Medical College of Wisconsin

Program Co-Director	Program Co-Director	Program Admin
Stanley F. Lo, PhD, DABCC	Robert D. Nerenz, PhD, DABCC	Kris Scheel
Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine	Associate Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine	Program Coordinator
slo@mcw.edu	rnerenz@mcw.edu	kscheel@mcw.edu
(414) 266-2533	(414) 805-7074	(414) 805-8576

About the Program

The MCW Clinical Chemistry fellowship program prepares trainees to make positive contributions to the field of laboratory medicine by pursuing a career in the clinical laboratory, forensic laboratory, or in vitro diagnostics/industry. Initial training covers physiology and pathophysiology relevant to the clinical laboratorian, as well as essentials for selecting, performing and interpreting clinical laboratory tests. We emphasize active engagement in patient care through regular interaction with clinicians, which provides fellows with ample opportunity to develop their consultative, advisory, and interpretive skills. Fellows also gain clinical experience through regular participation in multidisciplinary case conferences, planning and executing assay validations, troubleshooting unusual clinical specimens, and implementing a test utilization program.

Fellows will be exposed to a diverse set of laboratory environments including adult and pediatric academic clinical laboratories, reference laboratory, medical examiner laboratory, and the in vitro diagnostics (IVD) setting. We also encourage and support academic productivity, providing fellows with the opportunity to publish and present research findings. Lastly, we expect our fellows to develop their teaching skills through informal interactions with medical residents in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Medical Toxicology, formal presentations in departmental seminars, summaries of on-call discussions, and other departmental meetings.

Program Requirements

To be considered for the program, prospective fellows must meet the exam eligibility criteria defined by the American Board of Clinical Chemistry (ABCC):

1. PhD or MD in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, medicine, pathology, pathobiology or pharmacology from an accredited university.
2. At least 28 semester hours (undergraduate or graduate level) of coursework in analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, or biochemistry.
   • If a candidate’s academic credentials are obtained outside the United States, they must be deemed equivalent by an appropriate education evaluation agency.

To Apply

The deadline for applications is September 1 for a start date of July 1st of the following year. Please submit application materials to chemistryfellowship@mcw.edu. Short, informal discussions via phone or at the ADLM meeting may be conducted anytime, with formal on-site interviews beginning September 1. Offers will be extended on or after October 1 and candidates will be given a window of at least 2 weeks to consider the offer.

The application packet must include:

1. Cover letter/personal statement summarizing interest in Clinical Chemistry and professional goals
2. Three letters of recommendation (one must be from current advisor or supervisor)
3. Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
4. Curriculum vitae

Training Level

Postdoctoral Training Level
Number of positions available per year: 1 every other year
Duration of program: 2 years
Approximate annual salary or stipend: PGY Scale
Source of funding: Departmental Funds
Current number of trainees: 0
Number of past graduates: 0

Faculty

Stan Lo, PhD, DABCC	General Clinical Chemistry, Pediatric Clinical Chemistry and Toxicology, Biochemical Genetics
Rob Nerenz, PhD, DABCC	General Clinical Chemistry, Endocrinology, Immunology, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Biomarker Development, Toxicology, Pharmacogenomics
Laura Smy, PhD, DABCC	General Clinical Chemistry, Quality Control, Regulatory, Toxicology
Randy Schneider, PhD	Biomarker Development
Katie Bone, PhD, FACMG	Molecular Diagnostics, Cytogenetics
Nathan Kopp, PhD, DABMG	Molecular Diagnostics, Cytogenetics
Rachael Liesman, PhD, DABMM	Infectious Disease Diagnostics
Macy Wood, PhD, DABMM	Infectious Disease Diagnostics
Blake Buchan, PhD, DABMM	Infectious Disease Diagnostics
Amy Zosel, MD, MSCS	Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Poison Control
Jess Hoff, PhD	Industry-Sponsored Biomarker Studies