RCPA Celebrates Pathology Day Across Ten Countries

Today, the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA), together with the International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP), celebrates the inaugural ‘International Pathology Day’ alongside a wide range of countries including New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, and South Africa.

International Pathology Day is an awareness day which is dedicated to highlighting pathology’s central role in the healthcare system.  This year’s event specifically focuses on the future of medicine in the genomics era and investigates what pathologists will be able to offer patients, in terms of diagnoses and treatment, in the years ahead.

A/Prof Peter Stewart, President of the RCPA, says International Pathology Day will drive awareness of the vital work of pathologists and scientists which largely takes place behind the scenes.

“Pathology is the foundation for the clinical practice of medicine, and paves the way to the appropriate diagnosis, management and treatment of diseases.  If you have ever had a biopsy, a swab or a blood test, you’ve seen a pathologist.”

“In reality, every person relies on the work of a pathologist at some point in their life however, more often than not, patients don’t know how closely involved a pathologist is in their healthcare and the diagnosis of their conditions,” says A/Prof Stewart.

With increasing advances in technology, and a higher number and a wider variety of tests are taking place each year, the profession is placed under growing pressure.  Pathology is responsible for the diagnosis of 100% of all cancers and 70% of all diseases, requiring sufficient funding and a substantial supply of highly trained professionals.

“Celebrating pathology and raising awareness of its vital role to patients, as well as in the medical arena, is crucial to maintaining our excellent reputation and high standards.  We want to encourage people to consider careers in the scientific fields by showcasing the ground-breaking work of pathologists and scientists.”

“Technology and the rise of genomic testing will see pathology become an even bigger part of medicine in the future, which is extremely exciting.  Medicine is pathology.  At the RCPA, we have hosted Pathology Day for a number of years, however it is now fantastic to see it being picked up by a number of other countries internationally as well.  We are excited to join forces with our international partners to celebrate pathology and all who work within this discipline,” says A/Prof Stewart.

(Source: The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia)