The RCPA acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions and cultures, and to Elders past, present and emerging.
The RCPA acknowledges the rangatiratanga of Māori as tangata whenua and Treaty of Waitangi partners in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Artwork by: Jordan Lovegrove, Ngarrindjeri Artist of Dreamtime Creative, Tiaki Terekia of Ngāti Kōhuru and Margaret Aull of Te Rarawa, Tūwharetoa and Fijian descent
From the President
This past year has been one of purposeful change for the RCPA. A year in which reflection has been the catalyst for transformation. This work has seen us strengthen our governance, build our capacity and modernise our processes to ensure we can meet the challenges we face as a profession – now and into the future. During the past year, we’ve reviewed our operations to refine our strategic direction and made real progress across all areas of our business.
Training and education
We rolled out digital examinations across all disciplines to improve flexibility and accessibility for Trainees. Looking forward, the RCPA’s Board of Education and Assessment (BEA) embarked on a major project to reimagine the future of examinations at the College. In recognising the need to modernise our approach to education and training, this timely and necessary review will ensure we meet the evolving expectations of our Trainees and fulfil our obligations to the Australian Medical Council and the Medical Council of New Zealand.
Policy and advocacy
We welcomed our first Head of Policy and Advocacy to coordinate and focus our work in this increasingly difficult space. We shaped a new advocacy strategy through member consultation to ensure pathology retains a strong, informed voice in national healthcare reform and funding. Workforce planning and regulatory reform remain pressing priorities, which will affect not only the way we train and assess future pathologists, but also how we recognise qualifications, uphold standards and advocate for our profession.
Membership and engagement
We established a new membership and engagement team to enable a sharper focus on the member experience across all the regions in which we operate, and to ensure services and engagement opportunities are relevant and accessible. The College exists for its members so from the moment someone joins us as a Trainee, through the transition to Fellowship and into retirement, we want to make sure that our Fellows and Trainees feel connected, supported and valued.
Your College, your voice
Members have been clear about what matters most to them. I want you to know that we are listening. Our commitment is to ensure the College remains inclusive and represents the diversity of the profession and the communities we serve.
Advances in technology, shifts in workforce demographics, changing patient expectations and evolving regulatory frameworks are reshaping our professional landscape. The College’s focus is to build its capacity not just to respond to change, but to anticipate it and to influence outcomes in ways that better serve our members and their patients.
Thank you
As we approach our 70th year as a medical college, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the extraordinary contribution of our volunteers –
RCPA Board
A/Prof Daniel Owens Vice President
Dr
Cameron Snell Chair of the Board of Professional Practice and Quality
A/Prof Jurgen Stahl Chair of the Board of Education and Assessment
A/Prof Kenneth Lee
State and Regional Representative
past and present. From our founding members to everyone who plays a role in supporting our current work, the College has always drawn its strength from the dedication of Fellows and Trainees who give their time and expertise so generously. Whether in examinations, committees, education, research, advocacy or mentorship, your commitment ensures the profession thrives into the future. On behalf of the College, thank you.
Thank you also to the staff team who bring their passion and drive to advocate for our profession and support the work of the College.
Looking back to look forward
Looking back has allowed us to look forward with renewed purpose. I’m immensely proud of what we have achieved. This Annual Report celebrates the successes of the past year, highlights the contributions of our members and volunteers, and outlines the strategic priorities that will drive the next phase of growth and innovation.
Dr Kym Mina Council
Representative
Prof Noel Woodford
Secretary/Treasurer
Dr Elizabeth Roberts New Zealand Vice President
Dr Helen Wordsworth
Advisory Committee Chairs Representative
It’s an exciting time for the College. With much of the groundwork now done, we are well placed to turn our plans into action, and I look forward to seeing this transformation translate from vision to reality.
A/Prof Trishe Leong RCPA President
From the CEO
Last year we launched RCPA’s Strategic Plan for 2024–2027. This year has been about moving from planning to delivery. Central to that delivery has been one question: how can we make our members’ professional lives better, and how can we support them throughout their careers?
From advocacy to continuing professional development (CPD), from membership services to governance and operations, every initiative has been shaped with members in mind. We have spent time listening to Fellows and Trainees, seeking honest feedback to understand their needs and the pressures they face, and responding with practical solutions.
Advocacy
Building on our 2024 workforce review, we are pursuing a targeted advocacy strategy in Australia and New Zealand, presenting clear, discipline-specific evidence of workforce shortages. While health
budgets remain tight, there is growing recognition that pathology underpins the entire health system, and we are working to ensure the profession’s voice is heard at the highest levels.
Our advocacy has also included detailed submissions on issues of national importance and closer engagement with agencies such as the Australian Digital Health Agency, ahead of the imminent realtime release of most pathology results to My Health Record.
