UF pathologist appointed to leadership posts

The College of American Pathologists has honored University of Florida pathologist Dr. James Crawford with two leadership roles and an educational scholarship.

Crawford, chairman of the department of pathology and laboratory medicine at UF's College of Medicine, has been named to the organization's Education Committee and its Pathology Advocacy Network.

The committee's responsibilities include offering continuing medical education, training and retraining, and educational meetings for professionals, and educating the lay public about pathology in medicine. Members of the Pathology Advocacy Network serve as advocates for the College of American Pathologists, maintaining close contact with U.S. politicians.

Crawford also is the recipient of a scholarship to attend a political advocacy program the College of American Pathologists is sponsoring March 19-21 in Washington. The program aims to educate a select group of pathologists for leadership in pathology advocacy at the national level.

The College of American Pathologists is a medical society serving more than 15,000 physician members and the laboratory medicine community worldwide. A principal organization of board-certified pathologists, the group's main goal is to foster excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine.

In addition, Crawford has been named a member of the General Medicine 2 Study Section for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The study section is responsible for all grant proposals pertaining to the alimentary tract, pancreas and biliary tree, and liver that are submitted to the NIDDK. His term will end in 2004. For the past two years, he served as an ad hoc member.

He also recently assumed the presidency of the Florida Clinical Practice Association, succeeding Dr. Nicholas Cassisi, senior associate dean for clinical affairs at UF's College of Medicine. Crawford will serve a one-year term, subject to renewal on an annual basis.

The Florida Clinical Practice Association was incorporated in 1976 to support scientific, educational and charitable purposes in the College of Medicine, and is a major component of college financial operations.