Harbor UCLA Medical Center Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
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County of Los Angeles


Core Curriculum & Faculty

The Faculty of the Department of Pathology consists of 10 full-time physicians holding academic appointments with the UCLA School of Medicine, an active group of associated pathologists with clinical teaching appointments with the UCLA School of Medicine, and Ph.D. microbiologist, molecular biologist and clinical chemist.

The Department has 10 clerical staff and 130 laboratory technicians and technical staff.  The computer Hospital Information System is integrated into the primary reporting process of both Clinical and Anatomic Pathology specimens; a wide variety of computer-based Pathology educational materials are provided on site for resident use and access to Internet educational resources is provided.

Anatomic Pathology Division
The Division of Surgical Pathology accessions 11,000 tissue specimens yearly, from a full spectrum of patient demographics and clinical diagnoses.  About 250 specimens are evaluated every year in our Diagnostic Electron Microscopy Laboratory.   The Cytology Laboratory handles in excess of 9000 specimens per year of which there are 1,000 fine needle aspiration cytology specimens.  The majority of the latter are performed by Pathology residents.  Bone marrow aspirations range from 350-400 a year, many of these utilize flow cytometry evaluation.  Six full time faculty handle all case work and supervise teaching in their specialty areas of GI, dermatology and soft tissue, GYN, neuropathology, pulmonary, breast and GU/endocrine.  In hospital autopsy experience and forensic pathology training are augmented by a required rotation at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s facility.

Clinical Pathology Division

There are three dedicated Ph.D and three M.D. faculty members.  In the Clinical Pathology Division, the number of analytical procedures is well in excess of 4,000,000 per year. The clinical laboratory features automated chemistry and hematology analysis with direct computer reporting via the hospital information computer system which also provides other clinical laboratory and surgical pathology reports to the hospital wards and clinics.  Residents also receive training in laboratory management and quality assurance while participating in the three month Chemistry rotation.  Hematology training totals 6 months of rotation on this service.  The hematology lab includes a flow cytometry station.   The Harbor-UCLA Transfusion Medicine section operates a full-service blood bank including donor center and plasmapheresis on site. The Microbiology section handles 100,000 specimens each year, providing culture, microscopic and sensitivity results on all types of specimens.  Residents analyze unknown specimens as well as attend lectures and infectious disease rounds during a three month rotation.

 

Anatomic & Clinical Pathology (48 months)

                                         

   Surgical Pathology

12 months

   Autopsy

4  months, minimum 25 cases

   Coroner’s Autopsy Rotation

1  month (in PGY4)

   Cytopathology

4  months 

   USC or Kaiser Cytopathology             

1  month  (PGY3 or PGY4)

   Neuropathology

1  month

   Electron microscopy             

1  month

   Hematology                 

6  months, in 3 month segments

   Microbiology  

3  month segment

   Chemistry

3  month segment

   Blood Bank

4  months

   HLA/Genetics

1  month

   Molecular Biology

1  month

Total 41 months core + electives + 4 months of vacation = 48 months

 

Anatomic Pathology Only (36 months)

   Surgical Pathology   

14  months

   Autopsy

6  months, minimum 25 cases

   Coroner’s Autopsy    

1  month

   Cytopathology

4  months

   Hematology   

3  months

   Neuropathology

1  month

   Molecular Biology     

1  month

   Electron Microscopy

1  month

Total 31 months core + electives + 3 months vacation = 36 months

 

Faculty


   Luciano Barajas, MD

         Renal, Endocrine and Pediatric Pathology

   Marcia E. Cornford, MD, PhD

         Head, Neuropathology; Head, Autopsy Service

   Gloria Duane, MD

         Cytopathology

   Samuel W. French, MD

         Chief, Anatomic Pathology; Head GI Pathology and EM

   Paul C. Fu, PhD

         Head, Clinical Biochemistry

   Thomas Hirose, MD

         Transfusion Medicine

   Holli Mason, MD

         Director of Transfusion Medicine and Serology

   Robert J. Morin, MD

         Chairman; Head, Chemical Hematology

   Laron McPhaul, MD

         Co-Director, Molecular Pathology; Head, GYN Pathology

   Shi-Kaung Peng, MD, PhD

         Head, Cardiovascular Pathology, Dermatopathology and Surgical Pathology

   Beerelli Seshi, MD

         Head, Hematopathology

   Nora C.J. Sun, MD

        Hematopathology

   Rose J. Venegas, MD

         Head, Cytopathology

   Robert N. Yoshimori, PhD

         Head, Microbiology

   Chung-jun Yue, MD

         Hematopathology

 

Consultants

   Arthur H. Cohen, MD

         Renal pathology

   Moon Lee, PhD

         Virology 

   Cynthia C. Nast, MD

         Renal pathology

   Joanne K. Rutgers, MD

         Gynecology pathology