Several common themes have emerged from the Progress Reports of the 44 participating institutions who have utilized ICPI funds since the launching of the MSIG Program in 2009.
Several common themes have emerged from the Progress Reports of the 44 participating institutions who have utilized ICPI funds since the launching of the MSIG Program in 2009.
- The identity of pathology as a discipline and a career choice has been eroded in most institutions because of multi-disciplinary approaches that do not give pathology a unique identity. Pathology as a career choice is not apparent or visible to many medical students since it is often not presented to them as a required clinical rotation. Several programs utilized funds from the Matching Grant Program to enrich the hands-on pathology curriculum and to provide students with educational resources.
- Shadow experiences. Many programs provided students with the opportunity to shadow practicing pathologists in the community, faculty members, and residents and fellows.
- Some programs established mentoring programs pairing students with faculty members in their particular field of interest.
- Over half of the programs were established formally within the institutional student interest group system and had elected student leaders.
- Many programs utilized funds to cater lunches and dinner meetings for students.
- Some programs funded panel discussions and others used funds to invite special lecturers.
- One program funded a month-long Summer Pathology Fellowship for an additional student.
- Some programs utilized funds to provide student awards and to have book drawings.
- Special lectures on how to prepare for the pathology questions on Part I of the USMLE were very popular among students and drew large numbers of attendees.
- One program provided gift cards to departmental staff who worked overtime to build specimen collections or special educational programs.
- One program designed T-shirts for a career night. Others participated in career fairs.
- Some programs mainstreamed the pathology student interest group with other student interest groups in their institution. For example, pathology and pediatric student interest groups jointly sponsored a pediatric forensic session in one program. Another program concentrated on pathology informatics.
- Many programs developed special websites and provided career opportunities at career fairs.
- Some programs reported an increase in the number of students who selected pathology in the resident match.
