Twitter Chat: Leading/Coping/Thriving During a Crisis

Pathologists continue to navigate the COVID pandemic—both on professional and personal fronts—while managing other critical situations in their laboratories and institutions. Join this discussion to share lessons learned over the past year, as well as leadership advice to not only survive, but thrive during these challenging times.

• Host: Nicole Riddle, MD, FCAP, Member, Digital Content Committee (DCC), tweeting from CAP Twitter handle (@Pathologists)
• Expert guest panelists: Anne Mills, MD, FCAP (@AnneMillsMD); Christina Arnold, MD, FCAP (@CArnold_GI); and Eileen McKay, MD, FCAP (@emckaymd)

Q1. Can you share any key lessons pertaining to leadership that you have learned over the past year, whether its leading laboratory staff and/or pathology residents?

Q2. Can you discuss what operational challenges you confronted over the past year—whether it be related to COVID or severe weather? What lessons have you learned in terms of managing operations and staff?

Q3. What about pathology trainees—let’s hear from those training and residents—how has training been impacted over the past year?

Q4. What have been some of the stressors that people have experienced by working from home? How have you coped?

Q5. With schools and day cares closing, many of us had to pivot in terms of child-care arrangements and taking care of family members while still going to work. How did you (or your staff) confront these challenges?

Q6. Following up on care providing, with different areas of the country opening up at different times, does this continue to be a challenge?

Q7. What about career trajectory—whether you are in an academic setting or private practice, were you impacted in terms of promotion or advancement?

Q8. Can anyone weigh in on observing early retirement and job loss rates at their institution, or even changes to pay structure?

Q9. What toll do you think this past year has taken on the mental health of our pathologist colleagues?

Q10. How should we as a pathology specialty be addressing this mental health toll?

Note: This Twitter chat will be following a Q&A format. The host, tweeting from @Pathologists, will ask questions or post discussion topics (beginning with Q1, Q2, etc.); the leaders will post answers starting with “A” and the corresponding question number (A1, A2, etc.). Ask your question or comment on one of the discussion questions/answers by referencing the specific discussion question beginning your tweet with “QX”, with X referring to the question number.

1. Follow along on the #capchat hashtag. Invite your followers to join the chat.
2. Introduce yourself, where you are from, and any relevant professional details to the group.
3. Respond to the Q’s using A1, A2, A3, etc.

Tip: Mute or block any bots taking over your feed. Ask questions and share your best tips and tricks with the group.

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