Association for Academic Pathology

Congratulations to C.C. Attaway and colleagues for their recent article in Academic Pathology: “Asking the PRIME Questions for Grossing: Teaching a Framework for Grossing and Constructing Gross Descriptions Using the PRIME Model.” https://lnkd.in/e8s-X2Xr

Congratulations to Kai J. Rogers and colleagues for their recent article in Academic Pathology: “Evaluating the Utility and Challenges Associated with “Unknown” and Fictional Patients in the Electronic Medical Record.” https://lnkd.in/eBZHg-ri

Congratulations to K.M. Kolheffer and colleagues for their recent article in Academic Pathology: "Extending the Gift—Utilizing Residual Human Anatomical Materials for Training Pathologists’ Assistants in Surgical Pathology Techniques." https://lnkd.in/eDb9rTms

Attention AAPath members! Give your career a boost through our free virtual events! Learn more about upcoming events and access past event recordings by visiting the AAPath website at: https://lnkd.in/e-RPuBvA #pathology Not a member? Apply here: https://bit.ly/3zT1RMH

The AAPath Research Committee has created a central listing of Experimental Pathology PhD programs as a means of facilitating marketing, networking, and collaboration for programs. This list is intended for stand-alone (e.g., degree-granting) PhD programs run by your departments rather than gateway-type PhD programs in which your individual faculty may also participate. Post your program’s information, complete the short Google Form posted on the AAPath website at: https://lnkd.in/eDYQeUfA

Attention AAPath Members: PRODS Council recommends that programs release residency program interview offers no earlier than October 18, 2024. As a resource for applicants and advisors, Program Directors are requested to complete their participation (or not) using the form linked at: https://lnkd.in/e_3QJfxX. Only one response per program is needed unless the program has multiple tracks that will participate differently. Program Directors should also update their residency program’s status in the ERAS Program Management System and update their residency program website or other recruitment materials to indicate if they are participating in this unified interview offer release date.

Compensation Benchmark Data Are Now Available Final data from the 2023 Academic Pathology Faculty and Administrators Compensation Benchmarking study is now available to participating departments. Starting with 2022 data (collected last year), these annual compensation studies by AAPath are designed to confidentially collect data and transform into a member-interrogated reporting system, when the collection period is closed. Rather than reporting data once as a static presentation at annual meetings or other venues, benchmarking data are now available to eligible participating departments throughout the year. Results are sortable by a variety of self-selected metrics, such as region or system demographics. AAPath expects this survey platform to provide true added value to members as you seek useful comparative national data to assist in recruitment, retention, and discussions with institutional leadership. Access instructions to the online survey site are provided to Chairs and APEX members. For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/e6QPgBv7. APEX members should save the date and register for an upcoming virtual brown bag session that will delve more deeply into how to utilize the benchmarking tool on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at 3:30 - 4:30 pm EDT.

AAPath’s Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) Co-Chairs Receive Grant from the American Medical Association (AMA) On August 2, 2024, EPA Working Group Co-Chairs Bronwyn Byant (University of Vermont) and Cindy McCloskey (University of Oklahoma) were honored to receive a 2024 ChangeMedEd Initiative Innovation Grant from the AMA. This highly competitive grant was awarded to integrate coaching principles into the EPAs and related tools developed by the working group, as a pilot for broader implementation. AMA sought projects that address the effectiveness of coaching through rigorous evaluation methodologies, and promote scalability and dissemination of coaching programs. In addition to receiving funding, grant recipients join the AMA ChangeMedEd Consortium, which is committed to developing, implementing and disseminating bold, innovative projects that promote systemic change to better train future physicians.

AAPath Advocacy Actions Update From the desk of AAPath’s Deputy Director, Lydia P. Howell, MD FDA regulation of lab-developed tests (LDTs) continues to be AAPath’s biggest advocacy issue. Though Congress has been in recess for the month of August, AAPath is closely following many efforts, including a recent lawsuit filed by the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) on August 19, 2024, which includes AAPath’s Past President, Michael Laposata, Chair of Pathology at University of Texas Medical Branch, as a co-plaintiff. AAPath’s Clinical Service Leaders Committee Chair, Karen Kaul, Chair of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at NorthShore University HealthSystem, provided a declaration supporting the lawsuit. AMP is the second organization to challenge the FDA’s new rule with a lawsuit, following one filed by ACLA in June. AAPath is supportive of these legal challenges and is in discussions with AMP, CAP and other partners to determine how we may further their efforts. Since the requirements of the new FDA rule still stand, AAPath is supporting our members in achieving compliance through a webinar series led by your academic pathology peers, who share their experiences with pursuing FDA approval of LDTs. In August, an attentive crowd of almost 50 members joined the virtual event, featuring Matija Snuderl’s excellent presentation on NYU-Langone’s successful FDA approval process for their 600+ oncology gene panel. AAPath members can access Dr. Snuderl’s presentation, which includes many tips and pitfalls, by visiting the past virtual events webpage at: https://lnkd.in/eZ6cTNiD. The next webinar in this series for AAPath members only will be held on September 26, 2024. The topic is “Best Case and Worst Case Scenarios: Practical Approaches to the FDA’s LDT Final Rule” and will be led by Nam Tran, PhD, and David Unold, MD, from the University of California, Davis. Be sure to register at this link to receive a calendar appointment with Zoom access instructions to enter the webinar. Advocacy issues we are keeping an eye on when Congress returns in the Fall: - Policies that undermine research: The FY 2025 House Labor-HHS appropriations bill (H.R.9209) and FY 2025 House National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA, H.R. 8070) prohibit funding for gain-of-function research, along with other proposals that would arbitrarily impede medical research. - The Embracing Anti-discrimination, Unbiased Curricula and Advancing Truth in Education (EDUCATE) Act (S. 4115, H.R. 7725) aims to prohibit federal funding to medical schools that have certain activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and accrediting institutions.

Announcing the New AAPath Research Academy! The AAPath Research Committee invites early-career clinical and research faculty to register for the new AAPath Research Academy. This year-long program will feature a series of 10 online 1-hour recorded lectures focused on topics such as developing a research program, identifying a mentor, expanding skill sets, and reviewing novel career tracks for clinical researchers. Lectures produced in four modules will be available to review on your own time. Four Q&A online sessions with the module speakers will be scheduled throughout the academic year. Certificates of completion will be awarded upon review of all modules and attendance at the four Q&A sessions. This program is FREE and unlimited for faculty of AAPath Member Departments, but requires participation approval from the Chair. We look forward to seeing you at the Research Academy: https://lnkd.in/e-neBXYy