Educational Policies

Participation in original research is a valuable component of training for a career in Pathology in either the academic or private practice setting.  Accordingly, active involvement in research and investigational projects is strongly encouraged and enthusiastically supported in the Pathology Residency & Fellowship Training Program at University of Virginia Health System.  Clinical and translational research is facilitated through active collaboration of the residents & fellows with the faculty and by support from the Department for the necessary resources.  In addition, residents may choose to spend elective time devoted solely to pursue research activities.  Furthermore, for those residents & fellows presenting their research at national meetings, the meeting expenses are paid for in full by the Department.

To support resident research, the Department will allot each resident $2000 during the Anatomic Pathology training years and $2000 during the Clinical Pathology training years to pay for the expenses related to their research activities.  Clinical fellows are afforded the same annual allotment. These funds will be administered through the residency program coordinator.  In the advent of particularly active research productivity, additional funds may be requested on a case-by-case basis.

To access these funds, the trainee must write a one page proposal in which the hypothesis to be tested, the approach that will be taken, the faculty member(s) who will collaborate, and an itemized list of the materials to be purchased, up to $1000, should be described.  The proposal is then submitted to the residency program director, or to the fellowship director, for evaluation and approval.

Appropriate costs to be paid for by these departmental funds include specialized antibodies and chemicals, histology charges (see page describing these services), publication costs and, on an exceptional basis, small equipment that is not otherwise available.

Within one year after the approval of the research proposal, the trainee should provide to the residency program director a one-page summary report of the progress on the project.  This progress report should include conclusions drawn and a list of the abstracts or publications that have resulted or are planned from this research activity.  Only after receipt of the progress report may further funds be requested, either through a proposal to extend the current project or to propose a new project.

The resident should keep the residency program coordinator informed of all accepted abstracts and papers, and when available, provide her with copies of these items.  Also, it is expected that the residents and fellows will present their research projects at the annual Departmental research retreat and/or other intradepartmental research presentation forums.  In addition, receipt of funds from the UVA Pathology Department should be acknowledged in abstracts and publications, and they may be cited in Curricula Vitae as grant funding awarded.