People of Pathology Podcast
Episodes
Episode 226: Marissa Spencer – #PathAssistDay 2026: Reflection, Growth, And The Future Of PAs
Today my guest is Pathologists’ Assistant Marissa Spencer for our 4th annual PA Day special episode
What we discuss with Marissa:
- Why it’s important to regularly reflect on your career and your development
- How the relationship between Pathologists and PAs is evolving
- Teaching the “why” instead of just teaching the “how”
- How this method creates foundational knowledge that is transferrable to other specimen types
- The future of PA education and why it might need to change
- Opportunities for PAs to be more patient-facing
- Advice for aspiring pathologists’ assistants
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 225: Dr Derrick Forchetti – Staying Curious And The Predictive Future Of Pathology
Today my guest is Dr Derrick Forchetti.
What we discuss with Dr Forchetti:
- Dr. Forchetti’s journey into pathology and the mentors who influenced his career
- Choosing hematopathology and the appeal of combining clinical and anatomic pathology
- Early interest in computers and how technology became part of his medical career
- The role of informatics in modern pathology practice
- Digital pathology and how it is changing workflows and diagnostics
- Why AI will augment pathologists rather than replace them
- Lessons from past technological advances like immunohistochemistry and molecular pathology
- Using AI and digital pathology for predictive analytics
- Research on predicting colon cancer risk in patients with tubular adenomas
- The concept of pathology evolving from a diagnostic field to a predictive field
- The importance of collaboration between physicians, engineers, and data scientists
- Advice for residents and pathologists interested in technology and informatics
- The importance of staying curious and being open to new technology
- How pathologists can help shape the future of AI in medicine
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
South Bend Medical Foundation uses AI to predict colorectal cancer risks earlier
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 224: Clara Cirks – Living Through Cancer, The Power Of Storytelling, Finding Perspective
Today Dr Meredith Herman and I interview Clara Cirks.
What we discuss with Clara:
- Clara’s journey with stage 4 lung cancer
- Using social media as advocacy and video journaling
- “Cancer questions with Clara” and cancer education on TikTok
- The therapeutic power of storytelling
- Connecting patients, clinicians, and community
- Perspective from pathology: seeing the person behind the specimen
- Identity, survivorship, and living with cancer
- Disability, independence, and self-advocacy
- The impact of community events like the Above + Beyond Cancer Gala
- Why patient voices matter in medicine
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Clara on TikTok
Clara on Instagram
Living with Metastatic Lung Cancer: Clara’s Honest Take on Life and Treatment
Clara’s Story: Blood Donations Saved My Life
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 223: Yair Rivenson – Inside The Virtual Staining Revolution At Pictor Labs
Today my guest is Yair Rivenson, CEO of Pictor Labs
What we discuss with Yair:
- His engineering and computational imaging background
- How AI and microscopy intersected to form the foundation of Pictor Labs
- The origin story of Pictor Labs and why it was founded in 2019
- What “virtual staining” really means and how autofluorescence enables it
- Training stain models: data requirements, timelines, and workflows
- The impact on tissue preservation, waste reduction, and turnaround times
- Applications in biorepositories, pharma research, and biomarker discovery
- Creating new stains based on lab or industry needs
- The future vision: virtual stains as a data layer for pathology
- How AI can turn tissue into a “hypothesis-generating machine”
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Virtual Tissue Staining with Yair Rivenson from Pictor Labs – Impact AI podcast
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 222: Taranjit Kaur – Inside The Post Junior Fellowship And The Making Of The Grossly Speaking Podcast
Today my guest is medical student and pathology podcaster Taranjit Kaur
What we discuss with Taranjit:
- Her early inspiration to pursue medicine
- Translating medical information for her mother as a child
- Her first exposure to pathology during volunteer work
- How a family medical experience shaped her decision to pursue pathology
- What a post-junior fellowship at UCLA is and what it includes
- Hands-on grossing experiences across multiple rotations
- What grossing has taught her about detail, workflow, and diagnosis
- Subspecialties she has explored so far
- Her early interest in hematopathology
- How her podcast Grossly Speaking was created
- Lessons learned from her podcast guests
- Personal growth through podcasting
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Grossly Speaking Podcast:
UCLA Post Junior Pathology Fellowship
People of Pathology Podcast:
Episode 221: Dr Osama Khan – Bridging Diagnostics And Precision Medicine At Natera
Today my guest is Dr Osama Khan from Natera
What we discuss with Dr Khan :
- His journey into pathology
- The importance of mentorship in pathology
- Pathology at the intersection of diagnostics and precision medicine
- The collaborative nature of pathology
- Transitioning from academia to industry
- Natera and Cell-Free DNA Testing
- Understanding Circulating Tumor DNA (CtDNA)
- The role of MRD Testing in cancer treatment
- Personalized testing and tumor informed tests
- His thoughts on AI in pathology
- His advice for aspiring pathologists
Links for this episode:
Pathologists’ Assistant Shadowing Network
Osama Khan: The critical importance of embracing AI and digital workflows in medical practice
People of Pathology Podcast:
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