Ascending the Leadership Ladder in Pathology

You’ve worked hard and achieved a certain level of competence in your pathology practice. So how do you advance your career to the next level of leadership? Leadership is not simply the logical outcome of doing your job well. It involves a different set of skills than those required for technical competence.

So, how do you get there, and what path do you want to take?

It depends on whether you are in an academic setting or private practice, whether your interests lie in administration and the business of pathology, or scientific and medical leadership. And medical leadership can include directorship of a laboratory, leadership in industry and hospital management.

“There is a huge array of leadership opportunities for those who really have an interest,” says William G. Finn, MD, MASCP, past president of ASCP, a partner with IHA Pathology and Laboratory Management and Medical Director of the Warde Medical Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Your overarching goals should inform the steps you take to reach those goals.”

He strongly recommends finding a leadership mentor who is willing to teach by example how to be an effective leader. Mentors should be willing to meet regularly with you and offer honest feedback on your work.  A seasoned leader should be able to talk with you about your strengths and weaknesses.

Dr. Finn also advises pursuing formal leadership training. Some workplaces offer their own leadership development programs, and professional organizations, including ASCP, also offer leadership training. Some practitioners choose more formal leadership certificate or degree programs, such as pursing formal health administration or MBA degrees. You also gain new skills by volunteering to serve on committees or take on a special project within your organization or through your professional society.

One of the most important skills you need to have as a leader is communication. An effective communicator is able to craft his or her message to a particular audience to accomplish exactly what they need their message to do. Being able to communicate well allows you to get to the crux of the problem you need to solve.

Finally, strong leaders should be able to champion quality, professional development and promoting visibility of the laboratory.