From the President’s Desk

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We don’t all have a practice setting that affords the opportunity to see patients in person. We accomplish remarkable work by relying on medical records and discussions with other clinicians. But when there is an opportunity to see a patient, it can greatly increase our diagnostic impact. It can give us an edge we wouldn’t have from our laboratory. Sometimes we think of these patient interactions as an inconvenience, but I would suggest we all take another look at that and try to see them as an opportunity instead.

And let me be clear: Valuable work such as this must be compensated appropriately. In fact, some pathologists are offering formal clinical consultative services in a way that brings to mind the fictional Dr. House on the popular television show from years past. And while the CAP continues to advocate for reimbursement of this type of activity, there are many indirect benefits. First, visibility affects our lobbying and advocacy efforts. As it stands, most nonphysicians (including voters and members of Congress) do not know the level of education required to be a pathologist nor do they appreciate what we do on their behalf. This level of awareness is little better in people who have had a diagnostic biopsy performed than in those who have not.

There is another important group of nonphysicians to consider, namely medical students, whose agnosticism about pathology has a direct impact on the quality of applicants for residency positions. While the new curriculum has been viewed as a setback, it is here to stay and may itself be an opportunity if we adapt to it. Through an “integrated” curriculum, pathologists can stress where exactly they fit into the health care team and illustrate their centrality to the decision-making process, thereby correcting the view that pathologists are primarily concerned with autopsies.

I encourage you to find new ways to make yourself and our profession more visible, both to your patients and to your clinical colleagues. Keeping up with general medical literature in addition to pathology-specific literature makes us even better clinicians and may help inspire more confidence in interactions with patients and fellow physicians. You can also take an active role in hospital or practice committees. Even committees that do not have a direct connection to pathology can benefit from your participation; you always bring a physician’s perspective to the table. Sometimes it takes a pathologist to remind folks outside the laboratory how important we can be in forwarding the mission of a hospital or practice.

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