Patrick N. Costello, MD

Medical school: University College of Dublin, Ireland
Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
Fellowship: Surgical Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Certifications: Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology
Clinical focus: Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology, Hematopathology

Yurong Wheeler, MD, PhD

Medical School: Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China

Graduate School: Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 

Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

Fellowship: Cytopathology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD

Certifications: Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, Cytopathology
Clinical Focus: Fine Needle Aspirations, Skin Tumors, Molecular Pathology, Transfusion Medicine

J. Chadwick King, MD

​

Medical school: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR
Certifications: Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology
Clinical focus: Hematopathology, Flow Cytometry and Coagulation

Hematopathology

Our pathology services include comprehensive expertise in anatomic and clinical pathology.  

Many of our pathologists are fellowship trained in areas including cytopathology, dermatopathology,

gastrointestinal, breast, surgical pathology, and blood banking. In addition, several of our pathologists maintain special interests and expertise in genitourinary, and gynecologic pathology. We offer expert consultations in laboratory testing such as blood banking, chemistry, hematology, coagulation, and microbiology.

Dr. Thomas M. Soike, board certified dermatopathologist, joined Watauga Pathology in 2016 after completing a fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina under the guidance of renowned dermatopathologists John Maize and Dirk Elston.  Dr. Thomas Soike now provides expertise in melanocytic and inflammatory skin lesions in northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia.  With a variety of immunohistochemical and special stains available on site, we can provide rapid and accurate results on most dermatologic specimens.​

Drs. Robertson, Schmadeka, and Barklow maintain a special interest in breast pathology and participate in our multidisciplinary tumor boards. Our state of the art histology and immunohistochemistry laboratory provides rapid reporting of Estrogen receptor (ER), Progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 expression allowing for accelerated treatment.

Dr. Costello maintains a special interest in gastrointestinal pathology. Dr. Costello completed a surgical pathology fellowship with emphasis in gastrointestinal pathology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

Julie Smith Robertson, MD

Medical school: University of Louisville, Louisville, KY
Residency: Anatomic Pathology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Certifications: Anatomic Pathology
Clinical focus: Surgical Pathology, Breast Pathology, Resident Education

Dermatopathology

Robert L. Schmadeka, MD

Medical school: American University of Caribbean, Sint Maarten
Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN
Fellowship: Surgical and Breast Pathology, Stony Brook University, NY
Certifications: Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology
Clinical focus: Surgical Pathology,  Breast Pathology

​​1725 W. Market Street

Johnson City, TN  37604

​(423) 431-1310

Breast Pathology

Our pathologists provide excellent hematopathology services. Drs. King, Costello, and Patterson maintain a special interest in hematopathology and have extensive experience diagnosing bone marrows utilizing studies including fluoresence in situ hybridization (FISH), cytogenetics, flow cytometry, and molecular studies. With our flow cytometer onsite and our extensive molecular testing options rapidly available we are able to diagnosis and provide relevant information in a timely fashion.

Gynecologic Pathology

Cytology

Blood Banking

Drs. Elena Gertsen hold special interest and expertise in gynecologic pathology. Dr. Gertsen's fellowship training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, provided her with extensive exposure to a variety of gynecologic conditions. She is passionate about women's health and participates in multiple national research trials aimed at prevention and treatment of various gynecologic conditions.

Elena Gertsen, MD, PhD

​
Medical school: Universitaetsklinikum Essen, Germany 
Residency: Anatomical and Clinical Pathology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Fellowship: Surgical Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Certifications: Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology
Clinical focus: Surgical Pathology, Gynecologic Pathology, Resident Education 

Gastrointestinal Pathology

Pathology                                                     

Dr. David Sibley, Dr. Wheeler and Dr. Patterson, maintain a special interest in blood banking and transfusion medicine. Dr. Sibley's multi-year experience and managing blood banks allows for highly efficient blood utilization and reduced wastage. Dr. Patterson trained at the Mayo Clinic and managed highly complex patients afflicted with a variety of medical and genetic conditions.

Emily R. Patterson, MD

Medical school: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Fellowship: Surgical Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Certifications: Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology
Clinical focus: Surgical Pathology, Hematopathology, Transfusion Medicine

Thomas M. Soike, MD

Medical School: East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN

Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

Fellowship: Dermatopathology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

Certifications: Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, Dermatopathology
Clinical Focus: Melanocytic Lesions, Inflammatory Dermatoses, Laboratory Automation

Watauga Pathology is proud to provide a comprehensive cytology department. Drs. Wheeler and Arze hold board certification in cytopathology and serve as consultants for challenging cases.  We specialize in gynecologic and non-gyneclogic cytology and offer a full range of services including SurePath™ and ThinPrep™ liquid based Pap smears.  Our lab incorporates a state of the art FocalPoint GS™ imaging system for liquid based pap smears in addtion to expert screening by experienced ASCP certified cytotechnologists.  A full range of ancillary tests are available for HPV, GC, Chlamydia and other infectious diseases.   Attention to detail is of paramount importance as well as rapid turnaround time and close communication with our clients to ensure optimal patient care.

Elizabeth M. Arze, MD

Medical school: American University of Antiqua, Antigua
Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Fellowships: Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, AR
Certifications:  Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, Cytopathology
Clinical focus: Cytopathology, Surgical Pathology

David A. Sibley, MD

Medical school: University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, University of Virginia Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Fellowship: Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine, University of Virginia Hospital, Charlottesville, VA
Certifications: Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology
Clinical focus: Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine, Hematopathology

Thomas A. Barklow, MD

​
Medical school: Ross University School of Medicine, Portsmouth, Dominica
Residency: Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Fellowship: Surgical Pathology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN
Certifications:  Anatomic Pathology and Clinical Pathology
Clinical focus: Surgical Pathology, Breast Pathology