ASCP Foundation Travel Grants to ASCP 2018 Invest in the Future of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Desiree Collins-Begay is pursuing a career as a medical technologist to become a healthcare leader that will enable her to better serve the health care needs of Native Americans in her community of Ogden, Utah, north of Salt Lake City. In the Salt Lake City region alone, an estimated 15,444 individuals identified as American Indian or Alaskan Natives; more than one-fourth of them live in poverty.¹

A student at Weber State University Medical Lab Sciences, Utah, Collins-Begay is among 117 individuals from around the globe who are receiving ASCP Foundation Travel Grants of up to $1,500 that will help offset the expense of attending the ASCP 2018 Annual Meeting, Oct. 3-5, in Baltimore. Through the travel grants, the ASCP Foundation is investing in the future of the profession, helping pathologists, pathology residents, laboratory professionals and students, and medical students to broaden their education by attending the Annual Meeting.

“The ASCP Annual Meeting has global influencers who will talk about the latest technology and advancements,” says Ms. Collins-Begay, who notes that it would not be possible to attend the Annual Meeting without support from the Travel Grant. “I strongly believe my presence at the ASCP 2018 Annual Meeting will help me bring valuable knowledge back to my community.”

Nearly half-way around the world, in Lagos, Nigeria, lives Nosimot Davies, MD, a pathology resident at Lagos University Teaching Hospital Idi-Araba. Like Ms. Collins-Begay, Dr. Davies has also received an ASCP Foundation Travel Grant and is interested in learning about current trends in the management and diagnosis of patients at the ASCP 2018 Annual Meeting.  

“This, in turn, will improve the early diagnosis and treatment of patients and improve health indices in the developing world,” said Dr. Davies, who is among 43 international Travel Grant recipients. “This will also avail other Annual Meeting participants about our experience as a developing country and what we have to offer.”

Meanwhile, Guofeng Gao, MD, PHD, a pathology resident at the University of California-Davis Medical Center, Davis, Calif., said that attending the ASCP 2018 Annual Meeting will provide “a solid stepping-stone for me to boost and update my knowledge in the fast advancing field of pathology.” He has also submitted two abstracts to present at the Annual Meeting.

“My long-term career goal is to become an experienced pathologist to make contributions and impact in pathology practice in patient care and pathology education. ASCP annual meetings are an incredible experience to increase knowledge and meet many national and international leaders in pathology.”

To find out more about ASCP Foundation Travel Grants, click here.

To learn more about the ASCP 2018 Annual Meeting, click here.

References:

1. The Salt Lake City Urban Indian Health Institute, 2017 Community Health Profile. Available at

http://www.uihi.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/SaltLakeCity_CHP_20170810.pdf. Accessed July 11, 2018.