AAPath Leaders Learning Series

Pathology Workforce: The Role of the PhD Clinical Laboratorian

Wednesday, June 27, 9:00 am (ET): The Pathology Workforce Summit in December 2013 recognized the important role that PhD clinical scientists play as members of the clinical laboratory team. Until a newly published report in Academic Pathology, little information was organized or benchmarked on opportunities available to the clinical laboratory scientist workforce or routes to attaining them. A Joint PhD Data Task Force (created by participants of the Workforce Summit) sought to collect data on training and certification pathways of clinical laboratorians to understand opportunities for PhDs in the pathology workforce. In this APC Leaders Learning Series Webinar, lead author Dr. Robin Lorenz presents highlights from the article, which features compiled data from multiple organizations, including ACLPS, ABB, ABCC-AACC, ABHI-ASHI, ABMLI-ASM, ACS, and others. Webinar attendees will:

1. become familiar with credentialing requirements for PhD scientists directing clinical laboratories;
2. learn about the number and complex roles of PhD clinical scientists in the laboratory workforce; and
3. become aware of the multiple training programs and pathways through which a PhD scientist can become trained and certified or licensed to play a role in the clinical laboratory workforce.

Special Invitation: APC members are encouraged to invite graduate program directors and trainees (graduate students and postdocs) to participate with them in this webinar to learn about career opportunities in laboratory medicine.

Robin G. Lorenz, MD, PhD (Speaker)
- Corresponding Author of article in Academic Pathology, first published online June 4, 2018
- Co-Chair, Joint PhD Data Task Force
- Associate Dean for Physician Scientist Development, and Professor, Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Brian R. Smith, MD (Host)
- Associate Editor, Academic Pathology
- Past Chair, APC Research Committee
- Chair and Professor, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yale University

Expanding Pathology Services to the Public Health Arena by Working with State Government Agencies

May 23, 2018: In this APC Leaders Learning Series Webinar, learn from a partnership model between the Department of Pathology at Rutgers University and the Public Health and Environmental Laboratories (PHEL), an agency of the New Jersey State Department of Health. Dr. Chen Liu will outline their strategies for understanding the missions and organization of state public health labs; expanding pathology professional service to the public health arena and working with state government agencies; and enhancing education, research, and public health service in state public health laboratories. Hear about approaches your department can consider to foster collaborations that enhance public services, education, and research within your own state.

Chen Liu, MD, PhD (Speaker)
- Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University
- Chief of Pathology Service, RWJ University Hospital at New Brunswick and University Hospital at Newark, and the New Jersey State Public Health and Environmental Laboratories
Tristram Parslow, MD, PhD (Host)
- President, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Emory University Hospital

Learning from Quality: A Pathology Department’s Success

April 24, 2018: In line with the Institute of Medicine’s 2015 report, “Improving Diagnosis in Health Care,” and its recognition of the importance of pathology and the pathologist, the lead author of a recently published paper in Academic Pathology, Dr. Jody Hooper, will demonstrate that a vertically and horizontally integrated quality improvement team is essential for effective data collection and implementation of improvement measures. She will outline the quality structure of the university and department and describe successful projects made possible by this tightly integrated structure. Listen to consider how Johns Hopkins’ experiences may be translated to your academic environment or how your current experiences may already produce more scholarly evidence of pathology’s primary role in quality improvement through your own meritorious publication in Academic Pathology.

Speakers:
Jody E. Hooper, MD
- Corresponding Author of Academic Pathology article “The Association of Departmental Quality Infrastructure and Positive Change: A pathology department illustration,” first published online January 18, 2018
- Member, APC Autopsy Working Group
- Deputy Director for Quality of the Department of Pathology and Director of Autopsy, Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University
Fred Sanfilippo, MD, PhD (Host)
- Chair, APC Senior Fellows Group
- Past Chair (1993-2000), Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University
- Professor of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Emory University

LDTs, IVDs, and the Diagnostic Accuracy and Innovation Act (DAIA): What Every Academic Leader Needs to Know
(Developed in cooperation with the Association for Molecular Pathology)

April 5, 2018: In late 2016, the FDA announced they would not finalize their draft guidance on laboratory developed tests (LDTs). Since then, the conversation on regulatory oversight for LDTs has shifted to Capitol Hill. During this webinar, we will provide an overview of a current discussion draft, the Diagnostic Accuracy and Innovation Act (DAIA) being circulated on the Hill. Learn about the proposed regulatory structure outlined in DAIA to educate your faculty, other clinicians and hospital administration about how this proposed regulatory framework  impacts academic medicine.

