The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) presidency extends from one Annual Meeting to the next. The time passes quickly, and my term has nearly ended. It has been a wonderful experience, filled with some challenges, some successes, and, best of all, working closely with other ASCP members to promote laboratory medicine and pathology.
My year began with a bang, at the 2025 annual meeting in Atlanta, which was a rousing success, thanks to the contributions of ASCP volunteers and staff. I heard people talking all week about the magnificent scientific presentations by Craig Venter and Francis Collins. I wish to extend that enthusiasm with our 2026 General Session speaker Don Siegel, who will talk about the application of DNA research to create targeted cell therapies such as CAR-T, revolutionizing cancer treatment.
The immediate challenge that awaited me was leading the search for a full-time CEO. For six months our search committee reviewed and interviewed candidates, finally presenting two candidates to the Board of Directors. After due consideration, the Board of Directors elected interim-CEO Ali Brown to become the ASCP’s full-time CEO. Dr. Brown is the first woman to hold this position. I am pleased with this result and commend Dr. Brown for her work. I see a bright future for the ASCP under her leadership, and below I give reasons for my optimism.
Medicine faces many challenges, from attempts to cut reimbursements for laboratory and pathology services to lack of faith in standard medical practices. Simultaneously, there is enthusiasm about new technologies that are difficult to afford with cuts in reimbursement. Looming over it all is the need to attract a future generation of practitioners to join our ranks. ASCP continues its policy work to make visas more affordable for potential colleagues and to maintain appropriate pay for the essential work that we perform in patient care.
Oddly, this pressure on our practice leads to my first hope for the future. The barrage has led leaders of our many different professional organizations to realize that we must speak with a united voice on the many challenges we face as we work with leaders outside our field. Accordingly, I have been working to improve our connections with colleagues in other societies. You should know that no pathology leader is more adept than Ali Brown at convincing others of our need to work together and getting enthusiastic support in response. Working together bodes well, and the challenges we work through with others will create stronger bonds for future projects.
The second reason for optimism is the work that ASCP’s leaders have begun on a new strategic plan. Now is a natural time to review our resources, both financial and human, and then harness those resources to realize our goals. ASCP is financially strong, and no other organization can touch ASCP for its wealth of capable pathologists and clinical laboratory scientists. You will hear more about our strategic plan soon, after we complete the initial work, but know that all our efforts are devoted to improving our practice.
Part of the strategic plan is to create a Governance Committee, which will assume the responsibilities of and replace our current Bylaws Committee. The Governance Committee will also critically consider the workings of the Board of Directors to improve the operations of ASCP, all with the goal of improving the Society’s ability to realize its strategic plan.
Finally, I hope to see you in Montréal. This meeting will be dynamic in a new way, as we partner with the Canadian Association for Pathologists (CAP-ACP) for our first international meeting. My term as ASCP president will end there, but the work goes on. Thank you for letting me serve you this year. I invite you to join us in Montréal and in the work that lies ahead for improving pathology and laboratory medicine practice.
Newsletters
Receive the latest pathologist news, personalities, education, and career development – weekly to your inbox.
