STEPs Activities for Klionsky Fellows - Final

Welcome to the Department of
Pathology at UPMC!
Some of you may be visiting our department to learn more about daily Pathology practice in
order to help you decide if Pathology is for you. Others have chosen a medical specialty but
want to focus on learning more about pathophysiology in order to become a well-rounded
physician. Others performing research may want to learn what happens in the Pathology
department. Whatever your reason for joining us, we are glad you are here!
Although pathologists are commonly found in and around the laboratory rather than on patient
floors, we are very active members of the healthcare team, who communicate regularly with
clinicians about patient cases or unusual results. Some examples of what pathologists do to
manage the care of patients are:
Making histologic diagnoses of diseases
Performing autopsies to determine cause and manner of death
Performing routine and specialty blood testing
Identifying and characterizing infectious organisms
Carrying out molecular genetic testing for malignancies and other diseases
Engaging in research. Nearly all our department’s faculty are engaged in some type of
research. Many are funded by the NIH or national foundations.
If you want to explore what the Pathology department has to offer medical students, a summary
of our electives and educational opportunities follows. If you have questions or want to learn
more, feel free to contact me or our resident liaisons.
Warm Regards,
Marie C. DeFrances, MD, PhD
Director, UPMC Pathology Residency Program
Director, Pathology Medical Student Education