Department of Genetics

The Department of Genetics provides genetics education and training to students, health professionals, researchers and the public, including graduate education (Ph.D., M.D./Ph.D., genetic counseling), medical student preclinical and clinical teaching, residency training in all medical genetic disciplines, postdoctoral research, training in all ABMG specialties and continuing education for health providers.  Back to Education main page


 

 

 

Overview

The Molecular Genetic Pathology fellowship is designed to train pathologists and medical geneticists for a career in molecular genetic pathology. The trainee will get experience in all aspects of molecular genetic pathology, including hematopathology, oncology, infectious diseases, cytogenetics, biochemical genetics, molecular diagnosis and medical genetics. The fellow will gain experience in a broad range of molecular techniques including nucleic acid extraction and amplification (PCR, RT-PCR), Southern blotting, DNA sequencing, capillary electrophoresis, FISH, and array comparative genomic hybridization. Trainees are expected to function as junior attendings and will be actively involved in test development, test interpretation and interaction with clinicians. Multiple research opportunities are available.

 

Application Eligibility

Candidates must be board-eligible or certified in anatomic pathology (AP), clinical pathology (CP), anatomic and clinical pathology (AP/CP) or medical genetics. Applicants must be eligible for a Alabama Medical license.

 

Application Process (Please review the Eligibility criteria before submitting an application)

Applicants must provide the following information:

  • application form
  • curriculum vitae
  • personal statement addressing training goals
  • three letters of reference addressed to Bruce R. Korf, M.D., Ph.D., Program Director and sent c/o Wanda Thorne

Applications will not be considered complete until all information is received. Applications are reviewed by the program director. Interviews will be arranged for competitive candidates.

 

Residency Schedule

Separate tracks are provided for fellows whose primary training is in pathology or in genetics.  The tracks are illustrated in the block diagrams below.  Fellows who are pathologists by training spend five months in Department of Genetics laboratories, including three in the Medical Genomics Laboratory, and one each in Cytogenetics and Biochemical Genetics.  They also do a two week clinical genetics rotation where they participate in clinical evaluations. For fellows who are geneticists by training the schedule is similar except that they substitute the biochemical and cytogenetics rotations and clinical genetics rotation with a rotation on the autopsy/surgical pathology service.

 

Typical schedules for a fellow with background in pathology (Fellow 1) and genetics (Fellow 2):

Fellow 1
(Pathologist)
July - Sept
Oct
Nov - Apr
May
Jun
Medical Genomics Laboratory (Genetics) Biochemical Genetics Laboratory Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (Pathology)1 Cytogenetics Laboratory Clinical Genetics2
On Call/Attendance at conferences

Fellow 2
(Geneticist)
July - Sept
Oct - Mar
Apr - Jun
Autopsy/Surgical Pathology Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (Pathology)2 Medical Genomics Laboratory (Genetics)1
On-Call/Attendance at conferences

1: one week vacation

2: two week vacation

 

Contact

Wanda Thorne, Office Associate I
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Department of Pathology
West Pavilion P230
618 18th Street South
Birmingham, AL 35249
Phone: (205) 934-6246
Fax: (205) 975-4468
Email: wthorne@uab.edu