Director and Chief Residents' Message
Thank you for your interest in the Department of Pathology & Immunology at Baylor College of Medicine. We invite you to watch the video, explore our website and read this statement to learn more about the program.
At least six PGY-1 level residents join our program each year and we currently offer 12 fellowship positions, 11 of which are ACGME accredited.
Our main goal is to provide residents the best possible training in a diverse and friendly environment. Our faculty members are approachable and have an “open-door” policy; residents are welcome to stop by and ask questions at any time. We also have a robust mentorship program where each resident is assigned both a faculty and a resident mentor at the start of residency. The role of the mentors is to guide and help residents during their training, including assistance with the fellowship selection and application processes and eventual job-application process. If you would like to learn more about where our residents go, please check our alumni page.
Another important feature of our program is our multicultural aspect. We have a diverse group of residents, which further enriches the program and creates a healthy “big family” type environment. Residents support each other and enjoy each other’s company inside and outside the hospital.
Several aspects of our training program result in an unparalleled experience. First, we receive clinical training in an absolutely unique combination of hospital settings: county (Ben Taub Hospital), pediatric (Texas Children's Hospital), Veterans Affairs health system (Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center), private practice (Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center), and community-based private practice (St. Joseph Medical Center). Residents may also elect to rotate at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and on subspecialty surgical pathology services at BCM (including genitourinary pathology and dermatopathology). In addition, our autopsy service and a rotation at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences enable effective autopsy training and performance. As a result, residents and fellows receive unique exposure to a wide variety of service experiences in pathology.
Second, we have a multifaceted and exciting annual conference schedule. Our anatomic and clinical pathology didactic lectures are scheduled on a biennial basis, and lecture material and recordings are posted on the departmental website for residents to review. The program has a very popular unknown case conference series in both Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology. These conferences test and sharpen the diagnostic skills of residents by simulating real-life situations. All conferences occur daily and are now virtual for the safety of our residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents also participate in virtual microscopy conferences, grand rounds, monthly journal clubs, subspecialty conferences, and multidisciplinary tumor boards.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several measures have been implemented in order to maintain a safe learning environment for our residents. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided to our residents by BCM and/or by the hospital where training is taking place. Our morning conferences and departmental Grand Rounds are virtual. Plexiglass shields have been installed at the microscopes at multiple training sites including BCM and Texas Children’s Hospital. Additionally, some sign out sessions are virtual, and each resident is assigned a specific desk at each hospital to limit shared spaces.
Baylor also offers a myriad of opportunities to residents and fellows who are interested in a research career. Opportunities exist at the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, the world-class Human Genome Sequencing Center, the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Children's Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center and on our numerous clinical services. This provides a variety of opportunities in translational, clinical, and basic science research.
Finally, residents have many opportunities to teach, both informally (medical students on elective rotations and junior residents) and formally (by lecturing to medical and physician assistant students). Graduated responsibility is delegated in order to help residents and fellows develop the competence, confidence, and independence to succeed as skilled pathologists in any practice setting.
We believe that our residents and fellows receive an incomparable variety of experiences and hope that you find our program as exciting as we do. Our contact information is listed below. Please feel free to contact us with questions about our training program. We look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Tania M. Platero Portillo, M.D.
Chief Resident
tania.plateroportillo@bcm.edu
Mohamed Mohamed Eltahir, M.B.B.S., Ph.D.
Chief Resident
mohamed.mohamedeltahir@bcm.edu
Lois Dodson, M.D., Ph.D
Associate Chief Resident
lois.dodson@bcm.edu
Georgia Huffman, M.D.
Associate Chief Resident
georgia.huffman@bcm.edu
Marwan Yared, M.D.
Program Director
marwan.yared@bcm.edu
Lisa A. Hensch, M.D.
Associate Program Director
lxhensch@texaschildrens.org
Shilpa Jain, M.D.
Associate Program Director
shilpa.jain@bcm.edu
Yvetter R. Boney
Program Coordinator
yboney@bcm.edu
