Dr. Bharati Jhaveri Establishes Pathology Fund
Having spent a 30-year career in laboratories all over the world both as a leading pathologist and CAP accreditation inspector, Bharati Jhaveri, MD, FCAP, has learned what pathologists, their laboratories, and their patients need to ensure quality health care.
In recent years, Dr. Jhaveri has used her expertise and philanthropy to become more involved with the CAP Foundation, first as a liaison of the CAP Board of Governors, then serving on the CAP Foundation Board of Directors and as chair of the 2021 Empowering Our Future fundraising campaign.
Now, Dr. Jhaveri is doing even more to directly support pathologists with education and leadership opportunities through a new fund established by her and her husband, Suketu Jhaveri, MD. The Drs. Bharati and Suketu Jhaveri Scientific Education and Research Fund was approved by the CAP Foundation Board of Directors in April 2022 and will begin accepting applications for grants in late 2022 or early 2023.
About the Scientific Education and Research Fund
The main objectives of the fund include support for cutting-edge scientific education and research initiatives that are impactful and sustainable while also providing a platform to conduct and gain experience in scientific research and education that directly advances the specialty of pathology and pathologists.
When asked about why this fund was important to establish now, Dr. Jhaveri explained, “There was a need to help both early-career pathologists and others with more experience to quickly find funding for research opportunities that weren’t quite so pigeonholed to very specific areas.”
The Scientific Education and Research Fund, according to Dr. Jhaveri, will work to be nimbler and more open to different fields and areas of interest with the intention of quickly addressing arising medical issues. Dr. Jhaveri pointed out the CAP Foundation’s previous support of studies on the effects of COVID-19 on medical laboratories and said the new fund could help in a similar way while being less constrained and including a wide variety of innovative and original projects.
While Dr. Jhaveri stressed the adaptability of this fund, she also said it should go to research projects that would make a real impact on the specialty for the ultimate outcome of better patient care.
“You really should have a proper background and understanding of the topic and what you’re trying to accomplish,” she said, “because research just for the sake of research doesn’t make much sense to me.”
The Fund Long Term
Dr. Jhaveri said that the CAP Foundation is exploring options to partner with the CAP in getting more pathologists involved in laboratory improvement research. This approach could help maximize resources and reach to ensure any gained knowledge can be repurposed and shared with other laboratories. Dr. Jhaveri also said that changing technologies and the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning is an important topic whose impact on diagnostics should be further explored.
Looking to the future of the specialty, Dr. Jhaveri said she’s excited about the development of the next generation of pathologist leaders who could greatly benefit from experiences provided by the Scientific Education and Research Fund and other CAP Foundation awards and grants.
“I’m hoping that we’ve trained enough good pathologists and doctors to take care of us,” she said. “That’s the important part of making sure that we use the funding we have wisely to make sure that we support good causes.”
Based on the early-career pathologists she’s worked with and those involved with the CAP and CAP Foundation, Dr. Jhaveri said she’s optimistic about the future. She sees more pathologists who are open to patient interaction and leadership roles within the health system, which runs contrary to some older, preconceived notions about the specialty.
She encourages residents and other pathologists to consider more than just what comes to them in the laboratory, to talk to other clinicians, to never stop learning, and make the most informed and accurate diagnoses.
“You have to keep an open mind and be out there looking,” Dr. Jhaveri said, “Sometimes everything under the slide glass may look the same, but if you think about the patient first and go from there, everything should work out.”
Stay tuned for more news on the Scientific Education and Research Fund, and learn more about the CAP Foundation and how you can support pathologists and their patients.
