Pathology Residency Virtual Open House is a Big Success

More than 350 prospective trainees in the field of pathology and laboratory medicine learned more about the residency program at the University of Miami/Jackson Health System (JHS) during the virtual open house held October 6. Andre Pinto, M.D., associate professor and director of the Residency Program, kicked off the online event. “We are very excited to have this tremendous response from trainees all around the world.”

UM/Jackson Pathology Open House

Having no in-person visits for the second year might seem to be a detriment to recruiting excellent trainees, but it is testimony that the new trainees that just joined the program in July clearly represent the best of the best. The open house provided not only highlights of the program including training goals and schedules, but also views of the facilities and opportunities to meet and hear from faculty and other residents with the goal of helping these enterprising students make an informed decision.

Merce Jorda, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., professor and chair of pathology, provided a very warm welcome and reminded the students of the important role that pathology and laboratory medicine play in the treatment ores the patient. She related that more than 70% of medical decisions are based on laboratory data and pathology results. “Pathology drives the health system to understand, diagnose, and treat disease,” she added.

Personal testimonies about the success of the program were given by Carmen Gomez, M.D., vice chair of education and graduate mentorship, and Jennifer Chapman, M.D., director of hematopathology, as they are both alumni of the medical school and pathology training programs. Dr. Gomez said, “I believe in what we bring to our trainees. We have a very strong education division and a culture of respect and inclusion. Our trainees have gone on to have impactful careers.”

The department’s robust program was also highlighted by Dr. Pinto who trained here and left for a fellowship but returned to start his academic career. The department’s program is unique because of the quality of cases that are available. This stems from the diverse patient population seen at Jackson Health System, the array of patients treated at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the patients that come to Miami from around the world for the specialized care and treatment for which UHealth is recognized.

The draw of Miami is strong and not just due to its amazing growth and stunning beaches as described by David Andrews, M.D., acting vice chair of clinical pathology. Yanyun Wu, M.D., vice chair of business development and innovation highlighted Miami’s growth as a tech center and the opportunities for trainees to think outside the box as they set their sights on future career paths.

In addition, Emmanuel Thomas, M.D., Ph.D., research associate professor, presented the department’s strength in training upcoming physician-scientists in translational pathology. Monica Tulia Garcia, M.D., and Jonathan England, M.D., also joined to present their views of the program, and answer questions for the hour-long program. The education team is looking forward to reading some amazing applications!

Tags: Department of Pathology, Open House, residency, UM/Jackson