S
Curriculum Expectations`
F
Fellows are expected to participate in all
weekly conferences and other service-related
activities. Fellows are expected to play an
instrumental role in the autopsy service and are
responsible for reviewing the clinical record
and removing the brain and other relevant
tissue specimens. In addition, they are
responsible for reviewing relevant clinical
pathological and molecular studies related to
the case. Fellows are expected to assist in all
frozen sections diagnoses, nerve and muscle
biopsies, and final surgical diagnoses. A
minimum of 12 months must be devoted to
clinical service activities. Fellows are
encouraged to devote 3-12 months pursuing an
independent research project in basic or
translational neuroscience, and to publish their
findings in a peer reviewed journal.
Fellows are employees of the Rhode Island
Hospital and are appointed with renewable oneyear contracts approved by the Graduate
Medical Education Committee at Rhode Island
Hospital. Stipends are commensurate with the
year of postgraduate training, four weeks of
paid vacation plus approximately 10 holidays,
malpractice insurance, and reduced rates for
health insurance. Some moneys are available
for travel expenses, book purchase, and
meeting/course registration.
T
R
EACHING
O
ELLOWS
ALARY AND
B
ENEFITS
Fellows will have ready access to the Program
Director, as well as to the technical and clerical
staff within the Neuropathology Division.

NEUROPATHOLOGY
FELLOWSHIP
PROGRAM
2014-2016
PPORTUNITIES AND
ESPONSIBILITIES
Neuropathology is a division within the
Department of Pathology. Its primary concern
is the teaching of diagnostic neuropathology to
the Neuropathology Fellows and Pathology
Residents utilizing clinical pathological
correlation, as well as a variety of molecular,
histological, and immunologic techniques.
Division of Neuropathology
Director: Edward G. Stopa, M.D.
Department of Pathology
Rhode Island Hospital
593 Eddy Street
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 444-5155
Email: Edward_Stopa@Brown.edu
BROWN Medical
School / LIFESPAN
ACADEMIC MEDICAL
CENTER
GOALS
To train career neuropathologists in clinical
diagnostic skills through the use of gross,
microscopic and ultrastructural analyses of
tissue samples obtained within a hospital
setting which offers a diverse and steady case
mix and excellent support services.
To provide research skills by exposure to
techniques and methodology, which will enable
the trainee to qualify, enter, and contribute in
research fields or academic medicine.
To encourage dialogue, independent
investigation, and interdisciplinary cooperation
with other members of the Pathology
Department, The Department of Clinical
Neurosciences and various basic science
departments with the medical school
Supervision
In accordance with hospital guidelines, an
attending pathologist with the appropriate
hospital privileges must make all autopsy and
surgical final diagnoses. Fellows are expected
to participate in this process by organizing
autopsy and surgical case material, rendering a
preliminary pathological diagnosis, and signing
out final diagnoses under the supervision of a
member of the neuropathology staff. The
attending staff works closely with the fellows
and is readily available to make
recommendations and answer questions.
GENERAL OVERVIEW
Background: Neuropathology, one of the
oldest medical subspecialties, emerged as a
profession during the 19th century. Since then,
many distinguished individuals in the fields of
neurology and psychiatry have been practicing
neuropathologists including: Freud, Alzheimer,
Charcot and Kraeplin. Neuropathology is
primarily an academic discipline, aimed at
understanding the pathological reactions of all
parts of the central and peripheral nervous
systems at both the gross and microscopic
levels. In addition, neuropathologists serve as
valuable consultants to other clinicians who are
involved in the treatment of patients with brain
tumors, neuromuscular disorders, infections
and degenerative diseases.
Fellowship Description: Drs. Stopa, de la
Monte and Donahue represent the third
generation of neuropathologists at Rhode Island
Hospital. Various records within our division
date back to the turn of the century. The
neuropathology fellowship originated in the
early 1970’s under the mentorship of Dr.
Stanley Aronson, the former dean of the Brown
University School of Medicine. At that time,
there were approximately six full-time
neuropathologists working within the state of
Rhode Island. The fellowship has been
ACGME approved since its origin. In the past,
the fellowship position was filled primarily by
anatomic pathology, neurosurgery or neurology
residents who wanted one year of additional
neuropathology experience.
Current fellowship applicants are individuals
who have been previous trained in anatomic
pathology, neurology or neurosurgery. The
American Board of Pathology now requires
board eligibility in one of these three
disciplines prior to obtaining board certification
in neuropathology.
PROGRAM BASE
The Division of Neuropathology is physically
located at Rhode Island Hospital. The faculty
includes three full-time neuropathologists.
There is also a full-time histotechnologist,
devoted to doing the special stains required for
studying the nervous system. The
neuropathology laboratory includes space for
the staff and fellows, as well as an assortment
of single and multi-headed microscope rooms.
Research electives are available in two NIH
funded research laboratories with the
neuropathology division (Drs. Stopa ,de la
Monte and Donahue).
The Neuropathology Division services all of
the Brown affiliated hospitals, as well as all of
the community hospital in Rhode Island,
Southeastern Massachusetts and Western
Connecticut. In addition, we provide
consultation services to the Medical
Examiner’s Offices of Rhode Island and Iowa.