Rotation Information | UAMS Department of Pathology

Rotation Schedule

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Over 35,000 surgical specimens a year between three hospitals.
Advanced techniques are available including immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, electron microscopy, flow cytometric analysis of ploidy, tumor chromosomal analysis, and DNA sequencing.
Modern research-oriented laboratories exist for both electron microscopy and advanced immunocytochemical techniques.

180 medical autopsies a year
1,000 forensic autopsies
Major funded research programs in Alzheimer’s disease and bone marrow transplantation rely on prompt and reliable collection of postmortem tissues, and on correlation of research findings with thorough pathological examinations.

Over 22,000 specimens and 300 direct immunofluorescence specimens are processed each year.

Biopsies for diagnosis in this area are evaluated by light microscopy, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy.
Research topics include renal diseases.

Over 300 neurosurgical specimens (excluding herniated discs) are received per year, including 50 pediatric neurosurgical specimens and 100 muscle and nerve biopsies.
Research topics include involvement of glial cytokines in various chronic neurological diseases.

3,000 specimens processed per year, primarily hematopoietic and other neoplasms.
These include monoclonal antibody immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, gene rearrangement, polymerase chain reaction and fluorescent in situ hybridization.
The acquisition of a state-of-the art DNA sequencing machine provides the capability to analyze size and sequence of DNA or DNA fragments.

The UAMS cytology service evaluates approximately 15,000 gynecologic and nongynecologic cytological specimens and fine needle aspiration specimens per year.
Residents participate in all aspects of the service, including performance of needle aspiration procedures at the bedside and on-site rapid evaluation of radiographically directed aspirations.
Selected cases are evaluated by immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and flow cytometry. Review of subsequent surgical biopsies in patients receiving cytological examinations is an important part of the rotation.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital is of the largest standalone children’s hospitals in the country, and was recently recognized as one of the top training programs in pediatrics nationwide.
The Pathology Department at ACH processes approximately 5,000 surgical specimens, 50 autopsies, and 500,000 clinical pathology specimens a year.
All residents receive a basic experience in pediatric anatomical and clinical pathology.

The Arkansas Medical Examiner’s Office conducts approximately 1,000 forensic autopsies a year, including 150 homicide cases and over 100 pediatric cases, the latter primarily cases of child abuse, SIDS (“crib death”) and other commonly encountered conditions.
Specialized techniques are available in toxicology, serology, anthropology and other disciplines.
A rotation in forensic pathology for all residents includes on-scene investigation of traumatic deaths and court attendance during expert medical testimony.
Research programs are pursued in collaboration with UAMS affiliated hospitals and with the National Center for Toxicological Research near Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Therapy of hematopoietic malignancies, especially multiple myeloma, is a major clinical program at UAMS, and the UAMS hematopathology program is one of the largest such services in the nation. Approximately 125 autologous/allogeneic bone marrow transplants, 450 CD34-enriched peripheral blood harvests, and 6,000 bone marrow biopsies are processed each year.
A new T cell-depleted bone marrow transplantation program is in place. Bone marrow procedures are performed by Department of Pathology staff and residents.
Specialized training is available in molecular diagnostics, flow cytometric techniques, cytogenetics and immunohistochemistry.

Provides an awareness and responsiveness to the larger context and system of healthcare and the ability to effectively call on system resources to provide care that is of optional value.
Includes CAP Virtual Management College teleconferences
Didactic component including a management project for presentation, past topics have included new laboratory test design, denial research, billing inquires, quality assurance activities, outreach, and laboratory management manual/policy reviews.
Mentoring in the rotation provided by medical and business professionals

Our Transfusion Medicine Services serves UAMS hospital system including over 500 hospital beds with an extensive range of medical and surgical services, including a level 1 trauma center, and level III-B NICU.
Our Apheresis program provides 1,000 – 1,200 therapeutic procedures annually, including therapeutic plasma exchange, red blood cell exchange, photopheresis, leukocytapheresis, thrombocytapheresis, and therapeutic phlebotomy.
In support of our Hematology/Oncology program including the Myeloma Institute, we perform 400 – 600 large volume leukocytapheresis collections of autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells and mononuclear cells for cellular therapy products, including CAR-T.
Our Cell Therapy Lab processes 600 – 700 autologous and allogeneic cellular products annually, both collected on-site, and receive from outside facilities, including international, with more than 20,000 cryopreserved products held on site in our vapor phase liquid nitrogen storage facility.

A wide variety of clinical problems involving either hypocoagulable or hypercoagulable states are referred to the laboratory.
The clinical pathology residents are intimately involved in correlating laboratory and clinical findings and preparing consultative reports.
Research topics include hemostasis and coagulation.

Chromosomal analysis of blood, bone marrow, amniotic fluid, chorionic villi, products of conception, solid tissue and solid tumors is performed in a modern state-of-the-art laboratory located at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
12 full-time cytogenetic technologists process over 2,900 specimens annually. This volume of material yields many rare and unusual cases, as well as ample examples of common cytogenetic aberrations. Modern image analysis and computer karyotyping systems are used to interpret results.
Fluorescent in situ hybridization, an advanced research-oriented technique, is available for the identification of low level chromosomal mosaicism related to minimal residual disease, identification of gene rearrangements and gene amplification.
A variety of tests using molecular biological techniques, such as PCR, are in use for the diagnosis of viral diseases, other genetic diseases, and for classifying certain malignancies.