“I’m not a pathologist, but I play one on TV”

May 25, 2011 - PRLog -- Edmonton, AB- They’re the unsung heroes of medicine. They don’t have television shows centered on their daily dramas, like Grey’s Anatomy or House. (Although the once popular Quincy was about a forensic pathologist.) They don’t have their own talk shows on radio or TV. But make no mistake, despite the lack of fame associated with the field pathologists are linchpins in the practice of medicine. Dr. Kim Solez, Professor of Pathology at the University of Alberta is hoping to raise the profile of pathologists the world over and raise awareness of the important functions they perform in determining patient care and highlight the important work of pathologists at an upcoming global conference.

There’s a great deal of confusion about what pathologists actually do. Pathology is the study and diagnosis of disease. Pathologists are responsible for analyzing laboratory specimens, such as biopsy samples or bodily fluids. And despite what prime-time dramas have led us to believe, autopsies actually constitute a very small part of the pathologist’s duties. These doctors more often than not are responsible for making key determinations in the health and well-being of live patients. But because pathologists rarely interact with the patients themselves, few are aware of the important role they play in patient care.

“The perception most people have is that the doctor that they’re in direct contact with is the one who’s making the diagnosis, but in a large number of cases, that’s simply not true. Whenever you’re dealing with the examination of medical specimens, it’s the pathologist who’s actually making the diagnosis and then transmitting the results to the clinician,” says Solez. “So while pathology doesn’t have as high a profile as some of the other medical professions, your ability to have an impact on the health of populations is just as great, if not greater! As a pathologist you’re contributing directly to the care of anywhere between 3000 and 5000 patients each year – no other realm of medical practice lends you that kind of opportunity; it’s incredibly rewarding.”

Dr. Solez, the Director of Experimental Pathology at the U of A and co-founder of the most important classification systems in transplant pathology, is also key organizer of the upcoming 11th Banff Conference in Paris, France on Allograft Pathology being held June 6-10. The conference will bring together pathologists and clinicians from around the world to help shape the future of transplant pathology.

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