Cullen Lilley

About Cullen Lilley

One of the biggest challenges in pathology today is the outdated, one-size-fits-all approach to education and training. Despite rapid advances in diagnostics, artificial intelligence, and personalized medicine, our training models remain largely static – overly dependent on lectures, rigid curricula, and limited opportunities for individualized learning. This is especially problematic in pathology, where expertise relies on nuanced pattern recognition, long-term skill development, and meaningful feedback.

As a pathology resident, educator, and co-founder of PathElective.com, I’ve seen how digital tools can transform learning by improving access, flexibility, and engagement. Built during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, PathElective quickly grew into a global resource with more than 25,000 users across 100+ countries. That experience revealed both the potential of digital innovation and the reality that we’ve only scratched the surface.

The future of pathology training lies in what the AMA calls precision education – applying the same principles we embrace in precision medicine to how we teach. That means adaptive, data-driven learning environments tailored to each trainee’s pace, experience, and goals. It means competency-based progression, real-time feedback, and modular resources that align with evolving clinical responsibilities.

Imagine a pathology resident with access to a personalized educational dashboard. Drawing on andragogy, cognitive science, and analytics, this platform could track progress across rotations, microscopy skills, and readiness metrics, while connecting learners with curated resources matched to their gaps. With advances in digital pathology, AI, informatics, and even eye-tracking, such a tool could provide real-time feedback and allow educators to act as data-informed partners in training.

Innovation in pathology should extend beyond diagnostics to how we prepare the next generation. To advance the field, we must train pathologists with the same creativity and rigor we bring to patient care. As a trainee soon entering practice, my mission is to help lead that transformation – shaping pathology education into something more adaptive, learner-centered, and precise.