Continuing professional development (CPD)
In response to new regulatory requirements, the College finalised a fully accredited CPD policy in both Australia and New Zealand, and created a support team dedicated to assisting Fellows with compliance. These changes are designed to make the new CPD environment easier to navigate, with RCPA-endorsed activities providing greater clarity and simplicity in recording participation.
Member support
A new membership team is now in place to support Fellows and Trainees across every stage of their careers. While the immediate focus has been on CPD, we are also investing in a new membership database and website to deliver a modern, accessible and more user-friendly experience. Going forward, this team will also take the lead in building new services and programs designed to respond directly to members’ evolving needs.
Governance
As part of our governance review, committee structures have been streamlined and aligned with strategic priorities, supported by updated terms of reference. Policy development has also accelerated, with new position statements and structured reporting guidelines further strengthening the College’s role in clinical and public health practice.
Financial snapshot Income
and expenditure
Membership subscription (31%)
Grant income (19%)
Training and examination fees (19%)
Events income (12%)
Investment income (12%)
Sundry income (7%)
Prizes and awards (2%) RCPA Expenses
Employment expenses (38%)
Government funded projects (21%)
Administration and operating costs (19%)
Conferences and education (8%)
Examination expenses (7%)
Travel expenses (5%)
RCPA Foundation
Supporting research and education in pathology
The RCPA Foundation provides grants to support research and education in pathology that will help healthcare professions improve early detection of disease, discover new treatment options and find ways to better manage chronic disease. Visit our website to learn more about tax-deductible donations that can make a difference for future generations of pathologists and scientists.
$278,000
GRANT FUNDING AWARDED THIS YEAR
Mike and Carole Ralston
Travelling Fellowship
Dr Radha Ramanan
Haematology Fellow
Upskilling in genomic curation in haemostatic and thrombotic disorders with a focus on delineating genotype-phenotype correlations and identifying polygenic disease modifiers in inherited bleeding disorders.
RCPA Quality Assurance Programs Research Grant
A/Prof Cherie Chiang
Chemical Pathology Fellow
A pilot project to develop a quality assurance program for urinary oxalate in Australia.
Dr Eric Wenlong Li
Haematology Fellow
Advancing targeted RNA-based NGS in the detection of oncogenic gene fusions through a national sample exchange program.
Kanematsu Research Award
Dr Yvonne Xiangyue Kong
Haematology Fellow
The mechanisms of disturbed calcium homeostasis in myeloproliferative neoplasms, and their contributions to thrombosis risk.
Postgraduate Research Fellowship
Dr Carolyn Wijaya
Immunopathology Trainee
Identifying pathogenic cells in refractory autoimmune blistering disease.
Dr Peter Bradhurst
Immunopathology Fellow
Anti-cytokine antibodies: Laboratory diagnosis and functional assessment.
Dr Andrew Fox-Lewis
Microbiology Fellow
Enhanced surveillance of Strep A disease in the Auckland region.
Melody Caramins Trainee and Early Career Genetic Pathology Grant
Dr Lawrence Hui
Genetic Pathology Trainee
Customisable genetically targeted treatment for cancers with dCas9.
Sullivan Nicolaides
Partnership Pathology Scholarship
Dr Priscilla Paua
Research Grant-in-Aid
Dr Laveniya Satgunaseelan
Anatomical Pathology Fellow
Ultra-rapid brain tumour
diagnostics: a long read to a fast answer.
Dr Sophie Cunningham
Microbiology Trainee
The use of two novel antigens of Burkholderia pseudomallei in the serodiagnosis of melioidosis.
Pathology Education Outreach Fellowship
Dr Briony Shaw
Haematology Fellow
Expanding diagnostic capacity in the haematology laboratory in Timor Leste.
A/Prof Richard Bradbury
Microbiology Faculty Fellow
A diagnostic parasitology workshop in Kupang, Indonesia.
Bev Rowbotham Pathology Leaders Award
Dr Carolyn Wijaya
Immunopathology Trainee
Faculty of Science Fellowship
Mr Ben Lundie
Genetic Pathology Trainee
Investigation variant impact on gene expression and splicing using long-read sequencing.
Australia highlights
A real highlight for this year was joining RCPA members in Melbourne for Pathology Update 2025. The February event was truly record-breaking with more than 1,500 delegates attending. This event also featured our largest exhibition ever and a record number of new Fellows celebrating their achievements in person at the Fellowship Ceremony. See page 40 for the full list of New Fellows who have joined the College this year.
Thanks to the organising and subcommitees for delivering an outstanding program across all discipline streams. The conference provided valuable
learning and networking opportunities, reinforcing its role in professional development.
