Role models in pathology. A new look at an old issue.
Recent trends indicate that pathology is becoming a less attractive specialty to US medical graduates. This article discusses role models as an important but underutilized tool in medical education, and pathology education, in particular. Historically, the term role model has been used to describe a hero or a good teacher. Social scientists who study specialty choices in medicine, however, consider role model to be a much more heterogeneous concept. The information gained from these studies, therefore, needs to be sorted out carefully if erroneous conclusions about role models are to be avoided. For example, personality traits and attitudinal assessment studies encourage, unfortunately, either a totally passive stance toward recruitment, or a selective approach to those students who fit the specialty profile. However, there is no available evidence to support such approaches in pathology. Indeed, faculty role models have consistently been found to be influential recruiters into specialties that are not well known to the students (eg, pathology). Many different types of role models are present in pathology. Two important types are clinical consultants and physician-researchers. Positive faculty role models are an effective way to remove false impressions and negative assumptions about the practice of pathology, and they should be used more explicitly in recruiting efforts.
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Department of Pathology, Wake Forest University Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D004501:Education, Medical; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D006801:Humans; D010336:Pathology / Q000193:education; D010551:Personality; D012380:Role; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology