Newswise — Northfield, Ill.—The College of American Pathologists (CAP) Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the world’s largest association of board-certified pathologists, will award six junior member physicians with the CAP Foundation Leadership Development Award and the CAP Foundation Informatics Award for their involvement with the organization and dedication to the specialty. The doctors will be honored at the CAP’s annual meeting, October 7–11 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, outside Washington, D.C.  

The awards provide a stipend towards the cost of pathology meetings, continuing medical education courses, and other programs to further develop their leadership in the field of pathology and laboratory science.

CAP Foundation Leadership Development Award:

• Benjamin L. Mazer, MD, MBA: Mazer is currently a resident in anatomic and clinical pathology at Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. He attended the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry where he completed a fellowship in their pathology department. Dr. Mazer wants to further his understanding of the issues facing pathology and become “engaged in the broader medical community, as well as our society.” He said, “While one way we serve patients is through the diagnosis of their particular condition, we also serve by educating the community and its leaders about our unique medical perspective.”

• Ashley K. Volaric, MD: Dr. Volaric is currently a first-year anatomic and clinical pathology resident at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Citing the politically-charged climate in the U.S., gaps in tolerance and diversity, and the uncertain future of health care, Dr. Volaric plans on attending the CAP Policy Meeting to further familiarize herself with the issues. She said, “It is imperative that every health professional, in these charged times, knows how to stand up for policies they are impassioned about and to stand collectively under the guidance of strong leadership.”

• Laura Warmke, MD: Dr. Warmke is currently a third-year anatomic and clinical pathology resident at the Virginia Commonwealth University and has recently accepted a fellowship position at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. To further enhance the next step in her career, she plans on attending the CAP Residents Forum “to learn more about health policy, the state of the workforce, legislation affecting pathology, the job market, and the impact of pathology on patient care—all areas that are not generally covered in the standard pathology resident curriculum.”

CAP Foundation Informatics Award

• Thomas Covello, MD: Dr. Covello is currently a third-year hematopathology resident at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. The Informatics Award will allow him to further study the role of information science and data analysis in health care. “When I entered medical school from my computer science undergraduate program, I thought that I was choosing between two of my passions,” said Dr. Covello. “I would never have believed it possible to combine them both within the field of hematopathology as a resident.”

• Rachel Jug, MB, BCh, BAO: Jug is currently a third-year anatomic and clinical pathology resident at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. She cites the near-universal integration of electronic medical records into medical laboratory as a driver for her to desire to learn more about data storage and analytics. Dr. Jug said, “It is critical for the modern pathologist to be familiar with and play a pivotal role in the integration of such technologies into our practice. We have a responsibility to ensure the quality and accuracy of our results for optimal patient care.”

• Timothy Walls, MD, MS: Dr. Walls is currently a fellow of molecular genetic pathology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. While he does have some experience with informatics in his residency, Dr. Walls said he wants to gain more formal training to properly implement new technologies that can help decrease barriers in communication between health care professionals.

About the College of American Pathologists

As the world’s largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, read the CAP Annual Report at cap.org. 

About the CAP Foundation

The CAP Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the College of American Pathologists, supports patient-centered and humanitarian initiatives led by pathologists, striving to connect people in underserved communities with the specialized skills of pathologists. CAP Foundation funding for See, Test & Treat is made possible through the continued generous support of CAP member pathologists, staff, foundations, industry, and Prevent Cancer. Learn more and donate: foundation.cap.org.