The Association for Academic Pathology (AAPath), Inc, was conceived in 1965 as the official organization representing departments of pathology and laboratory medicine in medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education. AAPath’s bylaws were ratified by members at their first formal meeting in 1967 in Washington, DC, and the association was incorporated in 1968.
The AAPath strives to nurture, enhance and represent all aspects of academic pathology and laboratory medicine. In the late 1980s, a program directors section (PRODS) evolved to give a stronger voice to pathology residency directors both within and outside of the AAPath membership (to include those graduate medical education programs unaffiliated with schools of medicine) and to facilitate their interaction on a variety of issues related to resident training. In 2005, a section for undergraduate medical educators or course directors (UMEDS) was established. AAPath also has a section for department administrators (APEX) and program coordinators (GMEAS).
The AAPath is governed by a Council consisting of President, Past-President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, the Chairs of AAPath Committees, two Councilors-at-Large, and the Senior Fellows Group Chair. The AAPath Council meets virtually on a monthly basis and holds face-to-face meetings in January and July. PRODS, UMEDS, and APEX are each governed by a Council whose chairs are non-voting members of the AAPath Council. GMEAS is governed by its own Council that is overseen by PRODS Council.
The Chairs of AAPath’s standing committees facilitate the functions of AAPath, and AAPath members may serve on one or more committees. These committees focus on undergraduate medical education in pathology, graduate medical education in pathology, practice and management in academic pathology departments, research careers and innovation in pathology, advocacy on issues impacting academic pathology, and development and diversity of academic pathology leaders.
The Chairs, PRODS, UMEDS, APEX, and GMEAS have a national meeting each summer, at which a variety of plenary sessions, panel discussions, discussion groups and workshops are held. Sessions cover standards and approaches to medical student education (coordinated with UMEDS) and resident training (coordinated with PRODS); business management of academic departments (coordinated with APEX); research opportunities and innovations (programmed by the Research Committee); advocacy for academic interests (programmed by the Advocacy Committee); and leadership skills and support for diversity (programmed by the Leadership Development and Diversity Committee). The annual business meetings of Chairs, PRODS, UMEDS, APEX, and GMEAS also occur during the annual meeting.
The activities of AAPath are communicated to the public through a regular newsletter, which reports items of current interest to academic pathology, as well as committee and section activity updates, annual meeting planning, and some regulatory and legislative news. The Chairs, PRODS, UMEDS, APEX, GMEAS, and the standing committees of AAPath each operate listservs for their members and host information related to their section and committee activities on the association’s website at www.academicpathology.org.
AAPath also co-sponsors with ICPI, the Pathology Honor Society, which recognizes medical students who demonstrate particular interest and ability in pathology.
For more information about AAPath, please contact:
Melvin Limson, PhD
Executive Director
Association for Academic Pathology
100 West 10th Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302)-660-4940
E-mail: info@academicpathology.org