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State pathology societies—valuable resources for trainees

2025; Wiley; Volume: 133; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/cncy.22926

1934-6638

Myles R. McCrary, Carmen Gomez‐Fernandez,

Radiology practices and education

The importance of large, national/international organizations like the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the US and Canadian Academy of Pathology for resident and fellow training cannot be overstated. However, many opportunities also exist at the locoregional level, such as pathology state societies, which vary widely in size, structure, and level of engagement but can provide valuable resources and networking opportunities for trainees. What are some specific resources, initiatives, and mechanisms that might be beneficial for local, state, and regional pathology society groups to enhance trainee experiences? The Florida Society of Pathologists (FSP) enjoys a long history of representing the interests of Florida pathologists and is an impressive example of a large state society. Key areas addressed for residents and fellows who participate in the FSP include engagement, networking, education, and advocacy. Here, we summarize several programs and initiatives that the FSP has pursued to cater to the needs of Florida's resident/fellow trainees, and we hope that this information will benefit other locoregional and state societies. The FSP Board, as with many local medical societies, is composed of both academic and community-based pathologists across various career stages. To enhance the engagement of residents and fellows in training, the Board initiated a unique addition to the typical society board structure with the addition of a resident or fellow board member for a 2-year term. The primary purpose of this position is to solicit a trainee voice in society decisions. The resident board member actively participates in all board meetings and may take part in committees or task forces as necessary, with particular attention to those that directly affect trainees. This resident board member also chairs a separate resident and fellow committee, which is composed of trainees with representation from multiple state pathology residencies and fellowship programs. The trainee committee provides value in several ways. One important function of the committee is to increase trainee engagement. Representatives from individual programs help recruit their co-residents to participate in society events. The committee also serves as a forum in which representatives can report on the specific needs of their programs' trainees, which the society can then use as a focus point to target various initiatives. Trainees across regional residency programs are encouraged to collaborate, providing greater benefits than would be achieved at a single institution alone, while facilitating early networking. Some examples of recent initiatives spearheaded by the resident and fellow committee include a campaign for trainees to share interesting and educational pathology cases through FSP social media outlets, a newsletter highlighting trainee achievements, and a webinar series for trainees on professional development, advocacy, and emerging fields in pathology. Membership for residents and fellows is free after an online application with proof of training status. At the beginning of each academic year, gift boxes are shared with program representatives to welcome new trainee members. Because membership is complementary and encouraged broadly across Florida residency and fellowship programs, trainee membership has remained stable in recent years at approximately 100 trainee members annually. The FSP hosts two major meetings: an annual pathology conference held in the winter and a second conference held in the summer. The annual pathology winter meeting is one of the highlights of the FSP and offers several opportunities for residents and fellows to interact with each other and with academic and community pathologists across the state. Generally held in Orlando, Florida, which is relatively central and reasonably accessible to most state participants, the annual winter meeting offers several platforms whereby trainees can network and showcase their research and potential for the professional job market. The conference venue is located within a major amusement park. This eases family accompaniment, which is an important consideration for many trainees. Reduced registration costs and attractive hotel rates are also available for those in training to further encourage attendance. The 50th anniversary of the FSP annual meeting in February of 2024 boasted an impressive turnout of over 300 participants, including 20 medical students, 58 residents, and 25 fellow attendees. These numbers have increased in recent years with the return to in-person events following the global pandemic. There are several events at the annual winter meetings that are of particular interest to trainees. First is the Digital Poster Competition. Poster abstracts are submitted by trainees a few months before the meeting and, after review, may be accepted for presentation using digital poster boards at the conference center. At the recent annual meeting, 70 posters submitted by residents and fellows were accepted for presentation. A digital poster reduces the burdens of printing, transporting, and physically setting up the poster, which usually fall to the trainee. The poster competition allows residents and fellows to showcase both research presentations and case reports, to network with other trainees and attendings from neighboring Florida residency programs, and to grow their resume in a low-stakes, collegial environment. Similarly, a separate Rare and Interesting Case Competition, which is well attended by residents