After Pathology Update 2025, the RCPA invited all members to complete a post-event survey. Building on the feedback from the survey, four focus groups were held online and a one-day in-person workshop conducted to help improve and guide the future direction of Pathology Update. We look forward to welcoming you to Pathology Update 2026 in Sydney for a program that our members will have helped shape and design.
We were delighted to have RCPA Fellow Professor
Professor Richard Scolyer AO joined us at a special event in April to celebrate his extraordinary work and achievements in science and medicine. We announced two new RCPA initiatives in his honour including the Richard Scolyer Innovation Plenary Lecture. This lecture will be delivered annually at Pathology Update to spotlight groundbreaking ideas and the visionary thinking that drives progress in medicine and pathology.
The RCPA Foundation has also established the Richard Scolyer Research Award, a $100,000 research grant awarded over four years, to support skin cancer research by early-career anatomical pathologists. This grant will help them push the limits of what we know, embrace curiosity, and transform ambitious ideas into meaningful outcomes for patients.
Inspired by Richard’s dedication to innovation in science, we hope these initiatives will ensure the spirit of discovery continues to shape the way we diagnose, understand and treat disease for generations to come.
2025 RCPA Distinguished Fellow Award
Professor Kumarasinghe is an eminent anatomical pathologist with a distinguished career spanning over 30 years. She has made significant contributions in gastrointestinal, pancreaticobiliary and endocrine pathology which have done much to develop our understanding of, for example, Barrett’s disease, HER2 and biomarker testing for upper gastrointestinal cancers. She is the current President of the Australasian Division of the International Academy of Pathology and served as the immediate past chair of the RCPA’s Structured Pathology Reporting of Cancer project.
2025 RCPA Distinguished Fellow Award
Professor Samaratunga is a leading expert in uropathology and internationally recognised for her exceptional contributions to pathology, providing a large and important contribution to the medical literature through her prolific research, as well as her outstanding mentorship and commitment to advocating for the pathology profession through teaching. She is a longstanding contributor to College work through RCPA’s Structured Pathology Reporting of Cancer project, the RCPA Manual and RCPAQAP, as well as RCPA’s Pathology journal.
Prof M Priyanthi Kumarasinghe
Prof Hemamali Samaratunga
New Zealand highlights
The RCPA and New Zealand Society of Pathologists Annual Scientific Meeting in Nelson brought together pathology professionals for insightful sessions on anatomical pathology, genomics, precision medicine, and artificial intelligence (AI). The September 2024 meeting fostered valuable networking and addressed challenges in workload, workforce and training.
The College recognises that specialist international medical graduate colleagues are essential to grow our workforce and is working closely
with the Medical Council of New Zealand to smooth the pathways of entry. Additionally, it is especially important to encourage more Māori and Pasifika Trainees into the profession.
As well as enhancing Māori and Pasifika representation at NZASM 2024, this conference emphasised supporting Trainees and strengthening teaching networks. We also were delighted to host a networking dinner at the Classic Car Museum as part of the social activities of the major event.
NZ advocacy
This year has been one of consolidation and renewed focus on advocacy in Aotearoa New Zealand, in line with the College’s stronger strategic emphasis on influencing policy and system reform. Our priority has been to clarify what effective, locally grounded advocacy should look like for pathology and laboratory medicine. While broad advocacy priorities are shared across Australia and New Zealand, the New Zealand environment is distinct: shaped by its centralised health structure, unique funding arrangements, and a smaller, more fiscally constrained economy. This different context demands a tailored approach that reflects local realities.
In March we held a hui with New Zealand members to explore where advocacy efforts should be directed and how the College can add value to local debates. Members agreed on the importance of establishing a permanent, locally based role to lead this work.
As a result, the College has committed to appointing a dedicated New Zealand Policy and Advocacy Manager to ensure that our advocacy is informed by local expertise and relationships.
Throughout the year we have strengthened our engagement with key stakeholders including the Medical Council of New Zealand, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, and the Ministry of Health. These relationships have laid the groundwork for a more consistent and proactive approach to representing the profession’s interests.
The next step will be the development of a local advocacy plan to guide engagement, ensure alignment with national priorities, and amplify the College’s voice in New Zealand health policy.
A/Prof Diane Kenwright
2025 RCPA Konrad Muller Outstanding Teaching Award
A/Prof Kenwright, anatomical pathologist at the Otago University Medical School, is an exceptional educator whose passion for pathology and teaching has inspired generations of pathology Trainees. In sharing her knowledge and experience, she has been a dedicated supervisor and mentor, providing an engaging and supportive environment to learn and succeed. She is a fabulous communicator and her unwavering kindness, patience and innovative use of technology sparks curiosity to make learning fun.
