Pathologists’ Involvement at Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine, Memorial Medical Center, and the University of Illinois at Springfield

The SIU School of Medicine is a four year institution with seventy-two medical students in each class. Students are taught on the main campus in Carbondale during the first year.  The students complete their final three years in Springfield. PACI pathologists at Memorial Medical Center are responsible for delivery of all pathology topics to the second year medical students. These activities include presentation to all students in resource sessions (some of which are integrated with basic science faculty and/or clinicians) and in small group sessions which are centered on case based or problem based learning. Select pathologists also act as facilitators and tutors in these small groups. Most of the presentations are based upon actual patient cases (and materials) in the files of the Pathology Department at Memorial Medical Center.  Individual pathologists are unit directors who oversee all activities during one of four unit segments during the school year. In addition pathologists work with students individually and also in small groups (for those students who require extra assistance). These additional sessions occur weekly throughout the entire school year. Lastly, pathologists are also panelists in Population Health Symposia. Pathologists are actively involved in examination preparation, test evaluations and determinations of whether the students have been successful in evaluations and whether at the end of the year individual students are prepared to be promoted to the third year. For some students who are not ready to go to the third year and who need remedial work, pathologists participate in active remedial sessions with these students during July and August.  Pathologists also organize and teach a board review course for Step 1 of the USMLE at the end of the school year.

During the third and fourth years of medical school, PACI pathologists participate in multiple electives (Hematology, Surgical Pathology, Autopsy) and work with students in the laboratory. A separate clinical pathology elective with discussion of ninety-two patient cases is given to all the fourth year students during the last month of school as a final preparation for their residencies.

Pathologists are also heavily involved in teaching residents and fellows. Electives in OBGYN pathology, neuropathology, pulmonary pathology, hematology, and medical microbiology are available. 

Pathologists also give weekly seminars to technologists based upon recent interesting cases occurring locally or in the literature. Emphasis is placed upon the importance of laboratory testing in making the clinical diagnosis and/or monitoring treatment of patients. Similar presentations are given monthly to the evening and night technologists.