Neuropathology Fellowship

Program Overview


Originally accredited by the ACGME in 1974, the University of Southern California/Los Angeles General Medical Center Neuropathology Fellowship Training Program has a long history of successfully preparing fellows for eligibility for certification in neuropathology by the American Board of Pathology subspecialty examination.  We offer a two-year training program in neuropathology.  Training includes extensive “hands-on” experience at Los Angeles General Medical Center, Keck Medical Center of the University of Southern California (USC), and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA). Trainees participate in sign- out of a broad array of neuropathology that includes adult and pediatric tumors, neuromuscular biopsies, neurodegenerative work-up, and autopsy CNS pathology. Fellows learn to function effectively in multiple different systems of medicine: private practice (Keck Medical Center of USC), government-funded healthcare (Los Angeles General Medical Center), and donor-driven healthcare (CHLA).

Requirements

Candidates must meet ACGME eligibility requirements.  Prior to appointment, neuropathology fellows must have successfully completed at least two years of anatomic pathology in an ACGME-accredited pathology residency program or have certification or eligibility for certification by the ABPath or American Osteopathic Board of Pathology in anatomic and clinical pathology or in anatomic pathology; or in neurology or neurological surgery by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or a certifying board of the American Osteopathic Association.  Applicants certified in neurology or neurological surgery by a member board of the ABMS or a certifying board of the AOA must have completed one year of anatomic pathology in a residency program meeting ACGME requirements.  Applicants must be eligible for medical licensure in the state of California.  Both NP fellowship and combined AP/NP fellowship tracts are offered.

Rotation Sites and Specialties

Los Angeles General Medical Center, Keck Medical Center of USC, and CHLA provide a rich array of experiences in adult and pediatric tumors, neurodegenerative disease, neuromuscular disease, and autopsy neuropathology.

  • Los Angeles General Medical Center: Fellow duties at Los Angeles General Medical Center predominantly involve sign-out of adult surgical neuropathology along with intraoperative frozen section. A small number of pediatric specimens are also examined.  Examination of autopsy CNS specimens is also performed conjointly with Keck Medical Center of USC.
  • Keck Hospital of USC: Keck Hospital of USC supplies a sizable number of adult surgical neuropathology cases for sign-out. Neuromuscular pathology is performed at Keck Hospital via the Neuromuscular Pathology Laboratory of USC Labs and in collaboration with the Department of Neurology Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship program.  Exposure to neurodegenerative diseases is via the NIH-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) at Keck School of Medicine of USC and in collaboration with the Department of Neurology Memory and Aging Center.
  • CHLA: At CHLA, neuropathology fellows are exposed to surgical pediatric neuropathology, neuromuscular pathology, pediatric autopsy neuropathology, and molecular pathology. Molecular pathology includes in-house next generation sequencing (NGS) and cytogenetics performed in the Clinical Genomics Laboratory at the Center for Personalized Medicine.

Types and Number of Appointments 

One position for the 2-year fellowship is available annually.

Program Faculty

  • Kyle Hurth, MD, PhD, Fellowship Program Director, Site Director, Keck Medical Center of USC
  • Anna Mathew, MD, Site Director, Los Angeles General Medical Center
  • Alexander Judkins, MD, Site Director, CHLA
  • Debra Hawes, MD, CHLA and ADRC
  • Jennifer Cotter, MD, CHLA
  • Maria Sibug-Saber, MD, Keck Medical Center of USC and Los Angeles General Medical Center

Applications or Questions

Send inquiries by email to Jeanette Espinosa, Neuropathology Program Coordinator at jespinos@usc.edu;

Keck School of Medicine of USC
2011 Zonal Ave., MCA-341A
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Phone: (323)442-1602
Fax: (323) 442-1808.