Speakers:
Tara Burke, PhD
- Director of Public Policy & Advocacy, Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP)
Donald Karcher, MD (Host)
- Immediate Past President, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Department of Pathology Chair and Director of Laboratories, George Washington University Medical Center

State of the APC Presidential Address

January 31, 2018: The 2018 Leaders Learning Series kicks-off with an inaugural “State of the APC Presidential Address” presented by APC President Dr. Tristram Parslow! Preview plans for 2018 and current issues in advocacy for the APC presented by Dr. Donald Karcher.

Speakers:
Tristram Parslow, MD, PhD
- President, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Emory University Hospital
Donald Karcher, MD
- Immediate Past President, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Department of Pathology Chair and Director of Laboratories, George Washington University Medical Center

Resident Wellness in Pathology

December 14, 2017: Physician burnout and suicide, the second leading cause of death in residents, are two critical concerns that are now being actively addressed by the ACGME with physician wellness programs and awareness. Prior to the PRODS program in the 2017 APC Annual Meeting, a survey on wellness was widely distributed to program directors, residents, and fellows in pathology. Results were presented at a Discussion Group session, which then divided into smaller break-out groups that focused on aspects of identifying and managing “at risk” residents. This timely webinar reports on the broader context of major stressors on today's residents, followed by a brief analysis of the PRODS survey, and outcomes of the discussion groups. This webinar features resources for training program directors and faculty members from Dr. Tobi Fishel, an integrative clinical health psychologist directing the GME wellness and resiliency training at the University of Southern California Medical Center. Based on her professional experience, Dr. Fishel will focus on how to create and foster a culture and environment of wellness in healthcare for providers.

Speakers:
P. Tobi Fishel, PhD
- Invited Special Guest, Integrative Clinical Health Psychologist
- Director of Residency Wellness and Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics
- Los Angeles County/University of Southern California Medical Center
Wesley Y. Naritoku, MD, PhD
- Past Chair, PRODS Section of APC
- Residency Program Director and Professor of Clinical Pathology
- Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California
Charles F. Timmons, MD, PhD
- Immediate Past Chair, PRODS Section of APC
- Director of Resident Education and Professor of Pathology
- Children’s Medical Center Dallas, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Securing the Future of Academic Pathology: Publish in Academic Pathology

November 7, 2017: APC's open access, peer-reviewed, indexed premiere journal, ACADEMIC PATHOLOGY, was launched at the end of 2014. The journal was established to give voice to the innovations in leadership and management of academic departments of Pathology. The journal meets an unmet need, which is to bring forward peer-review publications that report on innovations and accomplishments that promote the ongoing ability of academic pathology to meet its missions of clinical care delivery, education, and research. Since the journal’s inception, more than 60 articles have been published. Importantly, in 2017 the journal became an indexed journal of the National Library of Medicine, appearing in PubMed. The journal Editor-in-Chief, Dr. James Crawford, highlights the current accomplishments of the journal, drawing on the published scholarship to date. The webinar also highlights one "hot topic" paper, with lead author Dr. Matthew Krasowski (University of Iowa) reporting on their highly successful program for training pathology residents in Laboratory Management. The goal of the webinar is to illustrate the opportunity and empower members of the academic pathology community to bring forward for publication their innovations and accomplishments that drive success within and beyond their academic departments.

Speakers:
James M. Crawford, MD, PhD
- Editor-in-Chief, Academic Pathology
- Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine
Matthew D. Krasowski, MD, PhD
- Vice Chair for Clinical Pathology and Laboratory Services, Clinical Professor of Pathology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

Moderator: Peter Kragel, MD
- Councilor-at-Large, Association of Pathology Chairs (APC)
- Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University

Pathology Competencies for Medical Education: Framework & Educational Case Application

October 11, 2017: Current medical school curricula predominantly facilitate early integration of basic science principles into clinical practice to strengthen diagnostic skills and the ability to make treatment decisions. The Pathology Competencies for Medical Education (PCME) were developed in response to a call to action by pathology course directors nationwide to teach medical students pathology principles necessary for the practice of medicine. Following the recent publication of the PCME in Academic Pathology, this webinar covers in detail the PCME and its linked educational cases. Learn how to utilize the PCME and educational cases at your institution, as well as how to submit additional educational cases for publication—an opportunity for nationally-recognized scholarship for all faculty.

