American Society Of Dermatopathology

THE MISSION OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF DERMATOPATHOLOGY (ASDP) IS:TO IMPROVE PATIENT CARE, SUPPORT MEMBER NEED AND ADVANCE THE FIELD OF DERMATOPATHOLOGY THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY AND INNOVATION. THE VISION OF THE ASDP IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIVES BY ADVANCING DERMATOPATHOLOGY.

OUR MISSION IS TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIVES BY CONTINUALLY ADVANCING THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF DERMATOPATHOLOGY. THE ANNUAL MEETING HELD IN THE FALL IS PRIMARILY AN EDUCATIONAL ONE, OFFERING APPROXIMATELY 943 MEMBERS, FELLOWS, RESIDENTS, NONMEMBERS AND MEDICAL STUDENTS, 194 LECTURES ON CURRENT TOPICS IN DERMATOPATHOLOGY, INTERACTIVE SESSIONS AT THE MICROSCOPE, A SELF-ASSESSMENT COURSE, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR POSTER AND ABSTRACT PRESENTATIONS.

THE MONTHLY JOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY IS MAILED TO APPROXIMATELY 740. APPROXIMATELY 385 MEMBERS HAVE CHOSEN TO RECEIVE THE MONTHLY JOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY IN AN ELECTRONIC FORMAT ONLY. MEMBERS AND AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR NONRESIDENT ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. THE JOURNAL PUBLISHES MANUSCRIPTS RELEVANT TO DISEASES OF THE SKIN IN A BROAD SENSE, WITH THE AIMS OF ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE REGARDING DERMATOPATHOLOGY AND ENHANCING THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CLINICAL PRACTITIONERS AND RESEARCH SCIENTISTS.

MEMBERSHIP SERVICESASDP MEMBERSHIP IS COMPRISED OF APPROXIMATELY 1,427 DERMATOPATHOLOGISTS WHO ARE PHYSICIANS WHO, AFTER COMPLETING THEIR TRAINING IN EITHER DERMATOLOGY OR PATHOLOGY, PURSUED ADDITIONAL TRAINING IN ACCREDITED PROGRAMS FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF SKIN BIOPSIES. THESE PHYSICANS INTEGRATE THE CLINICAL INFORMATION WITH MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS OF THE BIOPSY FROM THE PATIENT TO PROVIDE DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION TO THE TREATING PHYSICIAN. DERMATOPATHOLOGY IS A CONSULTATIVE SERVICE TO THE REFERRING DERMATOLOGIST AND NOT SIMPLY A LABORATORY TEST. THE ACCURATE MICROSCOPIC INTERPRETATION OF THE BIOPSY IS IMPORTANT IN THE SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE THERAPIES. SEE SCHEDULE O FOR MORE INFORMATION.THE MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY AND WEBSITE PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS AND NONMEMBERS TO LEARN ABOUT DERMATOPATHOLOGY AND CONTACT OTHER MEMBERS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE.

MEMBERS MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE COMPETENCY IN THE FIELD OF DERMATOPATHOLOGY. IN ADDITION, THERE IS AN ONLINE MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION PROGRAM OFFERED TO SATISFY CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS NEEDED IN THE DERMATOPATHOLGY FIELD.THE ANNUAL ESSENTIALS OF DERMATOPATHOLOGY BOARD REVIEW & MOC COURSE WAS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF PERSONS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN DERMATOPATHOLOGY TRAINING AND THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY BOARD CERTIFIED AND/OR CURRENTLY PRACTICING DERMATOPATHOLOGY.A PROGRAM CALLED THE FELLOWS IN-SERVICE ASSESSMENT (FISA) IS A TWO-PART ASSESSMENT MEASURING FELLOWS' DERMATOPATHOLOGY KNOWLEDGE, SCHEDULED IN AUGUST AND AGAIN IN APRIL. THIS TOOL ASSISTS FELLOWSHIP DIRECTORS IN FULFILLING ACGME PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS THAT DERMATOPATHOLOGY PROGRAMS PROVIDE AN OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF FELLOWS WITH DOCUMENTED SEMIANNUAL EVALUATIONS, WHEN AVAILABLE, GUIDED BY SPECIFIC NATIONAL STANDARDS.THE IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE TESTING PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO ALL DERMATOPATHOLIGISTS AND IS CONCERNED WITH THE QUALITY OF INDIRECT IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE TESTING OF SERA FOR DETECTION OF CIRCULATING IGG ANTI-BASEMENT MEMBRANE ZONE AND ANTI-INTERCELLULAR (CELL SURFACE) ANTIBODIES. A CERTIFICATE IS AWARDED TO EACH LABORATORY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM AND PARTICIPANTS CAN USE THEIR RESULTS TOWARD ADDRESSING THE COLLEGE OF AMERICAN PATHOLOGISTS (CAP) ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS AND CLINICAL LABORATORY IMPROVEMENT AMENDMENTS (CLIA). LABORATORY PROFICIENCY TESTING IS OPEN TO LABORATORY DIRECTORS, HISTOTECHNOLOGISTS AND DERMATOPATHOLOGY TRAINEES. TESTING PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE TISSUE SPECIMENS, WHICH MUST BE PROCESSED IN THEIR LABORATORIES ACCORDING TO SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES. THE MICROSCOPIC SLIDES ARE THEN SENT TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE LABORATORY PROFICIENCY TESTING. THE DIRECTOR ASSESSES THE TECHNICAL QUALITY OF THE WORK PERFORMED AND INFORMS THE PARTICIPANT OF DEFICIENCIES. A CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED TO THE LABORATORY IF THE WORK IS SATISFACTORY. TESTING IS OFFERED IN SPRING AND FALL TO HELP MEMBERS SATISFY CLIA REQUIREMENTS FOR BIENNIAL TESTING.