What first drew you to the field, and how has your perspective evolved since residency?
What first drew me to pathology is actually kind of funny. During medical school, I initially applied for dermatology but didn't match. Instead, I matched into a transitional year residency – a one-year internship – which gave me time to reconsider my options. I reached out to a pathologist at Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, where I went to medical school, to learn more about the specialty. I also became involved in pathology on social media and completed a rotation at a nearby pathology program. Those experiences really solidified that pathology was where I wanted to build my career. I reapplied the following year, matched into pathology, and have been very happy with that decision ever since.
Early in your career, did you always see yourself becoming such a visible advocate for pathology education and public engagement?
It's flattering if people see me that way, but honestly, I don't know. When I started medical school – and later residency – I was coming out of my football career. Like a lot of athletes, I always thought I'd play through college and maybe even make it to the NFL, but that didn't happen. What I did take from football, though, was the work ethic, determination, and resilience, and I've tried to bring those qualities into medicine.
Over time, that translated into going above and beyond – writing, publishing, and engaging with the pathology community through multimedia. I hope those efforts have had a positive impact on the field by increasing engagement and raising awareness of pathology.
If people have read my work or know who I am, that's wonderful. But I also hope I've helped create opportunities for others. If I've laid any sort of foundation, I'd like to see the next generation build on it and make their own contributions to the field.
Were there aspects of your own residency experience that made you think, “We need to rethink how we train pathologists”?
In some surgical programs, residents spend so much time in the gross room that they have fewer opportunities to develop other skills they'll rely on as practicing pathologists, such as signing out the cases they've grossed, interpreting a wide range of microscopy, knowing when to audit complex cases, and understanding when specific molecular or ancillary tests are needed. Grossing remains important, but I fear that in some programs, residents are used more in the gross room as pseudo-pathologist assistants, covering an overwhelming specimen workload, which takes time away from vital training in the aforementioned skills.
The other problem is that the volume of knowledge expected of trainees continues to grow, yet the length of residency hasn't changed. If we keep adding new material without rethinking how we train pathologists, we risk making the specialty less attractive while failing to prepare residents for modern practice. The challenge now is finding the right balance between grossing, microscopy, digital pathology, and molecular diagnostics so residents are ready for the future of the field.
A lot of your work has focused on using social media to teach medical students and the public about diagnostics. What first motivated you to start communicating pathology in that way?
I first turned to social media to learn as much as I could about pathology before applying for residency. Social media became an invaluable resource – it connected me with pathologists, trainees, and educators around the world and gave me a much better understanding of the specialty. It also helped me demonstrate my commitment when I reapplied.
What I appreciated most was the ability to learn and engage with the pathology community at any time. It played a big role in helping me find my place in the field.
How has your relationship with social media evolved?
As my career and personal life have evolved, I've become much more aware of my bandwidth. I'm focused on finishing residency, preparing for boards, and spending time with my family. For me, social media has increasingly started to feel like an extension of work, and I've realized it's important to know when to step away.
I still think social media can be a valuable tool for education and outreach when it's used appropriately, but I've become much more selective about how much time I spend on it. Right now, I'd rather focus my energy on the parts of my career – and my life – that matter most.
Can you tell us about a moment where your online educational work directly changed how students, trainees, or even patients understood pathology?
One moment that really stands out involved an article my co-authors and I wrote about NTRK-rearranged neoplasms, an evolving group of soft tissue tumors that's becoming better understood. After I shared it on social media, the daughter of a patient with one of these tumors reached out to thank us. That was incredibly meaningful.
I also gave a shout-out to Pathology Outlines because it's such a valuable educational resource, and it was rewarding to know that the information we were sharing was reaching not only pathologists but also patients and their families. It was one of those moments that reminded me our work can have a real impact beyond the microscope.
As a resident, I've come to appreciate that pathology doesn't just influence diagnoses – it affects people's lives. Knowing that motivates me to keep learning, become the best pathologist I can be, and continue providing a meaningful service to patients throughout my career.
You’ve also explored forensic pathology education. What initially drew you toward that discipline, and what has it taught you about the wider role of pathologists in medicine and society?
During residency, I found the field fascinating, and after every day during my forensic pathology rotations, I left feeling fulfilled. It also offers a different perspective from surgical pathology. Rather than focusing on an ever-growing number of disease classifications, forensic pathology is centered on determining the cause and manner of death, which really appealed to me.
The experience became even more personal because my father became seriously ill while I was on my first forensic pathology rotation. He passed away later that year, and learning about death investigation while going through that with my own family gave me a very different appreciation for the specialty. It reinforced that this was the right career path for me.
I also like that forensic pathology keeps a lot of doors open for me. Whether I stay in a medical examiner's office or later return to surgical pathology, hospital autopsy practice, or another role, the training provides a strong foundation and a wide range of career options.
As someone in the early-to-mid stage of your career, do you feel younger pathologists are approaching the profession differently from previous generations?
I think every generation has a slightly different view of what they want from their career. For me, one of the biggest priorities is flexibility. That's one reason digital pathology is gaining so much momentum. Having the option to review digital slides, preview cases remotely, or work from home is a real advantage.
Like any new technology, digital pathology has challenges, but overall I think it's a positive step for the field. More broadly, I think we need to keep asking how we can best support both trainees and patient care.
Work-life balance is part of that conversation. Long hours have always been part of medical training, and hard work is essential, but more hours don't always lead to better learning or better patient care. Fatigue increases the risk of mistakes, which affects both trainees and patients.
Going forward, I think pathology training should place greater emphasis on flexibility and finding the right balance. The goal isn't to work less – it's to train smarter so we're providing the best possible care while supporting the well-being of the workforce.
How would you describe your attitude to increasing AI augmentation in pathology?
At one point I would have said AI was the most exciting development in pathology. I've written about tools like ChatGPT and explored their potential, and I still think AI has tremendous value. It can save significant time on routine tasks, help with literature searches, and even improve writing and documentation. Those are clear benefits.
But as I've learned more, my enthusiasm has become more cautious. I'm increasingly aware of questions around the environmental impact of AI, particularly the energy and water demands of large data centers. I don't think we fully understand those implications yet, and they're something we should be paying closer attention to.
I'm also mindful of how AI will be implemented in pathology. Many people are excited about its potential to assist with diagnostic or interpretive tasks such as cancer detection. My concern is that it should augment pathologists, not replace them. AI can support efficiency and decision-making, but it can't replace the expertise, judgment, and real-world accountability that human pathologists bring to patient care.
So while I'm still optimistic about AI's potential, I think it's important to adopt it thoughtfully. We need to consider not only what technology can do, but also its broader impact on the workforce, healthcare systems, and society.
If you could go back and give advice to yourself as a medical student or first-year resident, what would you say?
My advice is actually to do less.
Throughout your training, senior leaders will encourage you to join more committees, take on more projects, and say yes to every opportunity. I've done all of these things, and looking back, I don't think that's always the right approach.
After my dad passed away, it really changed my perspective. I'm grateful for every paper I've published, every award or recognition I've earned, and every opportunity I've had to advance my career, but those achievements don't compare to the time I spent with him. That's something I can never get back.
So I tell medical students and residents to be intentional with their time. If social media or extracurricular activities add value to your life, that's great – but don't feel like you have to do everything. Learn to set boundaries early and focus on what matters most to you.
For me, that's my family. I often tell others that I'm a house-husband first and a pathologist second. Medicine is incredibly demanding, and you'll always have more work you could be doing. Protecting your personal life isn't a weakness – it's what allows you to build a sustainable career and still enjoy your life along the way.
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