The Moffitt/USF Dermatopathology fellowship is a two-year, ACGME-accredited fellowship, funded by the Moffitt Cancer Center (MCC) and administered jointly by the Cutaneous Oncology Program at Moffitt Cancer Center and USF Departments of Dermatology, Pathology and Cell Biology. It is open to any applicants who have completed either a pathology or dermatology residency and have a demonstrated interest in participating in research, either through publications, abstract presentations, or other research projects. The fellowship draws from the complementary strengths of the Dermatopathology services at its three participating institutions and comprises one year of clinical Dermatopathology and one year of research. At MCC, the fellow is exposed to a highly specialized practice with experts in diagnosis and treatment of melanoma (approximately 1,500 patients/year), Merkel cell carcinoma, cutaneous sarcoma, and cutaneous lymphoma. At USF, the high volume Dermatopathology service is responsible for interpreting biopsies from approximately 30,000 patients/year, comprising a well-rounded patient mix of inflammatory disease and neoplasms. At the VA hospital, Dermatopathology comprises a large portion of the anatomic pathology volume (approximately 8,000 cases/year). The fellow acquires skills by a combination of active participation in sign-out with pre-reading of cases, teaching of pathology and dermatology residents as well as surgical oncology fellows, coverage of MCC Cutaneous Oncology Multidisciplinary Conference and didactic teaching by faculty. By integrating clinical and bench research experience based at MCC into the curriculum beginning in 2008, we hope to establish a nationally prominent program with an emphasis on graduating fellows fully prepared for academic practice.

Program Director

• Jane L. Messina, MD, Program Director

Number of Fellows

One fellow is accepted annually for the fellowship.

Sites of Training

• Primary site of training: Moffitt Cancer Center
• Secondary sites of training: USF Dermatopathology Laboratory, USF Medical Clinic, James A. Haley VA Hospital

Training Experience

This fellowship, comprising one year of clinical training and research, is open to physicians who have completed either Dermatology or Pathology residency. ACGME standards for this accredited fellowship mandate different training requirements depending on the fellow's background. All fellows are required to spend four months in Dermatopathology. Dermatologists are required to spend the remaining eight months in Dermatopathology/surgical and cytopathology (split time 50%); pathologists must spend the remaining eight months in Dermatopathology/clinical dermatology (split time 50%).

Dermatology-Trained Fellows: After the initial four months training in full-time Dermatopathology, dermatology-trained fellows are required to spend half of each day of the remaining eight months in Dermatopathology, and the other half of the day in surgical pathology. The fellow spends six of these months at MCC and two at VA, taking part in morning Dermatopathology sign-out and afternoon surgical pathology sign-out. Surgical pathology training includes time spent in grossing, frozen section, surgical pathology and cytopathology sign-out.

Pathology-Trained Fellows:After the initial four months training in full-time Dermatopathology, pathology-trained fellows are required to spend half of each day of the remaining eight months in Dermatopathology and the other half of the day in dermatology clinic. The fellow spends each morning in Dermatopathology sign-out, rotating among the various institutions as follows: six months USF, four months MCC, two months VA. Each afternoon of the remaining eight months will be spent in a Dermatology Clinic, held at Moffitt Cancer Center or the USF Medical Clinic.

Interested applicants should submit a completed application form, CV, and three letters of reference, including one from their residency program director, 24 months in advance of anticipated start date to:

Jane L. Messina, MD
Program Director, Dermatopathology Fellowship
USF Dermatopathology Laboratory
12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. , MDC 79
Tampa , FL 33612
Phone: 813-974-3744
Fax: 813-974-0337
jmessina@health.usf.edu

Click here to view the Dermatopathology Fellowship Handbook.

Graduate Medical Education