From the President’s Desk

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The CAP offers a number of resources to support state pathology societies. Last year, we released two guides—one that can assist societies in growing their membership and another on advocacy fund­raising. We used our virtual conference platform to host 13 meetings of state pathology societies, allowing them to stay active and connected during the pandemic. CAP leaders (I was among them) gave advocacy updates at 21 state pathology society meetings in 2021 as well. We also have quarterly calls with state society presidents to find out what’s keeping them up at night, what’s working for them, and how they’re resolving common issues.

On a personal level, I can say that state pathology societies offer great opportunity for advancement. One of my first leadership roles was with the Michigan Society of Pathologists. I served on the board and later as the society’s president. It was a wonderful way not only to serve the pathology community but also to grow as a leader. During my time there, we focused on scope of practice and reimbursement issues, in addition to delivering practical educational programs.

My experience in Michigan helped give me the confidence to run for the Board of Governors and eventually president-elect of the CAP. As a candidate, going to the state societies to meet with pathologists in their home states was one of the most important things I did. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with pathologists and understand what was on their minds. Having viable, active state societies made that possible.

During the chaos of the pandemic, state societies also gave us local support communities we could lean on when we needed help. This sense of community is a real antidote to the burnout we have all faced in the past two years. It’s a place where individuals who feel they have relatively little power can come together, advocate effectively, and effect real change.

I encourage everyone to join or to take a more active role in their state’s pathology society. If your state does not have a strong society and you would like assistance from the CAP in launching or revitalizing a state-level association, please reach out to Megan Wick, director of state relations, at mwick@cap.org.

Dr. Volk welcomes communication from CAP members. Write to her at president@cap.org.