Director: Florencia Giselle Jalikis, MD
Description
The purpose of the Genitourinary (GU) surgical pathology fellowship is to provide advanced education in diagnostic skills concerning the area of surgical pathology with a primary focus on the genitourinary tract. Responsibilities include previewing cases and writing up diagnostic reports prior to review with the urological surgical pathology attending on service. Although the fellow is not required to gross surgical pathology specimens, resident education around general surgical pathology, including oversight of histologic diagnoses and guidance over resident grossing techniques are expected. The goal will be to achieve diagnostic excellence in GU surgical pathology. During the fellowship, all sign-out of GU surgical pathology cases will be performed with an attending pathologist. Responsibilities also include a research component with expectations of presentation at a national meeting and submission of at least one manuscript for publication prior to completion of the fellowship. Protected elective time (8 weeks) will be available for rotation on non-genitourinary surgical pathology services or research time. Choice of rotation on specific non-genitourinary surgical pathology services is scheduled in consultation with the Fellowship Director and the Director of Surgical Pathology. The weekly GU tumor board preparation will be the responsibility of the GU fellow when covering the GU service, but not when on a non-GU service. The daily caseload will be shared with any resident or Surgical Pathology fellow rotating on the GU service. Call coverage is not required.
Our team of surgical pathologists provides service for the Vanderbilt University Hospital, a 1,033-bed tertiary adult care hospital. Genitourinary surgical pathology comprises nearly 4000 specimens annually, including in-house and consult cases.
Goals and Objectives of the Program
Facilities
Vanderbilt University School of Medicine ranks 13th among the nation’s elite programs, according to U.S. News and World Report's annual ranking of top medical schools for research, released in the 2022 edition of America's Best Graduate Schools, and ranks #13 in the nation among U.S. medical schools in total grant support provided through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Vanderbilt University School of Medicine was ranked the #1 hospital in Tennessee, and the #1 healthcare provider in Nashville. Nine adult and ten pediatric clinical specialties were ranked among the nation’s best. VUMC is ranked among the 100 “Most Wired” medical systems, for its efforts in medical technology, by the American Hospital Association. Becker’s Hospital Review ranked it one of the “100 Great Hospitals in America” and Newsweek’s ranked it one of the “100 Best Hospitals in the World. Through its programs in Graduate Medical Education, VUMC is home to more than 1,000 physicians in training in over 100 residency and fellowship programs.
Community
Vanderbilt Medical Center is part of the 330-acre Vanderbilt University campus in a sophisticated, diverse residential community about 1.5 miles from downtown Nashville, with numerous shops and restaurants within easy walking distance. Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, is the site of numerous colleges and universities, two medical schools, and several large teaching hospitals. The city has an extensive parks system, a symphony orchestra, opera, ballet, performing arts center, zoo, several museums, The Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry. The city offers a wide variety of cultural, educational, and recreational opportunities, including a professional football team and hockey team. The Nashville Metropolitan area is home to about 1.5 million inhabitants.
Faculty and Research Interests:
Faculty:
Jennifer B. Gordetsky, M.D., Professor
Aida Valencia, M.D., Assistant Professor
Schedule:
First 6 months – Focus will be on the GU service with 2 weeks reserved for non-GU surgical pathology.
Second 6 months – On average 3 weeks of GU service, 1 week of non-GU surgical pathology per month.
Program Listing:
| Level(s) of training: | Postdoctoral |
| Duration of program: | 1 year |
Requirements
Completion of an ACGME accredited Pathology Residency training program.
Completion of a Surgical Pathology Fellowship Training Program is desired but not required.
Numbers of Available Appointments
One fellowship position per year
Prerequisites:
MD
Application Procedure:
Please note that the positions for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 are filled.
For fellowships starting July 1, 2027, interviews will be on a rolling basis starting in early 2025 until the position is filled.
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, application*, CV, personal statement, three letters of recommendation and ECFMG certificate (if applicable) to:
Tapherine DeVany
Department of Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
CC-3322 MCN
1161 21st Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37232
*Application and pertinent information can be found under Graduate Medical Education