CAP's PA mailing list

It has been a couple of weeks since the CAP sent out it's first correspondance asking that Canada's PAs respond with their mailing address (and written permission). Please take a moment to think of a PA who you know who may not have received this letter. Include even those who work at large centres. There are a number of reasons why the letter, addressed to "The Director" may not find its way to the PAs. If these people are examining surgical pathology specimens, rendering Gross Descriptions and/or performing autopsies (at a level above Morgue Attendant or deiner), they are performing duties which are those generally considered within the job description of Pathologists' Assistant.

Give her/him a call to enquire. If they got one, that's great, if they didn't, please make sure that they do. This is a very important first step. The CAP must have everyone's permission to proceed to the next step.

More on the issue of what constitutes a PA: let there be no misconception; a Morgue Attendant is NOT a PA. For the Morgue Attendants out there, please understand that I am in no way denigrating you, your occupation or the much-valued assistance that you provide. Generally speaking, the prerequisite for employment as a Morgue Attendant include a Grade 12 (in Ontario) high school diploma. Currently, the minimum prerequisite for employment as a PA is a Medical Laboratory Technologist diploma and registration with the appropriate provincial college. It is very important that at this juncture PAs force themselves to take the hard line and, at the risk of alienating the MAs with whom they work day in and day out, clearly define to themselves and to their colleagues, Pathologists included, the criteria which define "Pathologists' Assistant."

Another problem which will need to be addressed is that concerning PAs who are not involved in all aspects of Pathology. Consider PAs working at a forensic science centre, assisting at autopsy; performing the dissection on behalf of the Forensic Pathologist. They never see or handle surgical pathology specimens yet they are, as much as the Forensic Pathologists are Pathologists, PAs. To clarify, these are not Morgue Attendants. They are performing the dissection of the organs, examining tissues, interpreting their findings and communicationg these to the Pathologist. On the other hand, there are PAs who never do autopsies, but who handle surgical pathology specimens. Same story; just like the Pathologists who they assist, they too are PAs.