Asia and beyond Singapore Society
RCPA President A/Prof Trishe Leong and CEO Dr David Andrews visited colleagues in Singapore on a short but busy tour in July 2024. They met with local members to discusspathology education and training in Singapore and how the College can improve its services and support in the country.
During the trip they attended the Singapore Society of Pathology Committee meeting, where our President and CEO met with RCPA Singapore Councillor A/Prof Leow Wei Qiang, and Immediate Past-Councillor A/Prof Cheng Chee Leong.
A/Prof Leong and Dr Andrews also attended the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Pathology and Chapter of Pathologists, where President Leong presented the plenary lecture, and received a plaque from RCPA Fellow and Society of Pathology ASM Convenor Dr Inny Busmanis as the annual guest speaker.
President Leong was also awarded her Distinguished Overseas Fellowship of the Academy of Medicine Singapore during the 57th Singapore-Malaysia Congress of Medicine.
United in the United Kingdom
In September 2024, President Leong and Dr Andrews joined Vice President A/Prof Daniel Owens to represent Australasia at the International Liaison of Pathology Presidents (ILPP). The annual meeting of pathology colleges and associations from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa, Europe and Malaysia was co-hosted by the Royal College of Pathologists UK and the Association of Clinical Pathologists UK.
The meeting was a valuable opportunity for pathology organisations from around the world to share and learn from each other’s experiences, and catch up on how the various issues affecting the profession have progressed across different countries.
It also highlighted that similar challenges are being experienced across the globe, including workforce shortages, increasing workloads, and the growing need to integrate digital pathology and AI into practice.
European Associate Membership
During this year we were also delighted to join the European Society of Pathology (ESP) as an Associate Member. ESP President Professor Peter Schirmacher visited our Sydney office in April 2025 for the official signing of a memorandum of understanding to formalise our membership. We look forward to greater collaboration and stronger ties with the international pathology community through this partnership.
Policy and advocacy
Over the past 12 months, the College has significantly reshaped its approach to advocacy. In response to clear member feedback, we have shifted from reactive engagement to a more coordinated, strategic model focused on visibility, impact and long-term influence.
As part of strengthening our capability and focus, the College has appointed a dedicated Head of Policy and Advocacy and a Senior Policy Advisor to lead and coordinate our advocacy efforts across the region.
We also committed to appoint a New Zealand-
based policy and advocacy manager to drive locallyfocused engagement and respond to the urgent challenges facing the profession in Aotearoa.
We have actively contributed to a broad range of policy and funding processes across Australia and New Zealand. Our work has spanned workforce sustainability, public funding, digital transformation, and professional standards, ensuring pathology remains a visible and credible voice in health policy decision-making.
Advocacy objectives
1
2
Increase influence on public policy
We aim to shape decisions that affect pathology by engaging proactively with policymakers, contributing expert advice, and promoting evidence-based reforms at all levels of government.
Create greater visibility of our advocacy efforts to our members
We will strengthen internal communication to ensure members are informed, engaged and confident in the College’s work to represent their interests and advance the profession.
3
4
Enhance awareness of what we do and our key role in the health system
We are committed to educating government stakeholders about the critical and often behind the-scenes contributions of pathology to patient care, diagnosis and public health.
To strengthen partnerships with other medical colleges and health organisations
We will collaborate with peer institutions to align on shared health system priorities, amplify our collective voice and build a unified front in advancing healthcare policy and reform.
Strengthening our strategic priorities
Member feedback from the 2025 Advocacy Survey helped shape a two-year Advocacy Strategy endorsed by the RCPA Board and structured around four priority areas.
Workforce sustainability
We are focused on expanding training positions, strengthening retention, and securing better support for regional and under-served areas. We continue to advocate for the inclusion of pathology in all levels of workforce planning, and for improved pathways for international medical graduates.
Digital and AI integration
We will be leading sector-wide conversations to shape what the safe and ethical use of AI in pathology should look like. Our goal is to build consensus among Fellows and stakeholders so we can advise government with confidence on implementation, funding and workforce readiness.
Sustainable public funding
Our work includes advocating for increased investment in pathology services, improved access to new tests through MSAC, and fairer pricing structures across the MBS. In addition, we developed a formal College position statement on MBS indexation and participated in government consultation to highlight the growing gap between rebates and the real cost of delivering pathology.
Regional focus
We are increasing our presence in New Zealand through a dedicated local policy role and developing a countryspecific advocacy plan to address urgent local challenges. We have also begun engagement with members in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore to better understand their priorities.
Submissions and consultations
The RCPA has actively contributed to policy reviews with a focus on ensuring that reforms to funding, regulation and workforce policy reflect the realities of pathology practice and uphold patient safety.
Medicare and funding reform Digital health Workforce and regulation
We opposed proposed changes to urine and vitamin B12 testing that risked undermining patient care and clinical autonomy. We also developed a formal position statement on MBS indexation and, in government consultation, highlighted the cumulative impact of rebate erosion on pathology services. In related work, we advocated for a tailored implementation model for the assignment of benefit reforms and supported the Medicare Integrity Bill, while calling for fair and workable compliance arrangements.
We successfully argued for exemptions in the My Health Record legislation for complex results requiring clinical interpretation. In the genomics space, we made the case for greater inclusion of pathologists in national frameworks and called for sustained workforce investment to support precision medicine.
We contributed to the Australian Medical Council’s review of standards for specialist medical training, submitted evidence to the NSW Health Funding Inquiry, and raised serious concerns in New Zealand about proposed changes to the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act that could weaken profession-specific regulation and cultural safety.
Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC)
The College continues to play an active role in expanding public access to innovative diagnostic testing through the MSAC process. Three new pathology items have been approved for funding: DPYD genotyping, HLA testing for drug hypersensitivity, and revised fees for placental complexity reporting. In addition, new MBS items for the detection of minimal residual disease in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) (items 73313 and 73316) were implemented, supporting more precise, ongoing monitoring for patients.
We also lodged new submissions for ADAMTS13 testing (for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura) and POLE genotyping (for the classification of endometrial cancer), both of which are currently progressing through the MSAC assessment process.
Beyond our own applications, the College has contributed to a number of consultations and submissions led by other organisations, providing expert input to ensure that the interests of the pathology profession are well represented in broader diagnostic and funding policy decisions.
To ensure a clear and strategic forward pipeline, we also received 25 new topic nominations from Fellows and are progressing an expert-led prioritisation process to guide College submissions through to 2027.
Looking ahead
Our advocacy program will continue to evolve in response to the needs of members and the changing policy environment.
In the year ahead, we will:
• Continue our campaign for increased genetic pathology training positions.
• Build a national evidence base on workforce supply and training bottlenecks to inform a consolidated funding proposal to government.
• Host stakeholder roundtables to shape the College’s advisory position on AI in pathology.
• Develop a dedicated advocacy plan for Aotearoa New Zealand
Thank you to the many Fellows who have contributed their expertise and time to this work. Your input ensures the College continues to represent pathology with credibility, authority and unity.
Membership and engagement
The RCPA is dedicated to supporting members in their professional journey from Trainee to Fellow as well as promoting the pivotal role of pathology in healthcare. We work to connect with members across a range of events for educational and networking activities as well as our marketing and communication channels including newsletters, social media and the Pathology journal.
We are proud to support our large and diverse membership of pathologists and senior scientists across Australasia.
The College offers several types of membership including Fellow, Affiliate, Associate and Honorary Fellow.
We also offer Faculty Fellowships.
Faculty of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology(FOMP) established in 1996
Faculty of Science (FSc) established in 2010
Faculty of Clinical Forensic Medicine (FCFM) established in 2013
Faculty of Post-mortem Imaging (FPMI) established in 2020
Faculty Fellows
302 Faculty of Science
Faculty of Clinical Forensic Medicine
60
39
Faculty of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
33 Faculty of Post-mortem Imaging
Nelson, New Zealand
27-29 September 2024
Pathology Update 2025
Melbourne, Australia
21-23 February 2025
Management and Clinical Governance of Medical Laboratories
Canberra, Australia
29-31 August 2024
Skills workshops
Pathology
RCPA’s peer-reviewed scientific journal
Pathology is published six times a year as well as a special theme issue and the Pathology Update Abstracts supplement.
Editorial Board
Clin Prof John Burnett continued into his second year as Editor-in-Chief and Prof Wendy Cooper as Deputy Editor-in-Chief.
The journal continued to have a healthy number of submissions across disciplines and from around the world. The Editors use their networks to encourage quality submissions and to build connections both within Australia and globally, which keeps members up to date with research and practice in pathology and gives the RCPA an international presence.
Priorities during this year looked at turnaround times and updating workflows. Review times were reduced from three to two weeks and reviewers were outstanding in their adherence to this shorter turnaround time.
The Editors-in-Chief, Associate Editors, members of the journal Editorial Board and reviewers are all volunteers, and their scientific expertise and guidance are vital to the credibility and quality of the journal. The RCPA is grateful for their dedication and time.
Content and production
Pathology is published by Elsevier with a contract until the end of 2026. The Elsevier team produce, distribute and market the journal and provide advice on publishing policies and ethical issues, including AI, with the aim of enhancing its integrity and increasing the journal’s visibility.
Members may have noticed the altered layout, typeface and page size at the beginning of 2025, as the journal moved to a standard Elsevier format to achieve some efficiencies.
More open access articles were published over the last year due to transformative agreements between Elsevier and the CSIRO, Council of Australian University Librarians and Council of Aotearoa
New Zealand University Libraries, which enabled subsidised open access publishing for authors.
Journal Article of the Year Award
The Pathology Article of the Year Award is selected by the journal editors for an article showing outstanding scientific merit which is considered the most significant eligible manuscript published in the year.
In 2024 the award went to the article ‘Colorectal endometriosis – a challenging, often overlooked cause of colorectal pathology: a clinicopathological review of 114 cases’ from authors Gregory C. Miller, Anna Sokolova, Mark L. Bettington, Christophe Rosty, Ian S. Brown. Dr Miller and Dr Brown accepted the award at Pathology Update 2025.
text views in 2024 (705,202 RCPA journal site and 263,337 Elsevier sites)
BPS exam
The 2025 Basic Pathological Sciences (BPS) examination was delivered fully online for 499 candidates. This was a record number for any examination at the College. The growth in numbers of candidates sitting the BPS exam came mostly from an increase in medical students and non-trainee doctors.
This was also the first year that the RCPA offered to waive the examination fee for first-time candidates who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Māori or Pacific Islander. We were able to welcome thirteen candidates to undertake the exam through this scheme.
204 215 80
Medical students
Non-trainee doctors
Trainees
New training program
The Surgical Pathology Dissection training program has been approved and finalised, ready for launch in 2026 for medical laboratory scientists. This program will help standardise assessment and offer a nationally recognised qualification for those performing complex specimen dissection.
The focus of this program is on the acquisition of both the technical and clinical knowledge underpinning the practice of surgical pathology dissection to a standard that accommodates the requirements of the modern pathology workplace. On successful completion of all requirements of the program, candidates will be awarded the RCPA Certificate in Surgical Pathology Dissection.
Certification in molecular pathology
In May 2025, the Recognition of Prior Learning pathway for Fellows seeking certification in discipline-specific molecular pathology was discontinued. This change simplifies and clarifies the process for molecular pathology certification. All prospective candidates will now need to pursue the Training and Assessment Pathway, satisfactorily fulfil the handbook and portfolio requirements and pass the required examination(s).
The RCPA’s Molecular Pathology Certification Modules for Anatomical Pathology were revised
Curriculum reviews
RCPA carries out five-yearly curriculum reviews. Over the past year, several reviews were carried out for implementation in 2025 and 2026.
to futureproof this rapidly evolving subdiscipline of anatomical pathology. The changes came into effect in February 2025 with AP Modules 1 and 3a combined into ‘Somatic NGS’ and 3b and 4 into ‘Germline NGS’ modules.
The College facilitated examinations for candidates for the fifth year running for non-genetic pathology candidates pursuing certification via the Training and Assessment Pathway. In November 2024, 48 candidates sat examinations across haematology, anatomical pathology and microbiology.
Reviews for genetic pathology
(biochemical genetics) and haematology were completed in 2024 and implemented in 2025.
Reviews for immunopathology and forensic pathology
are currently underway and will be implemented in 2026.
The Molecular Pathology Certification Modules
for anatomical pathology were revised in 2025 to ensure currency in this rapidly evolving area.
The Molecular Pathology Certification Modules
for microbiology are under review, with implementation scheduled for 2026.
Information resources
Lung cancer molecular testing
The RCPA and the Thoracic Oncology Group of Australasia (TOGA) partnered in 2024 to create comprehensive, evidence-based Best Practice Recommendations for Molecular Testing of Lung Cancer in Australia. These recommendations were developed collaboratively by an expert panel of lung cancer specialists, including pathologists, oncologists and consumer representatives. The College received funding from AstraZeneca to undertake the project.
The new recommendations will contribute significantly to the enhancement of diagnostic accuracy and patient care in lung cancer and improve outcomes for lung cancer patients through best practice molecular testing.
In Australia, lung cancer is the fifth most diagnosed cancer but accounts for the highest number of cancer-related deaths each year, claiming more lives than prostate and breast cancer combined. Early and accurate diagnosis, combined with appropriate, evidence-based treatment, is critical to improving outcomes for patients affected by this devastating disease.
Key features of these recommendations
Which molecular tests to perform
Guidance on selecting appropriate tests based on the type and stage of lung cancer.
Optimal timing of testing
Recommendations on when molecular tests should be conducted to ensure timely treatment initiation, maximising outcomes for each patient.
Best practices for test performance
Strategies to maintain high-quality testing, ensuring accurate and reliable results.
