Duke Path A Program Showcases Excellence at Annual AAPA Conference
From Sept 13-17, 2026, various members of the Duke Pathologists’ Assistant (Path A) Program attended the 51st annual American Association of Pathologists’ Assistants (AAPA) Fall Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. They attended lectures, presented posters, and networked with other Path As from across the United States and Canada. Duke’s program was strongly represented with four student poster presentations.
Assistant Professor Michelle P. Johnson, MHS, PA(ASCP)CM, director of the Duke Path A Program, was appointed as an interim Board of Trustees (BOT) member prior to the conference. Johnson participated in BOT meetings Saturday and Sunday, and represented the BOT during conference events and activities. Johnson is currently running for a term on the BOT during the fall election period, with new member terms beginning in January 2027. Johnson also contributed to the Association for Pathologists’ Assistant Training Programs (APATP) meeting agenda prior to the conference to represent the Duke Path A Program in the discussion of APATP initiatives.
During the daily poster sessions, four of Duke’s second-year Path A students presented their fabulous surgical pathology cases and autopsy cases, mentored by several Duke Pathologists’ Assistants:
- Wendy Hays presented "The Pathologists’ Assistant and the Patient Prognosis: Gross Documentation of Mesorectum Status in Advanced Rectal Cancer." Hays was mentored by Jonathan Chen, M.H.S., PA(ASCP)CM, and by Allison Topper, M.H.S., PA(ASCP)CM.
- Luke Holmes, mentored by Chen, presented "Distinguishing Renal Cell and Urothelial Cell Carcinoma: Key Details in Gross Examination and TNM Staging.” He was mentored by Chen.
- Meara Gill, mentored by Topper, presented “Intraoperative Frozen Section for Adnexal Tumors: An Unreliable Diagnostic Tool.” She was mentored by Topper.
- Brenna Turner presented “A High-Grade Spindle Cell Sarcoma with Novel SPIDR: TERT Fusion.” She was mentored by Meridith Hennessey, M.H.S., PA(ASCP)CM, Duke Neuropathology Fellow Levi Endelman, MD, and Duke Pathology Senior Vice Chair Rex Bentley, MD.
On Monday evening, the AAPA hosted a volunteer recognition event at Billiards & Bowling, near the meeting venue, where the wonderful Duke alumni who volunteered their time and energy to assist the AAPA were honored.
Johnson currently volunteers as one of the AAPA Board of Trustees members, and Topper as the student liaison for the Duke Path A Program. Chen currently serves as the co-chair of the Student Delegate Committee, section author lead, and subsection author on the Grossing Guidelines Committee for Bone/Soft Tissue and Head & Neck sections, and volunteers on the Membership and Education (Peer Review) committees.
We look forward to the next annual Fall Conference in Orlando, Florida, next Fall, Sept 12-16, 2027!