Our UTMB Pathology team is at the cutting-edge of innovations in diagnostic medicine. Diagnoses emerge from our diagnostic experts in anatomic and clinical pathology as a personalized, expert-driven narrative in many areas of pathology. Our doctors constantly advise colleagues on the appropriate
selection of tests. We develop personalized interpretations that have simultaneous input not only from pathologists, but also from radiologists. We are advancing the initial concept of the diagnostic management team to maximize its positive clinical and financial impact.
Through these consultative interactions, pathology residents at UTMB are exposed in real-time to active clinical cases. They contribute clinically, and economically, as they assist clinicians in the selection and interpretation of laboratory tests. UTMB pathology resident graduates will be uniquely qualified upon completion of their training, as the world changes away from “payment per click” to “payment for episode-of-care”, to serve as essential partners with treating physicians.
UTMB has graduated many thousands of physicians over the years since it opened its doors as the first medical school west of the Mississippi River. Pathology plays an important role in the education of our medical students. We educate our medical students on all diagnostic aspects of disease and not simply the anatomic pathology changes associated with disease. Our goal is to provide medical students who graduate from our institution to begin their practice with a substantially greater knowledge of the appropriate tests needed for a diagnostic evaluation to generate accurate diagnoses quickly.
We will continue to be a leader in understanding the serious infectious diseases that take thousands of lives. Our solidly funded scientific programs in these areas continue to make major contributions to the eradication of these terrible diseases. We are very interested in translating many of our findings in basic research into diagnostic assays that can be used in the early identification of diseases, particularly those infections where an early diagnosis can be lifesaving. We are striving to translate our significant research expertise in toxicology into clinical innovations that can be used to better identify and treat patients affected by the millions of toxicological compounds in our environment.
We are enjoying exciting times in the Department of Pathology. It is my expectation that innovations in how we practice pathology will lead our specialty into a new era as institutional and patient expectations from pathology continue to grow.
Michael Laposata, MD, PhD
Professor and Chairman
Department of Pathology
University of Texas Medical Branch
301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0419
Office: (409) 772-0090 | Fax: (409) 772-5683
Email: milaposa@utmb.edu