Description
The Opportunity
The University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine seeks an accomplished academic clinician or clinician investigator to lead the UVA Department of Pathology as Chair to sustain the excellence in clinical diagnostics, laboratory medicine, educational innovation and research for which this department is known. The UVA School of Medicine is a component of UVA Health which includes the 679-bed University Medical Center, three community hospitals, allied clinics and ambulatory procedural centers. The University Medical center houses the #1 children's hospital in Virginia per U.S. News & World Report, an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Virginia's only Comprehensive Transplant Center for adults and children. The School of Medicine is located on the historic UVA campus in Charlottesville, VA situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains which is renowned for its collegiate activities, many adjacent historic sites, agritourism and access to natural areas.
Department of Pathology
The Department of Pathology comprises three divisions, Anatomic Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, and Experimental Pathology, bringing together 41 faculty members whose expertise spans diagnostic pathology, laboratory medicine, genomics, and translational science.
Over the past several years, Pathology has achieved several significant milestones that have strengthened its position as a leading academic pathology program. Most notably, the department successfully deployed digital pathology across all surgical pathology services, with every surgical pathology case now incorporated into a fully digital workflow. This institution-wide transformation has modernized diagnostic operations, enhanced efficiency and collaboration, and established a platform for future advances in computational pathology and artificial intelligence.
Pathology has also expanded its diagnostic and research infrastructure through the development of new laboratory facilities at North Fork Research Park. The expansion will support advanced testing programs in genomics, cytogenetics, immunology, flow cytometry, toxicology, and molecular infectious diseases, increasing capacity for precision diagnostics while creating new opportunities for translational research and regional outreach.
Faculty contribute substantially to the national visibility and academic strength of the department. Their accomplishments include influential scholarship, leadership roles in major professional organizations, editorial appointments with leading pathology journals, and prestigious national awards recognizing excellence in research, education, and clinical practice. Equally notable is the department's longstanding commitment to education, reflected in its residency, fellowship, medical student, and graduate training programs, including the Molecular and Cellular Basis of Disease Ph.D. program, which integrates basic, translational, and clinical science in preparing future investigators and physician-scientists.
Building on a strong record of achievement, the next Chair will lead a department distinguished by innovation in diagnostic medicine, a nationally recognized faculty, expanding laboratory capabilities, and a deep commitment to scientific discovery and education. The Chair will guide the continued advancement of Pathology's clinical, research, and educational missions while shaping its next phase of growth and impact within UVA Health and the School of Medicine.
The Role and Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the Chair include promoting excellence in the educational efforts of the Department in the medical school curriculum, the pathology residency training program, 8 fellowships in anatomic pathology or laboratory medicine, and a PhD training program in Experimental Pathology. The Chair is responsible for the oversight of the Medical Laboratories of UVA Health and will either assume the overall CLIA directorship of the University Medical Center laboratories or appropriately delegate this responsibility. The Chair works with leadership of the University Medical Center and UVA Community Health, and the administrators of the allied laboratories, to assure integration and collaboration of laboratory services across UVA Health, and to assure the delivery of laboratory services of the highest quality with state-of-the art technologies. The Chair supports and promotes innovative research within the Department and enables the critical role the Department faculty play as collaborators in allowing access to human specimens and laboratory diagnostics to promote clinical trials and translational science. The Chair is responsible for creating a culture of mentorship and guidance to support the continued achievements of the faculty members of the Department throughout their promotion and tenure cycles and career phases.
Ideal Experience and Characteristics
The successful candidate should have a distinguished academic and clinical track record in some aspect of anatomic pathology and/or laboratory medicine, be an experienced educator, have excellent interpersonal and mentoring skills, have demonstrated administrative and organizational ability and must be eligible to hold the rank of Professor at the UVA School of Medicine. A demonstrated commitment to advancing research and scholarly excellence with a track record of funded research will be considered a strength.
To Apply or Nominate
The UVA Executive Search Group (ESG) has been retained to assist in the search for the Chair of the Department of Pathology in the School of Medicine. Confidential inquiries and nominations should be sent via email to Susan Gaines at [redacted]. Please submit application materials - including CV and cover letter.
We invite you to submit any nominations for this role via this online form.
Additional information, including the search committee, can be found on the ESG website
Applications received by December 15, 2026 will be given priority consideration.
