Global Health Education in Pathology Residency

Pathology and laboratory medicine (PALM) services in low- and middle-income countries are essential to combat the increasing prevalence of cancer in addition to providing documentation of cancer types and trends for future allocation of public health resources. There are many ways PALM as a whole can engage on the global health front. This study summarizes the efforts and results of a global health educational and clinical elective for pathology residents in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.

Pathology residents led and implemented the project, working alongside an in-country pathologist and project collaborator to instill project sustainability and allow for future capacity building.

An educational elective was established between the pathology departments of the University of Virginia and Hospital Regional de Occidente in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Two residents at a time engaged in a month-long educational elective assisting and learning from the in-country pathologist in anatomic pathology clinical work.

The project is an example of a global health initiative centering on the enhancement of PALM services in a low-resource environment via a bidirectional, sustainable educational exchange.