A Workflow for Successful Collaboration between Anatomists and Pathologists: An Example of Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma Metastasis to a Virchow Node

Interprofessional collaboration between anatomists and pathologists is important, yet poses unique workflow challenges. Therefore, this report details a successful workflow example of a case of pulmonary adenocarcinoma metastasizing to a Virchow node wherein anatomists and pathologists collaborated in a manner that was both streamlined and effective. Essentially, gross pathology was identified in a gross anatomy laboratory, and an anatomist forwarded a description of these findings to the director of pathology residents. Next, the director of pathology residents forwarded basic details of gross anatomical findings to pathology residents while asking for resident participation based upon professional interests. The interested residents then contacted the anatomist, who, in turn, walked the residents through the gross anatomical findings in the dissection facilities. The residents resected the pathological tissues and then provided the anatomist with a written histopathological assessment that was confirmed by a seasoned pathologist. The insights of both the anatomists and pathologists led to successful description of the case with a robustness that either party would not have been able to complete on their own. This collaborative project led to a publication containing improved descriptions of clinically important findings arising from gross anatomy laboratories, and the effectiveness of the described workflow between anatomists, pathology residents, and pathologists will increase the collaborative output of all involved parties in future research projects and variant anatomical discoveries. This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal .