Training Environment

Pathology Residency & Fellowship General Information


Types and Number of Positions

Houston Methodist Hospital, Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine offers training for a total of 20 anatomic and clinical pathology (AP/CP) residency positions annually, which includes an average of 5 PGY1 positions offered each year through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).  In addition, we offer training for a total of 22 subspecialty pathology fellowship positions.


Subspecialty program type and number of positions are as follows:
(See Fellowship Programs for descriptions)

  • Breast-GYN Pathology (1) – ACGME-accredited
  • Clinical Chemistry (1) – accredited through ComACC (The Commission on Accreditation in Clinical Chemistry)
  • Clinical Informatics (2) – ACGME-accredited
  • Cytopathology (2) – ACGME-accredited
  • Genitourinary-Medical Kidney (1) – ACGME-accredited
  • Hematopathology (4) – ACGME-accredited
  • Histocompatibility and Transplant Immunology-(HLA) (1) – (two-year program) – one year accredited through ACGME, and the second year requirement for ASHI (The American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics) laboratory directorship
  • Molecular Genetic Pathology (1) – ACGME-accredited
  • Neuropathology (2) – ACGME-accredited (two-year program)
  • Ophthalmic Pathology (1) – ACGME-accredited
  • Surgical Pathology (5) – ACGME-accredited
  • Transfusion Medicine/Blood Banking (1) – ACGME-accredited


Facilities

Located in the heart of the Texas Medical Center (TMC), Houston Methodist Hospital is a nationally recognized academic center and is consistently ranked as one of the best hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Houston Methodist, an affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College and Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, is a 950-bed private adult academic tertiary-care hospital and is the primary training site for the pathology residency and fellowship programs. The following are affiliated hospitals and training sites for pathology programs within and near the TMC: The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (Memorial Hermann Hospital and Lyndon Baines Johnson General Hospital - adult and pediatric), The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences (medical examiner's office), Baylor College of Medicine, Harris County Ben Taub General Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital, and The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

Houston Methodist Hospital experiences a diverse patient caseload and case volume of over 45,000 surgical pathology accessions, over 40,000 cytopathology specimens, 125 autopsies, and over 2,500,000 clinical pathology accessions annually. Residents and fellows have access to state-of-the-art microscopes, an 18-headed teaching microscope with video conferencing setup, digital pathology, online medical records and radiologic studies, an online immuno-query specimen case log system (including PathPrimer and ExpertPath), the Methodist and Houston Academy of Medicine-Texas Medical Center (HAM-TMC) libraries, and to a collection of subspecialty texts housed in all resident/fellow rooms. Each pathology resident and fellow is provided their own desk, microscope, and computer throughout their training.   

Residents and fellows also have access to the research core facilities of the Houston Methodist Research Institute (HMRI). The HMRI is a state-of-the-art and cutting-edge advanced technology center, with laboratories centered around cancer, cardiovascular disease, nanomedicine, infectious disease, regenerative medicine and others. All residents and fellows are expected to participate in scholarly activities leading to publication (a requirement of at least one publication for most pathology programs). In addition, the pathology department offers twice per year a fully paid research project opportunity as project lead and first author to any resident/fellow who submits the most interesting case. Proposals are submitted to the department Chair and a committee selects two winners per year.

 

Community

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the country and the largest city in the Southwest, with the largest medical center (TMC) in the world. Major league sports (baseball, basketball, football, soccer), an internationally renowned symphony, opera, ballet, theater, and museums, are all a vital part of the city. Affordable housing is available near the TMC, restaurants featuring multicultural cuisines are plentiful and affordable, and Galveston Island and the Gulf Coast are only 45 minutes away. The city is host to many popular annual festivals, including the International Festival (iFest), the Houston International Jazz Festival, the WorldFest-Houston Film Festival, and the Bayou City Art Festival. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the largest rodeo in the county. The city is served by two airports: George Bush to the north and William P. Hobby to the south.

 

Stipends and Maintenance

The Houston Methodist annual salary for a PGY1 resident for 2024-2025 is $67,943. Medical, dental, vision, life, and malpractice insurances are provided free of cost to residents and fellows. Fees apply for dependent healthcare coverage. 

 

The Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine provides an annual book fund to all residents/fellows. Selected texts are provided for PGY1 residents, and PGY2 and above (including fellows) receive a $1,000 yearly book allowance. Membership fees are also paid by the department for selected in-state and national organizations or societies for all residents and fellows. The department provides an annual travel fund to PGY2 residents and above (including fellows) of $1,600/year, and $2,000 to graduates in their final year. Also, the department provides funding for all residents and fellows to attend three in-state meetings, and three local Houston area meetings yearly. For all residents and fellows, the department provides funding for up to two platform and/or poster presentations at state and/or national meetings per year. The department allows absences of up to four days per meeting and financially supports all expenses. In addition to what the department provides for travel allowance, the Houston Methodist GME office provides additional funding for educational leave (for presentation meetings only) of $1,600 annually for all residents and fellows.