Speakers:
Michael Prystowsky, MD, PhD
- PCME Co-Editor-in-Chief
- Chair, Undergraduate Medical Education Committee, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Barbara Knollmann-Ritschel, MD, CAPT, MC, USN
- PCME Co-Editor-in-Chief
- Chair-Elect, Undergraduate Medical Educators Section (UMEDS)
- Professor and Vice-Chair, Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

The APC Practice and Management Survey: Benchmarking Subspecialty Practice in Pathology

September 27, 2017: This webinar reports on the results of the APC 2016 Practice Survey, including informative new RVU data from pathology subspecialties and updated data analysis on compensation, fringe, and incentives by degrees, regions, and gender. Learn how the comprehensive data collected over the last several years can be used to benchmark current pathology practice and support your department in effecting change.

Speakers:
Barbara Ducatman, MD
- President-Elect, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Chair, Department of Pathology, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine
Robert Mrak, MD, PhD
- Chair, Practice & Management Committee, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Chair, Department of Pathology, University of Toledo

Moderator: Tristram Parslow, MD, PhD
- President, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Emory University Hospital

Experiences and Lessons in Outsourcing of Academic Clinical Laboratories

June 22, 2017: This webinar reports the driving forces for and the role of the Pathology Chair in lab outsourcing arrangements, as well as their structure and effects on physician satisfaction and clinical pathology faculty. Learn how to assess and explain the potential impact of a proposed outsourcing arrangement on: (1) finances of the department and the hospital, (2) education programs in pathology and in other clinical departments, and (3) test quality and turn-around times. Take away successful strategies for the evaluation of such proposals to help guide these considerations to a beneficial outcome.

Speakers:
Robert Mrak, MD, PhD
- Chair, Practice & Management Committee, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Chair, Department of Pathology, University of Toledo
John Tomaszewksi, MD
- Chair, Advocacy Committee, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Distinguished Professor and Chair, Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, SUNY at the University at Buffalo

Moderator: Tristram Parslow, MD, PhD
- President, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Emory University Hospital

Pathology Graduate Medical Education: Is It Time To Move the Goalposts?

May 11, 2017: This webinar reports on the activities of the MD Survey Task Force, which has evaluated data from three years of surveying new-in-practice pathologists about their preparedness for employment. Learn what the study reveals about how well current training prepares residents for the practice of Pathology, now and into the future, and how this data may be used to guide curricular changes to increase career readiness.

Speakers:
Donald Karcher, MD (Moderator & Speaker)
- Immediate Past President, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Department of Pathology Chair and Director of Laboratories, George Washington University Medical Center
David J. Gross, PhD
- Director, Policy Roundtable, College of American Pathologists
W. Stephen Black-Schaffer, MD
- Past Chair, PRODS Council; Member, Advocacy Committee, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Associate Chief and Training Program Director, MGH Pathology Service, Massachusetts General Hospital

Value-Added & Gain-Sharing Formulas: New Approaches to Incentive Plans and the Case at the University of Pennsylvania

April 13, 2017: This APC LLS Webinar provided a review of compensation models and incentive plans. Dr. Kragel presented results of a survey on pathology value-added services, and discussed how value-added services may be identified and included in incentive plans. Mr. Challender presented how the University of Pennsylvania has successfully utilized compensation models and incentive plans.

Speakers:
Peter Kragel, MD
- Councilor-at-Large, Association of Pathology Chairs (APC)
- Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
Robert Challender, MBA
- Secretary, Pathology Department Administrators Section (PDAS) Council
- Chief Operating Officer, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, and Corporate Director, Laboratory Services, University of Pennsylvania

Moderator: Tristram Parslow, MD, PhD
- President, Association of Pathology Chairs
- Emory University Hospital - Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

Generational Diversity in the Academic Pathology Department

March 17, 2017: This webinar described generational differences which may create potential workplace conflicts due to varied attitudes and values, then highlighted how understanding and embracing those differences can be an asset in addressing cultural change in the academic pathology department. Real-life scenarios served as case discussions on generational differences, which have challenged the established work culture. Learn from fellow academic leaders and strengthen your strategies for addressing diversity and inclusion!

Speaker: Lydia Howell, MD
- Chair, APC Leadership Development & Diversity Committee
- Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Davis

Moderator: Peter Kragel, MD
- Councilor-at-Large, APC
- Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
 

The NGS Frontier: A Snapshot of the Academic Adoption and Payment Landscape

September 8, 2016: This webinar was designed to provide an overview of highlights from the recent survey of Pathology Chairs and Administrators on Next Generation Sequencing adoption and payment trends in academic departments, followed by a case example that puts into practice the challenges and potential of this new frontier in testing.

Speakers:
Charles Hill, MD, PhD
- President, Association for Molecular Pathology
- Director, Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory, Emory University Hospital
David Roth, MD, PhD
- Secretary-Treasurer, APC
- Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Director, Penn Center for Precision Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Moderator: Tristram Parslow, MD, PhD
- President, APC
- Professor and Chair, Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Emory University Hospital