UNMC Medical Students
Our department soundly supports undergraduate education in pathology, microbiology, immunology, and other medical sciences on the UNMC campus. Our faculty are actively involved in teaching medical, pharmacy, and allied health students. We provide opportunities for students to encounter pathologists in both the classroom and laboratory, elevating their active learning and understanding of pathology.
If you are interested in an elective listed below, please contact Tyler Shearer to arrange an opportunity. Please provide your name, your medical year, contact information, identified elective, preferred pathology specialty, and available dates.
Phase 1 Shadowing
Director: Dr. Dominick DiMaio
Available to Phase 1 UNMC medical students, our pre-clinical shadowing program provides students a chance to observe our pathologists in a workplace setting. It allows students exposure to the practice, as well as perspective into pathology as a career. Direct exposure to a specialized medical field is usually the best way to make decisions about future career paths. Our program is designed to be a one-time observation only experience lasting two to six hours. The job shadowing experience does not fulfill any clinical or internship requirements, nor does it provide any hands-on experience. We will make every attempt to pair you with the pathology interest that you may have.
Phase 3 Electives
DPMI offers four elective rotation opportunities to Phase 3 medical students. All electives are by arrangement, so students must contact Tyler Shearer before signing up for any pathology elective.
Director: Dr. Subodh Lele
Length: One month
Periods Offered: Each month
Student Limit: 3
The M4 students enrolled in this program rotate through the following four anatomic pathology (AP) divisions of the department: Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology, Hematopathology and Autopsy Pathology. The pathology faculty, fellows and residents teach and supervise the M4 students during this experience. Students spend a week on each of the three services with the option of observing an autopsy at any time during the rotation. While on the surgical pathology service, the students spend half of their time in the gross room assisting the pathology resident in the gross examination and processing of surgical specimens and the other half of their time microscopically examining surgical specimens with a staff pathologist and resident. While on the cytology service, the student is involved with staff pathologists in the microscopic examination of both gynecologic (GYN) and non-GYN cytology specimens and in observing fine needle aspirations (FNA). Students also participate on the autopsy service and assist the resident pathologist in performing autopsies. The students are expected to attend all daily 8 a.m. resident teaching conferences and one interdisciplinary conference per week. At the end of the rotation, the student is required to give a 20-minute formal presentation to the residents and staff pathologists on an AP topic of their choice. Evaluation is based on attendance and participation in the rotation activities and conferences, as well as on case presentations and the formal presentation at the end of the rotation.
Prerequisite: Not open to visiting students
Instructor: Drs. Julie Youngs, Dominick DiMaio, Scott Lauer, Dinesh Pradhan, Mary Finnegan, and Blake Helget
Typical length: One month
Periods offered: Fall and spring
Rotations offered: Each 4 weeks
Student limit: 1
Over the course of a four-week sub-internship, medical students gain an overview of dermatopathology as a subspecialty, including diagnosis and prognostic and treatment implications of common dermatopathologic diagnoses. These include melanocytic and non-melanocytic skin neoplasms and inflammatory processes, as well as clinicopathologic correlation with shadowing time in regional pathology dermatology clinics.
Directors: Drs. Aleh Bobr & Ana Yuil-Valdes
Length: One month
Periods offered: Each month
Student limit: 5
This elective is designed to give all medical students practical education in, be better consumers of, and make more effective use of laboratory services, regardless of their chosen specialty. Throughout the rotation, students will be exposed to the basics of how laboratory tests are done, common sources of error, an overview of office laboratory testing, how to evaluate the utility of new laboratory tests, and the critical role that pathologists and other laboratory professionals play in patient care. Instruction will occur through the lens of practical clinical cases via a mixture of didactic lectures, small group activities, and working with pathologists to outline the gamut of services included within anatomic and clinical pathology. Students will be evaluated by their engagement in group activities, performance on an end-of-rotation assessment, a short presentation, and reflective journaling.
Director: Dr. Subodh Lele
Length: Maximum of three months
The department supports the value of off-campus electives in pathology. This course is only offered to UNMC medical students and is not available to visiting students. Students must follow UNMC policy and procedures regarding off-campus elective experience via COM Office of Admissions and Student Affairs.
Director: Dr. Subodh Lele
Periods offered: By arrangement with Dr. Lele and the staff pathologist in charge of the specialty area
Student limit: 1 per specialty
Students interested in specific aspects of pathology or desiring a background in pathology for a clinical specialty may undertake intensive study with the staff pathologist(s). The department faculty have diverse interests to compliment the needs of most students. These rotations may be tailored to include clinical pathologic study or basic research. Students will be expected to attend appropriate resident and interdisciplinary conferences related to the specialty area they are studying as agreed upon by their supervising faculty. Independent study may also be arranged with pathology faculty. Visiting students should not contact DPMI pathologist faculty directly but apply through UNMC's VSLO Office and may add a specialty interest by attaching a document with their selection.
Pathology Student Interest Group
Medical students are welcome to join the Pathology Student Interest Group (PSIG) to glimpse the world of pathology and become more aware of the crucial role pathology plays in modern medical practice.
Other Pathology Experiences
Job Shadowing
The department hosts job shadows for high school students age 16 and older, college students, or individuals exploring a new career focus. UNMC and Nebraska Medicine's job shadowing program is designed to provide such an opportunity. Apply through the above link.
Visiting Student Learning Opportunities
The department actively participates in the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) program that provides senior/final level of medical school elective opportunities. Visiting students should not contact DPMI pathologist faculty directly but apply through the VSLO website and may add a specialty interest by attaching a document with their selection.
External Observers
For all observership inquiries, please send a copy of your current curriculum vitae and a personal statement to Tyler Shearer.
