Several faculty members from Yale Pathology are leading an effort to revitalize the Connecticut Society of Pathologists (CSP), an educational and professional organization that formed over 60 years ago but has been dormant for more than a decade.
The effort began in early 2022 when Dhanpat Jain, MD, Professor of Pathology and of Medicine (Digestive Diseases), reached out to colleagues within the Yale Pathology community, inquiring about their interest in reviving CSP. Christine Minerowicz, MD, Assistant Professor of Pathology, Uma Krishnamurti, MD, MBBS, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology, and He (Peter) Wang, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pathology, joined Dr. Jain in leading the initiative. Dr. Minerowicz serves as president of the CSP, Dr. Krishnamurti as Secretary/Treasurer and Dr. Wang as Membership Committee Chair. Dr. Jain is on the Board of Directors.
The Yale group found the once-functioning state society had its tax-exempt status revoked and lost all prior documentation and bylaws. The last educational seminar was held in 2011, and advocacy efforts were independently championed by just a few pathologists within the state.
Dr. Minerowicz said at a recent faculty meeting that her focus as president of the revived CSP is re-establishing and creating the infrastructure necessary for the society to function.
“Since 2022, I retained legal counsel, registered CSP as a 501c3 nonprofit organization again, created a website, and contracted a management company,” she said. “We are still finalizing the bylaws.”
Dr. Krishnamurti and Dr. Minerowicz worked together in establishing bank accounts and a budget while Dr. Jain played a pivotal role recruiting participants and securing funding from pathology groups across the state. Adebowale Adeniran, MD, Professor of Pathology, and Peter Humphrey, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology, joined the Education Committee and are helping shape the Inaugural Educational Meeting in February 2024. The meeting is scheduled for February 24, 2024 at the Bristol Event Center, 112 Century Road, Bristol, C
Dr. Minerowicz linked the Connecticut College of American Pathologists House of Delegate members with the Advocacy Committee, which includes Yale Pathology faculty members Angelique Levi, MD, Associate Professor of Pathology, Vice Chair of Operations, and Director of Pathology Reference Services, Dr. Krishnamurti and Dr. Wang. Additional faculty involvement includes Sudhir Perincheri, MBBS, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology, as Chair for the Media Committee and Wenyi Luo, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology, for the Membership Committee.
In addition, Xuchen Zhang, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology, is on the Education Committee, and Chen Liu, MD, PhD, Anthony N. Brady Professor of Pathology and Chair of Pathology, serves on the Executive Committee.
Momentum and enthusiasm for CSP is reflected in the excellent turnout at a planning meeting held on September 6, 2023, in New Haven, Dr. Minerowicz said. “I think what really speaks to reestablishing the society is that we had zero no-shows,” she noted. “Ten of the pathologists were from Yale and the others were from across the state. Some traveled quite far on a weeknight to participate in the meeting.”
She also said she’s “excited for the February 24, 2024 meeting. It is a full-day event, which Dr. Jain arranged for two world renowned guest speakers – Dr. Christopher Fletcher and Dr. David Klimstra – to speak on the timely topics of pathology leadership in the modern era and AI in pathology, respectively. We will also have a resident and fellow poster and platform academic sessions.”
“The goal [of CSP] is to unite across a common set of issues. We have academia, small and large private practices, and commercial labs. There are a lot of differences, but there are also a lot of common ground that apply to us all,” Dr. Minerowicz added.
CSP’s mission is to promote the profession of pathology and laboratory medicine through educational conferences on contemporary practice issues, to advocate for the profession in federal and state legislative processes, and to strengthen professional networking ties within Connecticut.
All Yale Pathology faculty and trainees may register as members and for the February educational event free of charge at ctpath.org (or ctpath.wildapricot.org if on YNHH workstation).