COM resident program director of the month

Scott Lauer, MD

Name: Scott Lauer, MD

Medical school attended: Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri

Location of your residency/fellowship training: Residency in anatomic and clinical pathology and fellowships in dermatopathology and bone & soft tissue pathology, all at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia

What residency/fellowship program at UNMC are you serving as program director for? Anatomic and Clinical Pathology

Number of trainees: 13

How long have you been the program director: Two years

What made you choose to become the program director?

It is a privilege and responsibility to be entrusted with the role of program director and a great opportunity to make big impact on our residents as they develop from medical students into competent practicing pathologists.

What challenges do you foresee in graduate medical education in the future?

Like many other specialties, the breadth and depth of knowledge required of pathologists has rapidly increased, while the time in training has remained static. For example, new genomics and molecular technologies have transformed how pathologists diagnose and classify cancer and other diseases. It is essential for training programs to find creative and innovative ways to efficiently incorporate this new knowledge into our curriculum.

What are the strengths of your training program?

Dedicated faculty with broad expertise; collegial group of residents; outstanding clinical learning environment at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine with large volume of cases for resident training.

List some accomplishments that you are proud of:

In the last two years, we have developed and implemented a completely revamped didactic curriculum for anatomic pathology. We have also restructured surgical pathology and autopsy training to improve continuity of care on various subspecialty services and provide an increased number of electives.

Tell us three things about you that others may not know:

  • My wife, Katie, is a nurse practitioner in cardiology.
  • I have four children, including three sons and one daughter.
  • I’m a longtime St. Louis Cardinals fan.