“I was interested in a lot of fields in medical school, but pathology really stood out after my mentor in the ER suggested that I talk to a friend of hers, who was a pathologist. She inspired me to pursue my career in the field. Each week, something challenging and different happens. Pathology is a really exciting specialty to work in,” explains Dr. Selma Salihović from Slovenia when asked why she chose to become a pathologist.
This excitement about their specialty was shared by the lively group of 32 participants from 27 countries at the pathology seminar that took place from May 10 to 16, 2026.
The course is part of a three-year curriculum with rotating topics, meaning that OMI alumni who return will encounter entirely new core areas in the future. This year, the focus was on dermatopathology, soft tissue and bone pathology, breast pathology, renal pathology, cardiac pathology, as well as the subspecialties of hematopathology, GI pathology, and neuropathology.
The course director and co-course director duo were none other than Dr. Scott E. Kilpatrick from Cleveland Clinic and Dr. Renate Kain from the Medical University of Vienna. Dr. Kilpatrick last lectured in 2023 and has been present three times, while Dr. Kain, who has been present ten times, most recently served the program last year.
Cleveland Clinic is world-renowned for its excellent patient care, in which pathology often plays a vital role. “The Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Institute touches virtually every patient at Cleveland Clinic and thousands of patients across the world,” states the institute’s website. We are thrilled to once again partner with Cleveland Clinic for two of our annual seminars, cardiac surgery and pathology.
Dr. Sarah Elsoukkary, Dr. Shira Ronen, and Dr. Andrew P. Sciallis joined from Cleveland Clinic, while Dr. Heinz Regele, Dr. Ingrid Simonitsch-Klupp, and Dr. Irene Sulzbacher joined from the Medical University in Vienna. In total, the faculty cohort was made up of eight experts, four of whom were newcomers to the OMI program. The newcomers were Drs. Elsoukkary, Regele, Ronen, and Sciallis. Dr. Simonitsch-Klupp taught for the fourth time, and Dr. Sulzbacher was present for the second time. The fellows were most impressed by the faculty’s depth of knowledge and their willingness to share their expertise.
The course presented updated evidence-based methods and algorithms to establish accurate diagnoses in neoplastic and non-neoplastic bone and soft tissue, skin, breast, and gastrointestinal surgical pathology. A particular focus was the correlation of light microscopy and clinicoradiological features, where applicable, particularly in the presence of limited immunohistochemical resources and/or absence of molecular testing.
When asked why he continuously chose to donate his time to the OMI programs, Dr. Kilpatrick explained his commitment in a meaningful statement: “The seminar is a unique opportunity to teach pathology basics and interact with pathologists from all over the world, especially those with less ancillary resources available to them, to establish accurate diagnoses. The fellows are educationally inquisitive and entirely focused on our talks, making the presentations engaging and fulfilling for the faculty.”
The highlights of the week for many participants were the interpersonal interactions between the fellows and the faculty, which often continued informally during meals and after lectures. With the rather small group of fellows, this open interaction created an environment where questions were welcomed, debate was encouraged, and learning was instant.
Adam Šafanda, MD
OMI fellow from Czech Republic
“Dr. Kilpatrick’s lecture on cartilage lesions not only broadened my perspective but also deepened my knowledge, as these are lesions I do not normally encounter in my practice and can therefore sometimes be difficult to fully understand. His lectures were delivered in an exceptionally clear manner, which significantly improved my understanding of the topic.”
Bizunesh Fenta, MD
OMI fellow from Ethiopia
“All fellows presented a wide range of fascinating and highly practical cases featuring detailed immunophenotyping and molecular genetic techniques. It was an exceptional learning experience to see how these sophisticated diagnostic tools are integrated into routine pathology practice to provide modern precision diagnostics.”
Jose Antonio Navarro Venebra, MD
OMI fellow from Mexico
“One of the most remarkable aspects of this seminar has been the consistently high quality of every lecture and the extraordinary dedication of the faculty. As a pediatric pathologist, I particularly appreciated the sessions on soft tissue tumors, bone tumors, dermatopathology, renal pathology, and gastrointestinal pathology, all of which were highly relevant to my daily practice.”
