Pathology Chair

Pandemic Lessons from Charles Dickens

I think that Charles Dickens got it right. As the pandemic has unfolded, I’ve been drawn to remembrances of my high school reading list which included Dickens’ Tale of Two Cities.

Going Outside the Comfort Zone

I never thought that in my almost-senior years I’d become a fisherwoman. I’m not outdoorsy, I don’t have many hobbies, and I’m actually rather boring.

Unprecedented, Unpredictable and Preparing Once Again

I thought things would be different by now. I expected the heat of the summer would make the virus go back to wherever it came from, and we’d take our masks off, hug again, and have parties.

What Does the Department Chair Do?

Sometimes I get asked what do I do as a department chair (on my more frustrating days, I even ask myself this same question).

Generation COVID?

Every year, I look forward to medical school graduation — but this year, thanks to COVID-19 restrictions, I wasn’t so sure. I couldn’t quite wrap my head around a “virtual” graduation.

I'm Sick of My Sweatpants – and Other Reasons I'm Looking Forward to “Restore”

There used to be a sense of luxury associated with working from home – to avoid distraction and interruption, I’d enjoy the occasional escape from the busy surroundings...

The Laboratory as a Leader During a Time of Crisis

In many ways the lab is an unlikely leader — behind the scenes and humble, filled with smart folks who lean more toward the introvert side, shun the spotlight, and who work hard to provide clinical tests for others.

Sometimes We All Feel Like An Imposter

This is the time of year for new newcomers and new beginnings – between July and September, we welcome new medical students, house staff, faculty, and lots of clinical lab scientists.

Is It Really the Start of Year 10??

Do you remember 2010? I can tell you exactly what I was doing – I was just appointed the chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine right here at UC Davis Health.

Looking for a Good Vacation Read? It's the Pathology Summer Book List!

Summer is back and so is the department’s summer book list! I first shared recommended reads from department members in 2016 – after all, everyone is looking for a good book to take on vacation at this time of year.

Feeling a Little Crabby?

I think that spring can be a kind of cranky, crabby time of year. That may seem strange since the weather gets warmer, the days are brighter and longer, and flowers and trees are in bloom.

Sexual Harassment — Let's Melt the Iceberg

I have always felt fortunate to work at the University of California, an institution with high ethical standards that values fairness and equity.

Why You Should Take a Summer Vacation

Last month, I had the pleasure of visiting the incredible Chihuly Sanctuary at the Buffett Cancer Center during a visit to the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The Gift of Conflict

This is the time of year for gratitude, and each year, I am always very grateful for our lab team and team spirit. Our collaborative inter-professional approach to our work is, in my opinion, what mak

We Have Stars Among Us!

It's award season! No, not the kind of awards that come with red carpets, tuxes or glamorous evening gowns – instead, it's the season for the annual UC Davis School of Med

Our New Collaborative for Diagnostic Innovation – How We Are Reducing Err and Improving Care

Our New Collaborative for Diagnostic Innovation – How We Are Reducing Err and Improving Care Among the many reasons that I love being in pathology and laboratory medicine is the fac

The Many Facets of Career Flexibility in Academic Medicine: What Does It Mean to You?

Dr. Howell is this month’s guest blogger for the Association of American Medical Colleges’ AM Rounds — she is excited to share her recent post as this month’s Path

Building the Pipeline and Plugging the Leaks: How We Grow and Support Talent in Science and Health Professions

Summer is a relaxing time for many, but in our department, we are active and energized, thanks to our Edmondson Summer Research Internship program.1 This year's program is in full s

Temperatures and Teamwork: How the Heat Brought Out the Best in Us

If you were a global-warming skeptic, maybe our June heatwave convinced you that there is really something to this warming thing. As you likely remember, we had eight straight days of tri

What Are We Sharing in Shared Governance?

The search will soon begin for a new Vice Chancellor for Human Health Sciences and Dean of the School of Medicine here at UC Davis Health. As we search for a leader, many are asking more

Is this the Age of Unreasonableness in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine?

I don't know about you, but it seems like many of my work-related e-mails and other requests frequently have a ring of unreasonableness. Can turnaround time be faster? Can we do mo

A New Year, A New President, A New Future: What Does This Means for Academic Pathology, Lab Medicine, and Healthcare?

The new year will soon be here. It's always exciting to be able to wipe the slate clean and have a new beginning, and in 2017 this will include the inauguration of a new president.

It's Thanksgiving – What Are You Grateful For?

November is Thanksgiving time – our country's wonderful tradition of taking time to reflect and give thanks. To me, Thanksgiving is all about gratitude – in other words,

What does Kung Fu Panda and Strategic Planning Have in Common?

“If you only do what you can do, you'll never be better than you are.” – Kung Fu Panda, DreamWorks Animation I wish I could take credit for finding this terrific qu

Do You Know the Real “Job to Be Done” in Your Job??

So perhaps this sounds like a ridiculous title because of course, you know the job you need to do – you make or read slides, you run tests and produce results, you provide reports,

What Are You Reading?

August is a popular vacation month – though here in Northern California, we are lucky that beautiful weather stretches into the fall, so maybe you have vacation yet to come. Vacati

Is It Patient Care? Is It Research? Is It My Job??

You've probably heard that our school is in the midst of a major strategic planning process – our vice chancellor and dean Julie Freischlag is working with faculty, staff, stu

Is Our Workplace Culture as Special as the Silicon Valley's?

We've all heard a lot about the famous work culture in the tech industry in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley. LinkedIn has new offices in SOMA and a recent article in Forbes la

What does Lean Process Improvement, Residency Education and Lab Week All Have in Common??

There's never a dull moment in our department – always a zillion diagnoses to be made, tests to run, consultations to share, concepts to teach, discoveries to make. April was

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