Current United States High School Students’ Perceptions of Pathology Professions as Determined by Pathology Outreach Program Survey Results

Abstract

Abstract Introduction/Objective There is a current pathologist shortage in the United States (US) exacerbated by both a retiring population of aging pathologists and limited medical student exposure to formal pathology and clinical laboratory medicine training. This is supported by data from the National Residency Match Program (NRMP) between 2000 to 2019, which shows a “40% decrease in the number of American medical school graduates applying to pathology residency programs”. This limited exposure to pathology has led to a shortage of other lab professionals, too, and has affected more than just medical students. Both undergraduates and high school students have little access to literature discussing the perceptions of pathology professions, which impacts their abilities to consider pathology as a possible future career. Understanding these recent trends, Pathology Outreach Program (POP) was established in 2018 to determine current US high school students' perceptions of pathology and raise awareness towards the importance of careers in lab medicine via interactive PowerPoint sessions. Methods/Case Report Before sessions, an online Google Forms (“pre-course”) survey was distributed which students could voluntarily and anonymously complete. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) From February 2018 to May 2022, 162 high school students completed the pre- course survey (n=162) in Chicagoland and Michigan Schools. Although 130 students (80.2%) stated they were inclined towards a career in medicine/healthcare and 112 students (69.1%) had admitted to being aware of the pathology field, only 18 students (11.1%) stated “Yes” when asked if they understood the roles of pathologists. Furthermore, 127 students (78.4%) reported they were uninformed to the career pathways of a pathologist or pathology-related professional, and 142 (87.7%) reported not ever meeting a pathologist before. Conclusion This data suggests inadequate current US high school student accessibility to pathology professions and supports the continual need for pathology outreach initiatives like POP in increasing pathology exposure to high school students.