Between 4-10 November, many of our members hosted events across hospitals and laboratories with the aim of raising public awareness of pathology.
We caught up with some of our members after their events to find out what they did and how it went.
Event: Talk & Workshop - Objects and Emotions in Medical Museums
Speaker: Cornelia Thompson, University College London (UCL) Institute of Archaeology doctoral student
Venue: Object Based Learning Lab, UCL
Date: 6 November 2024
To celebrate National Pathology Week, UCL Museums & Cultural Programmes invited Cornelia Thompson to present her research about medical instruments in museum collections to the public. Cornelia’s interest lies in the evocative power of these instruments in heritage spaces, and the emotions they elicit in the viewer.
Our aim was for a wider public to be aware of the science and pathology collections at UCL; the interdisciplinary approaches to research in small medical museums; and the role that historic pathology collections continue to play in the advancement of medicine.
The alternative approach to the subject drew people from different knowledge backgrounds, including an art lecturer from University of the Arts and a neuroscience student from UCL. This encouraged an interesting cross-section of talking points in response to Cornelia Thompson’s presentation, such as the intersection of art and anatomy in providing a visual understanding of the human body and ailments.
The highlight for the attendees was the object handling workshop which followed in response to Cornelia’s presentation. This session was led by Collections Care Manager Ignacio Echeverria Faccin. Examining public responses has been a key line of enquiry for Cornelia’s research, so this workshop provided excellent additional data for her! The attendees had the opportunity to handle several historic instruments such as a wooden stethoscope, a retractor and a scarificator.
Among the observations (and aside from the recoils of horror) there was a consensus of gratitude for the advancements of medical science through pathology in contributing to the nation’s health and wellbeing. There was definite appetite for future public research workshops which the team will happily oblige!
Written by Sarita Mamseri, Programme Manager and Liz Blanks, Science Curator at UCL Museums & Cultural Programmes
Event: National Pathology Week at Rosshall Hospital - Poster exhibition and laboratory tours
Host: Azra Sharif-Qayyum, Senior Biomedical Scientist at Rosshall Hospital
Venue: Rosshall Hospital, Glasgow
Date: 4-8 November 2024
I set up a hospital laboratory awareness stand in the hospital, covering microbiology, biochemistry, haematology, blood transfusion and histology. I used posters and promotional material from the Royal College of Pathologists, as well as resources I created myself about the tests we perform in the lab.
I focused on both educational and interactive elements. The stand displayed informative posters and models showcasing how each lab section contributes to patient care. I provided brief descriptions and visual aids explaining common tests, their importance and how samples are processed.
To make the experience more engaging, I organised lab tours for 15 visitors over 3 days, guiding them through each lab area and demonstrating some of the equipment and procedures. I also collaborated with colleagues from the Unilabs Histology section to help visitors to understand the critical role of the lab in diagnosing and treating medical conditions.
It was a really successful event and the response from staff exceeded my expectations. They were really engaged and wanted to learn more about the department. The hospital staff are now more aware of the time taken for specimen results to be reported and the importance of recording clinical details onto request forms so that clinically significant results can be reported. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to show the hospital staff what I do in the laboratory.
Written by Azra Sharif-Qayyum, Senior Biomedical Scientist at Rosshall Hospital
Event: Path to Success 2024
Host: Dr Ali Robb, Head of School for Laboratory Medicine at NHS England Education North East, and Consultant Microbiologist at Newcastle Hospitals
Venue: Copthorne Hotel, Newcastle upon Tyne
Date: 9 November 2024
Running since 2016, each year this event acts as an essential career guide to promote careers in medical laboratory specialties.
This year we brought together residents and consultants across laboratory medicine to showcase careers to Foundation, internal medicine and other doctors applying for specialty training. It included interactive specialty stations, keynote talks from specialty leaders, a panel Q&A, advice on applications and an opportunity to present a poster in the Association of Clinical Pathologists (ACP) Poster competition.
70 people attended this year, which was a fantastic achievement and exceeded our expectations of around 50 attendees. After the event, the majority of attendees gave us excellent feedback. From the data we have received so far, 100% said they are likely to consider a career in pathology after attending, with 27% unsure or unlikely before attending. We collected some testimonials from the event which indicate just how impactful these events can be in inspiring doctors to pursue a career in a medical laboratory specialty.
“I absolutely loved it! The small group workshops were a great opportunity to ask questions and all presentations were engaging and valuable.”
“The workshop on application and interview preparation was very motivating.”
“I really liked the individual stations for each specialty. It was very informative and made me realise there are so many paths that pathology can take. I also found all the presenters and staff to be very welcoming and helpful.”
“The enthusiasm of the organisers and panel members was probably the largest strength of the event.”
Written by Dr Ali Robb, Head of School for Laboratory Medicine at NHS England Education North East, and Consultant Microbiologist at Newcastle Hospitals
We are incredibly grateful to all our member volunteers who hosted, organised or supported events for National Pathology Week 2024. Together, we can help to inspire the next generation of pathologists.
Are you interested in promoting pathology through public engagement activities? If so, we have a wealth of resources available to support you. If you want to get in touch with the public engagement team, you can email [email protected].
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