Why Choose the University of Washington?

Residency Training Program

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Why Choose

University of Washington

Pathology Residency Training Program?

40 Years of Training Excellence! The first “official” residency class began in 1959. Since then we have trained more than 360 professionals to lead the field in clinical practice and research in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology across the United States and around the world in Australia, Taiwan, Germany, and Canada. Our program has participated in the National Residency Matching Program since 1972, recruiting top candidates to participate in our competitive training curriculum.

More than 35 nationally-respected faculty bring a broad approach to the study of Pathology, including subspecialty expertise in all of the human tissues and systems, aging and cytogenetics, blood banking, cancer and environmental pathology, clinical chemistry, coagulation, comparative pathology, computerized systems, forensics, image analysis, inflammation, molecular diagnostics, pediatrics and perinatal, ultrastructure, virology, surgical and autopsy pathology.

Flexible training program to address the diverse needs of our residents. Based on a four year combined program, residents learn a solid core of basic knowledge as well as tailor elective time to meet their specific subspecialty interests in basic or applied research. If you want to study only Anatomic or Clinical Pathology, the basic two-year track is supplemented with a third year of additional studies. A fifth year of required training is available for American Board of Pathology certification.

Clinical training in the world-renowned hospital facilities affiliated with the University of Washington including the University of Washington Medical Center, Harborview Medical Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, and Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center. Rotations are also electively provided at the King County Medical Examiner’s Office and Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane. A total of over 2,000 beds provides 1,600 autopsies (including 900 forensic cases) and 55,000 surgical and 75,000 cytology specimens each year. More than 5.5 million clinical laboratory tests are done each year.

Part of the University of Washington School of Medicine, which U.S. News and World Report has rated as the #1 primary-care medical school in the country. The UWMC and many of its clinical services are among the top 10 in the country. The University is third in federal research funding after Harvard and Johns Hopkins. It receives the most funding for a public institution. Within the UW School of Medicine, the Department of Pathology is second largest recipient of federal funds after the Department of Medicine, and receives more NIH dollars than any other Pathology Department in the country..

Abundant opportunities for advanced study in clinical, basic science and experimental pathology. Clinical fellowships include clinical chemistry, forensics, gastrointestinal pathology, hematology, immunocytochemistry, microbiology, neuropathology, renal pathology, surgical pathology, and virology. Research fellowships are available under training grants in aging, carcinogenesis, vascular biology, arteriosclerosis, and environmental pathology.

Seattle, a metropolitan center of 2.8 million people, is thriving as the hub of the Pacific Northwest and a key center for Pacific Rim international trade. And it has benefited from this geographic advantage, experiencing exceptional economic growth for more than the past five years. Our numbers look great with a current unemployment rate of 3.1% and an anticipated overall occupational growth rate of 24%. It is beautifully situated on the shores of Puget Sound and Lakes Washington and Union between the coastal Olympic Mountain range and the Cascades. Recreational opportunities are limitless with boating, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, cycling, camping, hunting, skiing and snowboarding all within an hour’s drive of the University. For those in pursuit of cultural entertainment, Seattle hosts major musical performers from pop to hip-hop and theatrical productions from community theater to Broadway; supports its own ballet, symphony and opera companies; celebrates its cultural diversity with the summer-long Seafair Neighborhood Festivals; dazzles the eye with classical, Northwest Native and Asian art collections; and boasts a reputation of being one of the most well-read cities with record per capita book sales and many nationally-known authors in residence. For the sports fans there are professional football, baseball, basketball and semi-pro hockey teams, as well as Pac-10 favorite UW Huskies! All of this in a temperate climate that averages 60-75º and only 36 inches of rain - less than New York, Atlanta or Boston.

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