On March 26th, 2025, the Pathology Interest Group hosted its Patients in Pathology event to encourage exploration of the often-misunderstood practice of pathology. It featured Assistant Professor Jeffrey Arnold, MD, Associate Professor Anne Buckley, MD, PhD, and Associate Professor Nicholas Bandarenko, MD, as panelists and was open to Duke medical students and Pathologists’ Assistant Program students.
One well-known barrier to pathology recruitment is the perception that pathologists are not involved in patient care and have minimal, if any, patient contact. This event aimed to dispel those beliefs and to introduce medical students to the diverse opportunities in pathology for direct patient care.
Bandarenko and Arnold shared their experiences in transfusion medicine and fine needle aspiration (FNA) clinics, respectively, while Buckley highlighted how she develops unique physician-patient relationships by helping patients understand the pathology of their disease.
There was a lively discussion with numerous student questions. Several attendees expressed surprise by the multiple ways that pathologists can interact with patients, particularly at pivotal moments in their lives. Afterwards, one student commented, “Today’s session was informative and refreshing. The more I learn about pathology, the more interested I become!”
Panelists shared their enthusiasm for pathology as a specialty and also connected with students for future exploration of the field. The Pathology Interest Group is led by Jon Messerschmidt, a Duke MD/PhD student, and Duke medical student Raquel Perry, BS.