About Critical Values

Critical Values is the go-to resource for the entire laboratory team, providing insight and information on the latest research, information, and issues within pathology and laboratory medicine. The print and online magazine invites submissions on topics including, but not limited to, advocacy, education, technology, global health, workforce, workplace best practices, and leadership.

Critical Values Staff

Molly Strzelecki  Editor 

Susan Montgomery  Contributing Editor

Martin Tyminski  Creative Director  

Jennifer Brinson  Art Direction and Design  

ASCP’s new Ask Me Anything initiative provides pathology residents and fellows with opportunities to connect with seasoned pathologists through the Society’s online Pathologists in Training community.  

The ASCP Resident Council launched the first Ask Me Anything session in its online community during the week of August 12, featuring autopsy and forensic pathologist Nicole R. Jackson, MD, MPH, FASCP, Assistant Professor and Director of Autopsy and After Death Services in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and & Pathology at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Dr. Jackson fielded questions ranging from whether one needs to be board-certified in forensic pathology to conduct autopsies to what the biggest contributors to health inequities in the United States were and what was the best way to address these inequities.  

“I am happy to help in anything that contributes toward workforce development, particularly in forensic pathology,” she says. “It felt like a real-time mentoring opportunity for not only immediate participants, but also for those in the years to come. The responses will remain on the online community for others to see.”

In her answers, Dr. Jackson also includes direct resources and links for those who want to pursue the topics in greater depth.

The concept for Ask Me Anything was initiated over the past year by Immediate Past Chair of the Resident Council Yembur Ahmad, MD. “Dr. Ahmad pioneered this idea,” explains Resident Council Chair Savanah Gisriel, MD. “The idea came about because residents and fellows wanted more opportunities to talk with prominent pathologists in the profession. This was based on feedback we received from trainees.”

Hosting the Ask Me Anything initiative is also a way to encourage residents and trainees to use the online Pathologists in Training Community for pathology residents and fellows in pathology, where they’ll find a lot of resources geared toward their needs.  

“Residents and fellows are just about to enter the workforce,” says Dr. Gisriel. “By connecting them with pathologists who are well established in their careers, residents and fellows can hear about different career trajectories and how highly successful pathologists got to where they are and glean pearls of wisdom on timely topics such as work-life balance and time management.”

In November, the Ask Me Anything! guest pathologist will be Raul Gonzalez, MD, FASCP, director of the GI Pathology Service at Emory University, during the week of Nov. 18.  Dr. Gonzalez is well known to many pathology residents and fellows, as he is active on social media where he initiates engaging discussions about challenging differential diagnoses.

Dr. Gisriel is confident that the Ask Me Anything initiative will catch on with more pathology residents and fellows over time. “Dr. Jackson was amazing for our pilot session,” she says. “She gave very personalized answers for every question.”

For her part, Dr. Jackson is committed to nurturing the next generation of pathologists. As a co-founder of the Society for Black Pathology, she also works to encourage young people of diverse backgrounds to consider the fields of pathology and laboratory medicine as their calling.

“I think it is important that pathologists are forward-facing . . . to the trainees coming up,” Dr. Jackson says. “If we want more people going into the field, we need to reach out and answer their questions.”