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Eligibility and Applications

Graduating medical students are accepted directly into the residency training program at the College of Medicine but must apply through the NRMP via  (Electronic Residency Application Service). Graduate physicians may also enter the program after completion of an internship or other postgraduate training; such appointments do not always involve the NRMP. Although appointments are for one year at a time, a resident whose work is satisfactory can anticipate completion of the entire four-year program. The department can accommodate a total of twenty-two house officers. Residents in their second postgraduate year and beyond must be licensed to practice in Kentucky. The University pays fees for Kentucky State Medical licensure. Applicants must pass USMLE Step I and Step II (or COMLEX) and have at least three recommendation letters. Applicants must have graduated from medical school within the last 10 years. For international medical graduate applicants, eligibility for J-1 student visa status is strongly preferred because of institutional requirements. In addition, the university requires ECFMG certification prior to your application being complete; at least three months of US clinical experience are also required for consideration. Potential candidates will be invited to interview via Zoom/in-person as dictated by LCME and ACGME recommendations for the current applications cycle. The application deadline for our program is Oct. 15; however, applicants are invited to interviews on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For more information about our Graduate Medical Education office click here. This includes GME stipends, benefits, policy/procedures manual, and more.

Outline of the Program

All our residents train in both anatomic pathology and clinical pathology (AP/CP). Each year of training is divided equally between anatomic pathology and laboratory medicine with every year divided evenly into 13 four-week blocks. Orientation lectures occur in the first eight week of resident training which includes available resources, rules and regulations and basic histology lectures (see image below).

Graduated Responsibility

Our program offers a well-structured orientation that gradually prepares incoming residents for independent service. The orientation spans four dedicated blocks, each designed to build confidence and foundational skills across major pathology disciplines.

• Autopsy Orientation Month: First year resident is paired with a second-year resident and learn the full process—from obtaining consent and completing paperwork to performing the autopsy, taking samples, reviewing slides, and writing the final report.
• Surgical Pathology Orientation Month (Bridge): Residents follow the schedule of a Pathology Assistant for the first three weeks, learning grossing in a structured way—starting from smaller specimens and progressing to complex cancer cases. Each resident completes at least three specimens per organ. During the final week, junior residents shadow senior resident to learn case previewing and documentation in Epic.
• Hematopathology Orientation Month (Heme Reading): The first two weeks focus on reading and reviewing foundational hematopathology materials (including recorded lectures on Canvas). In the following two weeks, residents are paired with senior resident to gain hands-on exposure before starting the full hematopathology rotation.
• Cytopathology Orientation Month (Cyto. Reading): Similarly, residents spend the first two weeks building foundational cytopathology knowledge, followed by two weeks paired with a senior resident to understand workflows and prepare for the service rotation.