Hot Topics: What are the Work Concerns that Keep Pathologists Up at Night?

Staying current with advancements in pathology, increasing visibility of the profession among medical students, and bolstering appreciation of the value of pathologists in patient care are among the top 10 topics that weigh heavily on the minds of laboratory professionals, according to the results of an ASCP survey conducted this past summer.

Every summer, ASCP conducts a member survey to find out the topics that weigh on members’ thoughts. The chairs of ASCP’s four member councils—Council of Laboratory Professionals, Resident Council, Pathologist Council, and Council of Laboratory Management and Administrators.

“The Pathologist Council has opportunities to address these hot topics through ASCP’s roundtables and also by creating an online library that is open to all members when they want to learn more about certain areas,” says Pathologist Council Chair Deniz Peker Barclift, MD, FASCP.

“A number of our members are in academic medical centers where we have access to medical students. We need to promote pathology more among medical students,” she adds. “According to data, the number of American Medical School Graduates who choose pathology as a profession has been decreasing.”

She suggested that one way to encourage awareness of the profession among medical students is for pathologists to serve as mentors to help them learn about the profession and the various professional opportunities it offers. Another way could be to explore providing seed funds to start pathology interest groups in medical schools so students can learn about the profession.

“As for boosting awareness of our profession among patients, there is a new trend nationwide which might benefit pathologists: every time you finalize a patient report, it becomes available to the patient (via MyChart or other electronic platforms) at that moment,” Dr. Peker says. “So, we can create a culture among pathologists to write reports that are tailored to the patients, as if you are talking to them. The report would also display pathologists’ names and contact information, so patients can reach pathologists to discuss their reports.”  

Other topics of concern to pathologists were leadership training and managing workload. Dr. Peker pointed out that ASCP offers courses on leadership training and said the Pathologist Council will help to promote them.

“The workload concern is quite a big topic, especially in the current era where all have shortages of staff,” she adds. “This is an area that ASCP needs to focus on. The first step is to collect the data, analyze it, and come up with a response. Since we have members from all subspecialties in pathology, maybe ASCP, with our council’s help, can come up with some workload guidelines for the pathologists.”

Another facet of addressing the workforce and heightening awareness of the profession is to work at fostering relationships and nurturing leadership skills. “It is crucial to create a balanced atmosphere in every pathology practice,” says Dr. Peker. “One way to address this is to provide enough resources for pathologists to develop better interpersonal and communication skills. We need to help our pathologists find common ground with colleagues in other departments and help them to understand and appreciate each other’s work.  

“Pathologists often work behind the scenes, but their expertise is essential for diagnosis and patient care. Improving communication can enhance collaboration with other healthcare professionals. Since many interactions occur digitally, offering pathologists training on how to write clear, considerate, and professional emails or reports is important. This might include being mindful of phrasing, avoiding abrupt language, and considering how messages may be perceived by colleagues, other healthcare professionals, and patients” Dr. Peker adds.

Lastly, the survey results indicated that advocating for their patients is an important topic. The work of ASCP’s Effective Test Utilization Committee is one way in which to advocate on behalf of patients’ needs.

Members can expect to see the Pathologist Council roll some of these initiatives out in the coming year. Meantime, Dr. Peker encourages members to check into the ASCP Online Communities to help keep the conversation going about issues of concern that need to be addressed going forward.

“We want our members to know that we have heard their concerns, and we are doing our best to develop thoughtful programming or initiatives to respond to their needs,” she says.