On Jan. 1, 2026, Vice Chair of Faculty Sarah Bean, MD, will assume the role of section head of Duke’s Gynecologic Surgical Pathology Division. She succeeds Senior Vice Chair Rex Bentley, MD, who has served in the role for over a decade.
"Dr. Bean is highly experienced and valued member of our gynecologic pathology team,” said Bentley. “She brings great talent and enthusiasm to her new role, and I look forward to continuing to learn from her every day!”
Bean joined the faculty at Duke as an assistant professor in 2006. She was promoted to associate professor in 2014 and to professor in 2020. Her clinical activities encompass diagnostic breast and gynecologic surgical pathology, intraoperative consultations, and cytopathology. She has published over 50 manuscripts.
Bean has expertise in the diagnosis of HPV-associated lesions, having served on the 2012 Lower Anogenital Squamous Terminology (LAST) biomarker working group and on the upcoming LAST update guideline. She also has developed expertise in medical education, including feedback, teaching, mentoring, and leadership. She serves as chair of the Department of Pathology Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure Committee. Previously, she was chair of the inaugural Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) for the Pathology Residency Program, program director of the Surgical Pathology Fellowship, and program director of the Cytopathology Fellowship.
She has served on numerous departmental, institutional, and national education-related committees. She served as chair of the Curriculum Committee and vice chair of the Publications Committee in the College of American Pathologists (CAP). She was also a member of the CAP Council on Education. Currently, she is a member of the CAP Publications Committee, a Pathology Education Section Editor for Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and a member of the Editorial Board for CAP Today.
“Please join me in congratulating Dr. Bean and in expressing our gratitude to Dr. Bentley for his years of exceptional service as section head,” said Rajesh Dash, MD, vice chair for Anatomic Pathology and Informatics, director of Duke University Health System Anatomic Pathology Laboratories, and director of Surgical Pathology.