About Fellowships

The Society for Pediatric Pathology is proud to provide the most complete and up-to-date listings of available fellowships and positions in pediatric and perinatal pathology to our members and prospective members. New fellowship opportunities are always being added to our site. Click here to view fellowship programs by state.

I. What is Pediatric Pathology?

Pediatric pathology is the practice of pathology concerned with the study and diagnosis of human disease as manifested in the placenta, embryo, fetus, infant, child, and adolescent. It may include caring for those in young adulthood who are afflicted with disorders most peculiar to the pediatric age group, who continue to seek medical care from their pediatric specialists, those who best know and understand their medical and other related issues.

II. ACGME and ABP Program Requirements

ACGME: Please see the ACGME website for complete details by clicking here, then, under Program Requirements, click on "Currently in Effect," then click on "Pediatric."
A brief summary of the ACGME requirements for pediatric pathology (PP) fellowship training is provided below.

1. One year of organized education including formal training in diagnostic pediatric, placental and fetal pathology, as well as laboratory management and QA issues germane to the pediatric laboratory.
2. The PP fellowship program must be administratively attached to an ACGME- accredited residency in AP/CP or AP, and must be affiliated with ACGME-accredited residency programs in pediatrics, Ob/Gyn, surgery, and diagnostic radiology, to facilitate peer interaction and augment the educational experience.
3. The program director or at least one member of the teaching faculty, must be ABP- certified in pediatric pathology.
4. The program director must be licensed to practice in the state where the program is located, and have at least 3 years of active experience as a practicing pediatric pathologist.
5. There must be an adequate volume and variety of pediatric material (see also below, the more specific requirements addressed in #8) with indexing to permit appropriate retrieval, adequate equipment, facilities, offices, meeting rooms, classrooms, and space to support service, teaching and research.
6. Fellows must have ready access to a major medical library, including electronic retrieval of information, and an on-site library or collection of texts and journals available 24/7/365.
7. Fellows "should" have completed at least 2 years of ACGME-accredited pathology residency prior to appointment to a PP program.
8. Fellows must demonstrate a "satisfactory" level of diagnostic competence, and the ability to provide appropriate/ effective pathology consultation.
9. Fellows must be able to demonstrate knowledge of pediatric autopsy and surgical pathology, including embryo-fetal, perinatal, and placental pathology, pediatric aspects of dermatopathology, gynecologic and obstetric pathology, forensic pathology, and neuropathology, immunopathological and histochemical techniques, cytopathology, ultrastructural pathology, cytogenetics, and molecular genetic and other advanced diagnostic techniques, as these relate to pediatric pathology.

1. must "participate" in a minimum of 40 "pediatric" autopsies (which "must" include general, metabolic, forensic, perinatal, and stillborn cases, and "should" include embryo-fetal autopsies)
2. must examine a minimum of 2000 pediatric surgical pathology specimens (which "must" include an adequate mix, to include OB/PLACENTA-related material and CYTOLOGY.
3. must perform a minimum of 50 intra-operative consultations (frozen sections, smear/squash preps and/or touch imprints)
4. must "participate" in clinical and pathology conferences (including with pediatric surgery, hematology, oncology, microbiology, genetics, radiology, and ob/gyn, which must be "regularly scheduled" and held), rounds, laboratory management activities, QA activities, teaching and scholarly activity, lectures, tutorials, and seminars.

ABP: Please see the American Board of Pathology website for complete details by clicking here, then scroll down to the Site Map and in the column titled "Candidates," click on "Booklet of Information."
A brief summary of the ABP requirements for subspecialty certification in Pediatric Pathology is provided below.

1. Graduation from an "acceptable' medical school (usually accredited) per the ABP, with acceptable documentation thereof.
2.  Must have a Full and Unrestricted license to practice medicine or osteopathy in a US state or Canada, currently valid at the time of application.
3. Only pathology (AP & CP or AP) training obtained in the US or Canada is acceptable, and the training program must be accredited (ACGME or RCPSC).
4. For candidates completing training after 2007, subspecialty certification must be obtained within 5 years of the completion of training, otherwise additional training will be required.
5. Verification of an applicant's training and qualifications by the training program director is required.
6. The fellow must document 48 weeks of full time training (greater than 4 weeks of leave during a 52 week year must be made up).
7. No credit is given for pathology fellowships during medical school, or for subspecialty rotations performed during residency training for primary certification.
8. Candidate must have primary certification from the ABP or RCPSC, or current certification with another ABMS Board.
9. At least 2 years of AP and/ or CP training must be completed before beginning subspecialty training.
10. Part time training is acceptable as long as this occurs in an approved position in an ACGME- accredited program, and the duration of training does not exceed twice the time required for qualification (i.e. maximum time frame allowed is 2 years).
11. For applicants certified by the ABP in AP & CP or in AP only, or certified in AP or General Pathology by the RCPSC, one full year of additional supervised training in PP in an ACGME-accredited program for PP training.

III. Fellowship Programs by State

Click here to view a listing of fellowship programs by state.

IV. FAQs

Click here to view and download Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and Answers about Pediatric Pathology fellowships.