Supported by a world-class medical school, the Washington University Dermatopathology Center strives to provide superior education to future generations of dermatologists and pathologists. Our trainees augment our team, allowing us to handle a large caseload of both basic and complex cases.
Patients presenting with diagnostic or therapeutic challenges may be examined at the weekly Grand Rounds conference held by the Division of Dermatology. Clinical faculty members will discuss the clinical presentation and biopsy results of each patient and offer diagnosis and treatment recommendations to the referring physician. Dermatopathology faculty play a key role in this discussion by clarifying pathologic findings and working with clinical faculty for appropriate clinicopathologic correlation.
The Center accepts one fellow each year for a one-year program designed to prepare aspiring dermatopathologists to work independently in an academic or practice setting.
The fellowship provides intensive training in the evaluation of cutaneous disease, including the use of immunofluorescence, special and immunohistochemical stains and molecular diagnostics. Cases are obtained from in-house, hospital-based and outpatient-based dermatology as well as outside consultations. Research opportunities in a wide range of fields are available and participation is encouraged.
Requirements
Board eligible in Dermatology, Anatomic Pathology or Anatomic Pathology/Clinical Pathology.
The Dermatopathology Fellow for the 2023-2024 year is Lea Bellomo.
The 2025/26 position has been filled.
Program Director
Leigh Compton, MD, PhD
Dermatopathology Center
Washington University
School of Medicine
CORTEX Building, Suite 212
4320 Forest Park Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63108
Phone: (314) 362-5757
Program Contact
Lana Torry
Senior Fellowship Program Coordinator
600 South Euclid Avenue, Box 8118
St. Louis, MO 63110
Phone: (314) 273-6464
lanaktorry@wustl.edu
Residents in dermatology and residents in pathology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine spend several weeks during their training rotating through the Dermatopathology Center.
They work closely with the fellow and attending dermatopathologists during daily signout, clinicopathologic consensus conferences, and unknown slide sessions, which draw from the Center’s extensive collection of study slide sets.
Educational objectives
- To become proficient in the gross examination, description and processing of cutaneous specimens;
- To be able to recognize and discuss a wide variety of inflammatory and neoplastic skin conditions;
- To be conversant in the special stains and ancillary tests used in the daily practice of dermatopathology, including routine histochemical stains, immunohistochemical stains and immunofluorescence
Lectures and conferences
In addition to the rotation in dermatopathology, we offer weekly didactic lectures and fellow-led unknown slide sessions for dermatology residents as well as bimonthly teaching conferences for pathology residents.
Research opportunities
Residents interested in dermatopathology are encouraged to participate in research opportunities and to present at national dermatopathology meetings.
Visiting residents
The Washington University Dermatopathology Center is pleased to offer informal visiting observerships for residents in dermatology and pathology from outside institutions. For more information, please contact Sue Pagano at spagano@wustl.edu.
Medical students at Washington University School of Medicine have the opportunity to complete a 4-week elective clerkship in dermatopathology during their fourth year.
Learn more about the elective »