Pharmacogenomics
In 2024 the RCPA, in partnership with the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA), completed a project to develop clinical indications for pharmacogenomic testing in Australia. The RCPA received funding from Australian Genomics in 2022 to undertake the project.
The RCPA’s Pharmacogenomics Advisory Group identified 35 medications and
assigned these medications with an indication of the strength of recommendation for pharmacogenomic testing, i.e. testing is recommended, testing could be considered, and no consensus. The clinical indications are published on the RCPA website and were the focus of our 2024 International Pathology Day media event.
The Advisory Group commenced a review of the clinical indications and anticipates this will be ready for completion by the end of 2025.
Digital future of healthcare
The RCPA hosted a Digital Strategy and Roadmap Workshop for our members to hear from a variety of stakeholders including pathologists, consumers, GPs and government representatives about the advances in health technology impacting the Australian pathology sector.
This workshop was incredibly useful to inform our thinking around the role of the RCPA in relation to the governance and guidance requirements for the use of new digital technologies and how the work undertaken by the College in this space should be prioritised.
Technological change and developments in informatics and AI were recognised in the RCPA 2024–2027 Strategic Plan as being potentially transformative for the profession, and as a College we want to make sure that we are doing the right things to assist our members in adapting to this changing environment.
The RCPA also released its new Artificial Intelligence in Pathology Guideline to help provide a framework for those labs looking to adopt AI in a safe and ethical manner.
One of the recommendations is that laboratories should appoint a pathologist with relevant scope of practice who has responsibility for the oversight and supervision
of pathology testing being performed with AI methods in the laboratory. This reflects the complexity involved in the selection, deployment and monitoring of such tools.
In recognition RCPA Fellows awarded
July 2024 to June
2025
D - Dermatopathology
PI - Pathology informatics
AP - Anatomical pathology
H - Haematology
M - Microbiology
CP - Chemical pathology
I - Immunopathology
FP - Forensic pathology
Gen - General pathology
GP - Genetic pathology
IT - Immunogenetics & transplantation
Pathology disciplines
APDr Ann Abraham
APDr Shilpa Sagri Aithal
HDr Bashar Alani
APDr Latifa Khaled Salman Almusalam
HDr Harriet Lilian O'Hare Ambrose
APDr Alpesh Chandrakant Amin
Gen Dr Katie Ann Ashton
APDr Rebecca Tian Mei Au
APDr Seyedesmaeil Azimi Khatibani
APDr Kate Elissa Berry
APDr Namita Bhutani
APDr Hemalatha Bhuvanai Sitaraaman
APDr Alexander Alfred Borecki
HDr Henry Frederick Joseph Braybrook
APDr Marian Louise Burr
HDr Thomas Michael Buss
HDr Catelyn Jean Cashion
HDr Kwok Hei Chan
APDr Noni Long Chan
HDr Alison Elizabeth Chandler
HDr Tsz Long Cheung
CP Dr Yee Ting Cheung
APDr Chiao Yi Michelle Chew
HDr Emily Min Yi Choong
HDr Jenna Paige Cox
APDr Sarah Louise Cuddihy
APDr Vanessa Gaye Culleton
APDr Sara De Vries
CP Dr Andra Prastama Desra
HDr Dessy Dimitrov
HDr Christopher William Doig
CP Dr Andrew Craig Don-Wauchope
HDr Jack Karel Driml
M Dr Suzanne Elizabeth English
M Dr Yean Hsiang Ewe
HDr Sergio Farina
Gen Dr Hugh John French
M Dr Andrew Peter Gador-Whyte
HDr Alana Rae Gedrose
FP Dr Charles Francis Kingston Glenn
APDr Asher Tse Kai Goh
