• Provide the highest quality and most cost-effective patient care,
• Expand the boundaries of pathology and medicine through research, and
• Train the next generation of pathologists.

Moreover, we strive to:

• Serve as one of the world's premier sources for innovative basic and clinical research in pathology
• Develop and implement new technologies which will improve the accuracy and efficacy of diagnosis and reduce costs.
• Serve as a resource to the academic community, providing a leadership role in medical school education, residency-fellowship training and continuing education in pathology.

The Department has more than 100 clinical and research faculty members, 70 research fellows, and 55 residents and clinical fellows. The Chairman of the Department is Dr. Michael A. Gimbrone, Jr. Dr. Frederick J. Schoen is the Executive Vice-Chairman, Dr. Gayle L. Winters is the Residency Program Director, and Dr. David B. Sacks is Associate Program Director for Clinical Pathology Training. Dr. Christopher Fletcher is the Director of Surgical Pathology, Dr. Christopher Crum is the Director of the Women's and Perinatal Pathology and Dr. Milenko Tanasijevic is Head of the Clinical Laboratories. Most staff members divide their time among clinical, investigative and teaching activi-ties, in various proportions.

The Anatomic Pathology Services receive approximately 70,000 surgical and 65,000 cytology specimens annually and perform over 300 autopsies per year (comprising adult and perinatal cases). The Clinical Laboratories (Blood Bank, Clinical Chemistry, Hematology and Microbiology) perform over 5 million tests annually. The Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory processes almost 9,000 specimens and the cytogenetics lab has 11,000 specimens a year. There is an extensive pathology support staff including technicians, pathology assistants and a large administrative and secretarial staff.

The Brigham and Women's Hospital features one of the most advanced electronic medical record system in the country. All pathology reports are issued electronically. Over the last several years, the department has accomplished a major expansion of the computer facilities, including extensive document scanning, digital photography, voice recognition, slide barcodes, automated cassette labeling, and electronic presentation capabilities for graphics, presentation slides and histologic specimens as well as access to the Internet. In collaboration with other Harvard teaching hospitals, the department is developing programs in pathology informatics.

The Department of Pathology has an extensive research program. The largest research groups are in Vascular Biology, Immunology, Molecular Oncology/Genetics and Pulmonary Pathology. Over 36,000 square feet of research space are available in several areas that include the main Pathology Department, the Thorn Research Tower, Harvard Insitute of Medicine, and the Longwood Medical Research Building. The department has upwards of 115 funded research projects supported by public and private grants, comprising over 12 millions direct costs annually. A NIH-funded research training grant within the Department has 12 positions per year, and substantial other research support, for residents to obtain research training within the department or its affiliates.

The superb resources of the department and the environment support a full range of educational programs in pathology, including residency, fellowship and continuing education programs. ACGME-accredited training in Anatomic Pathology (AP) or Clinical Pathology (CP, Laboratory Medicine) or combined AP/CP is available that fulfills all requirements for certification by the American Board of Pathology. One year or longer fellowships are available in most pathology subspecialties, including surgical pathology, hemato-pathology, cytopathology, neuropathology, soft tissue pathology, pediatric pathology, cardio-vascular pathology, dermatopathology, pulmonary pathology, gastrointestinal pathology, women's and perinatal pathology, breast pathology, urologic pathology, renal pathology, cytogenetics, and molecular diagnostics. Faculty and trainees also participate actively in undergraduate medical teaching (of medical students enrolled at the Harvard Medical School) and in continuing medical education courses for practicing professionals.