocks of hospital autopsy at the Civic during their PGY-2 year
2) During these 3 blocks, the residents are scheduled to hospital autopsy every day of the
week (excluding Monday)
3) If no hospital autopsy is scheduled by Noon on that day, the resident is expected
contact the Forensic morgue at the General to find out if there are Forensic autopsy
cases that they can participate in.
4) If there are, they are expected to go to the General campus to do this. If not, they are
expected to gross and participate in frozen section at the Civic
Cytopathology
1) Residents complete 1 block of Cytopathology in PGY-3 and 3 blocks in PGY-4
2) The first 6 weeks of Cytopathology, the resident is scheduled every day (excluding
Monday) with the cytotechnologists for teaching, reading, and teaching slide case sets
3) The final 10 weeks, the resident is scheduled for cytology sign out every day
(excluding Monday) with cytology staff
4) The chief resident ensures that residents are assigned to all cytology staff with equal
distribution amongst the staff, although, difficult due to staff/resident vacation and
availability.
Off Service Residents
1) Off service residents from a number of areas rotate through AP throughout the year
2) Off Service residents come from Neuropathology, Radiation Oncology, Urology,
Hematopathology, GI (fellow) and Nephrology (fellow)
3) Neuropathology: The resident is scheduled for Neuropathology every day of the
week at the Civic and is supervised by the Neuropathologist on service each day
4) Hematopathology: These residents rotate through Lymph Node. They are scheduled
for lymph node every day of the week with whichever staff is on lymph node each
day
5) GI (fellow): The chief resident schedules the GI fellow for sign-out in conjunction
with the GI pathology section head (Dr. Marginean)
6) Nephrology (fellow): The chief resident schedules the Nephrology fellow for signout in conjunction with the Renal Pathology head (Dr. Robertson)
7) Radiation Oncology: The chief resident schedules the radiation oncology resident for
two surgical pathology sign-outs each week in any of the major subspecialties (GI,
Gyne, Lung, GU, etc.). The remaining two days are split between grossing and frozen
section (the rad onc resident shadows an AP resident for this)
8) Urology: The chief resident schedules the Urology resident for three GU sign-outs
each week, distributing amongst the GU staff equally. The remaining day is spent
shadowing the AP resident on GU in the gross room. If there is no AP resident
grossing, the Urology resident is instructed to shadow PAs grossing any GU
specimens that day.
Medical Students
1) The chief resident schedules the medical student for two surgical pathology sign-outs
each week in any of the major subspecialties (GI, Gyne, Lung, GU, etc.).
2) The remaining two days are split between grossing and frozen section (the student
shadows an AP resident for this)