and fellows, allows exceptional works by trainees to be displayed on a larger stage through a podium talk. Both poster and case competition submissions have increased in recent years. Cash prizes further incentivize participant engagement for both of these events. A recent addition to the activities for residents is the Resident Jeopardy event. Each residency program sends representatives across training years to form a team that participates in a Jeopardy-style game show featuring pathology topics. The winning residency team is awarded a traveling trophy, which is engraved and returned at the following annual meeting, perpetuating a cycle of trainee engagement and healthy competition among Florida pathology training programs. In addition to the trophy, book prizes are also awarded by sponsors. The Fellowship Fair and Reception is another important event geared toward trainees looking for Florida fellowship opportunities. Interested residents can meet local program directors during this informal meet-and-greet session over hors d'oeuvres. This past year, seven separate institutions were represented, including all of the large academic medical centers as well as multiple county medical examiners. Medical student attendance at the annual winter meeting and submission of posters have also increased at recent meetings. Future FSP efforts will focus on further encouraging medical student participation in meetings and mentorship. Such efforts may help increase the pipeline of pathology trainees in Florida and help address ongoing pathologist shortages. In addition to the annual winter meeting, the FSP also hosts an annual summer conference and a Pathology and Oncology Interactive Symposium in the Fall through a collaboration with the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO). Although both of these events are primarily designed for practicing pathologists and oncologists, resident and fellow attendance is supported, and many trainee attendees find participation to be educationally valuable. At the heart of the annual winter and summer conferences and the Pathology and Oncology Interactive Symposium is the educational programing. The education committee of the FSP works hard to find dynamic speakers who are experts in their respective fields, and invites them to come and present updates and practical reviews of carefully selected topics. The speakers are a combination of nationally recognized faculty and up-and-coming rising stars from the state's academic and private institutions. The continuing medical education sessions are always rich in content for the participants, including the residents and fellows. In the last few years, the FSP has teamed with FLASCO to explore the advancements in molecular diagnostics and precision medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in a combined conference. To enhance resident/fellow engagement, trainees attending the most recent FSP-FLASCO conference were tasked with taking notes during the panel discussions, which were reported in a blog format. Finally, the FSP offers a webinar Grand Rounds series held quarterly. Many of the topics are expressly designed for the education of residents and fellows. Examples of recent programs include titles such as Facing the Real World-What Graduating Pathologists Need to Know, Evaluation and Feedback for Faculty and Trainees, and Soft Tissue and Bone Slide Review for the Boards.1 Other topics include professional development, advocacy, and practice updates relevant to both trainees and practicing pathologists. Advocacy is a critical facet of local and national pathology organizations. Resident and fellow involvement is especially important when local and national decisions are made that directly affect their training, employment, and future reimbursement prospects. This year, the FSP offered an Advocacy Stipend to support FSP members to attend the CAP Leadership Summit and CAP Hill Day events in person.2 With this support, nine FSP members, including three residents, attended this event, which enabled them to gain valuable insights with regard to the role of physicians, and specifically pathologists, in guiding policy. Future initiatives from the FSP will provide further trainee support for state advocacy in conjunction with local groups, such as the Florida Medical Association, with which the FSP has mutual interests and a longstanding relationship. In summary, state pathology associations have the potential to make meaningful impacts for resident and fellow pathologists in training. The inclusion of a resident/fellow liaison to the board of directors; creation of a resident/fellow committee; intentional addition of activities to enhance trainee engagement, networking, education, and participation at society events; recruitment of pathology trainees to local and national advocacy efforts; and development of society-sponsored webinars of interest to trainees are readily achievable strategies that could be considered by state pathology associations to improve the experience of trainees. Myles R. McCrary is Chief Resident at the Anatomic and Clinical Pathology residency program at the University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, Florida. He is currently serving as Resident/Fellow Liaison to the Board of the Florida Society of Pathologists and as Chair of the Resident/Fellow Committee. He is also a resident forum delegate for the College of American Pathologists. Carmen Gomez-Fernandez is tenured Professor of Pathology and Vice Chair of Education at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She is a senior breast and ear, nose and, throat pathologist and cytopathologist and currently serves as the Director of Ear, Nose And, Throat Pathology and Co-Director of Breast Pathology services in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.