Since the origins of the study of human disease, there has been no time more
exciting than the present to study Pathology. With the recent revolution
in molecular biology, Pathology is poised at the interface of cell-molecular
interactions and their application to the practice of medicine. In rebuilding
our traditionally strong Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
we have seized upon the opportunity to practice state of the art medicine
on the eve of the next millennium. To do this we at Emory emphasize Scholarship
as it relates to all aspects of our discipline from the diagnosis of disease
to the understanding of its molecular underpinings. And we perpetually
ask how we can incorporate new technologies and information systems to
further our Scholarship.
New technologies do not respect traditional departmental and divisional
separations. While maintaining certain administrative distinctions, we
emphasize a seamless integration of our divisions to permit intellectual
cross fertilization. Such close relationships among divisions enhance
and galvanize our training in Diagnostic and Experimental Pathology and
permit us to rapidly embrace emerging approaches at all levels and across
traditional divisional barriers.
Emory is fortunate to have a distinguished faculty many of them highly
recognized experts in specialty disciplines ranging from Soft Tissue Pathology
in Anatomic Pathology to HLA/Molecular Typing in Laboratory Medicine.
A complete listing of our faculty and their research interests is included
on this website. Whereas any top program in Pathology might be expected
to have a rich array of opportunities, Emory is unique in many ways. What
makes Emory special?
One of the nation's most renowned forensic science programs (Fulton County
Medical Examiner's Office) is now formally part of our Department permitting
us to combine Autopsy Pathology at one of our major hospitals (Grady Memorial
Hospital) with Forensic Science training at a new state of the art building
constructed solely for this purpose.
Emory draws upon an extensive and diverse array of case materials from
the numerous institutions in the Emory Healthcare System. Each offers
its unique patient material and research opportunities. One of the country's
largest hospitals dedicated to the care of the indigent, Grady Memorial
Hospital, offers an unparalleled opportunity to study hemoglobinopathies,
cervical cancer, and a variety of diseases in their advanced state. Other
hospitals in our system include Emory University Hospital, a 600-bed tertiary
care center emphasizing complicated referral cases, Egleston-Scottish
Rite Hospital, the second largest in- patient pediatric hospital in the
country, Emory University Hospital Midtown a 600-bed city hospital with a blend of
community and academic staff, and a Veteran's Administration Hospital.
All have excellent physical plants in keeping with the substantial resources
Emory brings to bear on medical education.
Emory offers a wide array of fellowships, virtually unrivaled, in many
subspecialty areas (e.g. Gastrointestinal, Genitourinary, Dermatology,
Ophthalmic, Oral, Soft Tissue, Hematologic pathology; Transfusion, HLA/Molecular,
Molecular Diagnostics, Molecular Microbiology, Coagulation, Forensic Sciences.)
This web site provides additional details.
Our Experimental Pathology Division incorporates a diverse array of NIH-funded
pathologist investigators occupying more than 25,000 square feet of space
within major Emory Research Buildings. The departmental NIH Training Grant
in Pathobiology permits extended basic science post-doctoral training
as part of or following training in Anatomic Pathology and Laboratory
Medicine. An Epithelial Pathobiology Research Center and Experimental
Molecular Immunology group, having a dominant role in the immunology graduate
program of the Medical School, are two major interactive research groups
in the Department. The impact of our Department on research at Emory University
is attested to by the fact that several medical school wide Research Cores
are located in our Department (Flow Cytometry, Gene Microchip Array, Laser
Capture Microdissection, and Transgenic/Knockout) and our laboratories
are selected by numerous graduate students in the Biomedical Sciences.
The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine has an extraordinary
commitment to teaching and career development. The people we train will
be our true legacy and therefore require our support and attention. We
provide formalized and comprehensive 2-3 year long core lectures in both
Anatomic Pathology and Laboratory Medicine which supplement the plethora
of teaching conferences. Our senior faculty are adept mentors who assist
our graduates in obtaining positions both in the private practice or academic
setting. Several of our current trainees have been awarded Career Development
awards from many agencies, serving as examples of the nurturing atmosphere
our Department offers.
Like countries and cities, institutions have distinctive cultures and
personalities. At Emory our's is characterized by a blend of Scholarship
and Collegiality. Departmental walls are low and interactions with other
departments, be it Surgery or Biochemistry, flow easily. Our goal is not
only to learn but to question and understand the evidence on which our
knowledge is based. We seek to further our understanding of the molecular
events that define and influence the diseases which we daily diagnose
using a panoply of modern technologies. Our extraordinarily talented faculty
and cooperative culture assist us in achieving these goals.
In summary if you desire to immerse yourself in a collegial and scholarly
environment in which the excitement of Pathobiology can be shared and
appreciated, we welcome you to learn more about our program. This web
site is a good place to start. Perhaps we will even have the opportunity
to see you here in Atlanta, one of the best environments and most exciting
cities in the country!
Sharon Weiss, M.D.
Interim Chair
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