Cytopathology Rotation

Cytologic specimens are obtained and examined by residents at both Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) and the San Francisco VA Health Care System as part of the general pathology rotations at these institutions. In addition, an elective month in Cytopathology is available, which can be based at UCSF Helen Diller Medical Center at Parnassus Heights, UCSF Bakar Precision Cancer Medicine Building and UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion's Cancer Center, or at ZSFG, which is taken by most residents during one of their two AP years. There is a combined total of over 48,000 annual cytology specimens at these institutions, of which over 4,000 are non-gynecologic (including nearly 2,000 fine needle aspiration specimens).

Residents rotating on Cytopathology learn to obtain adequate specimens by fine needle aspiration under the direction of an attending cytopathologist or cytopathology fellow, complete appropriate cytologic preparations, and examine these specimens microscopically. Residents arrive at an appropriate differential diagnosis before signing out specimens with the attending cytopathologist. Teaching slide files are available for review. Cytology unknown conferences are held weekly or twice weekly, depending on the institution. As required, residents present Cytopathology findings at appropriate clinical conferences.