FP Dr Jagbir Singh Grewal
APDr Abeer Abdalla Elsiddig Hagelamin
APDr Roberta Regina Maria Hager
HDr Khairunnisa Haji Hussin
FP Dr Isaac Han
HDr Ameya Hanamshet
APDr Patricia Bridgid Hannaford
Gen Dr Francesca Ruth Hart
APDr Kathryn Cecilia Harvey
HDr Hei Wan Hou
APDr Mindy Bizhe Hu
M Dr Wenjie Huang
HDr Maple Xufeng Huang
M Dr Siobhan Moira Hurley
APDr Jack David Hywood
FP Dr Bronwyn Afton Inglis
HDr Mohammad Rassem Ishaq Irhimeh
HDr Stephanie Teresa Isaac
HDr Anthony David Jeffrey
APDr Anita Beth Jones
HDr Angeline Audrey Achola Josiah
APDr Manmeet Kaur
APDr Geetika KC Shrestha
M Dr Max Kernich
HDr Tanun Kitipornchai
APDr Ronan James Knittel
HDr Alice Chi Yin Kwok
APDr Billy Cheuk Wai Lam
M Dr Lok Hang Lee
APDr Nara Jee-Hyong Lee
Gen Dr Joy Yaplito Lee
M Dr Daniel Michael Lennon
HDr Becky Leung
HDr Cameron Scott Lewis
CP Dr Bobby Vincent Li
HDr Chung Hin Li
APDr Yee Sing Lin
HDr Zoe Tzi-Hui Loh
APDr Johann Lok
APDr Kenzo Zi Rong Low
APDr Logaswari M
HDr Stephen Ma
HDr Thornton Robert Macauley
M Dr Sally Abdulla Ibrahim Mahmoud
HDr Jonathan Hugh Marwick
HDr George Albert Mason
FP Dr Jennifer Ann McCourt
M Dr Gretschen Czarenne Millan
APDr Leila Moayed Alaei
HDr Aarya Murali
APDr Bulungo Florah Mwilambwe
HDr Siddarth Nayar
HDr Ricky Francis Nelles
HDr Justin Chak Hin Ng
HDr Jun Yen Ng
HDr Trung Quang Ngo
APDr Minh Anh Nguyen
HDr James Quynh Ngoc Nguyen
HDr William Leslie Nicol
HDr Wan Danial Bin Mohammed Noor
HDr Joseph Mark Noye
M Dr Michael James Quinlan O'Connor
APDr Alice Joy Ormandy
APDr Thomas Orschulok
APDr Snehaben Gopalbhai Patel
APDr Sweta Patil
HDr Jessica Alice Bernice Pearce
APDr Shanthi Periasamy
CP Dr Christopher Joseph Perkins
HDr Tessa Marie Potezny
APDr Vicki Pretorius
APDr Lavisha Punjabi
FP Dr Lena Rachel Caroline Quinto
AP Dr Darinee Nimeka Arundathie Ramanayake
CP Dr Yashna Rampursat
I Dr Claire Louise Reynolds
HDr Sabine Beate Dorothea Ringkowski
HDr Valerie Rozen
APDr Nassim Saremi
HDr Camille Elise Savoia
HDr Hina Sehar
APDr Sebastian Senff
APDr Gabrielle Marguerite Shaw
APDr Sayali Kamlesh Shinde
M Dr Anoop Sinha
APDr Mathuranthakan Kathir Sinnathamby
APDr Carla Ruth Smith
M Dr Rebecca Truus Sparks
APDr Stef
AP Dr Maria De Los Angeles Stefanelli Espinosa
CP Dr Shreenidhi Ranganatha Subramaniam
M Dr Melinda Shelley Suchard
HDr Ka Hei Murphy Sun
HDr Jocelyn Sing Ning Tan
HDr Kyaw Tay Za
I Dr Sarah Ju-Lin Thang
APDr Amitha Achamma Thomas
APDr Hung Bing Tiong
APDr Joanne Yin To
APDr Donya Tohidi-Esfahani
CP Dr Hok Fung Tong
HDr Aimee Tran
I Dr Alexander Troelnikov
CP Dr Sik Bit Jeremiah Tseung
HDr Juliette Helen Therese Tyson
APDr Benjamin Arie Van Haeringen
APDr Mthulisi Viki
APDr Timothy James Wade
M Dr Andrew Walczak
M Dr Harry Nicholas Walker
I Dr Carolyn Wijaya
HDr Kaitlyn Michelle Wiltshire
HDr Grace Elizabeth Laing Wolyncewicz
HDr Hong Chun Wong
HDr Caroline Yoon Ting Wong
HDr Xiaowen Wu
M Dr Hao Yu
Faculty of Science by Examination
HDr Hani Ishag Gibrail Bibawi
Gen Dr Beena Rani Devanapalli
Gen Ms Nicola Jane Flowers
IT Mr Jonathan Howard Moses
Faculty of Science by Research
FP Dr Jack Kevin Garland
Gen Dr Chun Yiu Eric Law
CP A/Prof Donna Marie Rudd
M Prof Kit Hang Siu
APDr Sukhwinder Singh Sohal
IT Dr Lucy Sullivan
CP Prof Kannan Vaidyanathan
Faculty of Science by Pathology Informatics
PIMr Derek Holzhauser
PIDr Amit Kumar
Post Fellowship Certificate
FP Dr Michael Chad Duffy
DDr Alan Huy Pham
Faculty of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
Dr Omar Kujan
RCPA Awards and Honours
RCPA Award Recipients
DISTINGUISHED FELLOW AWARDS
Prof M Priyanthi Kumarasinghe
Dr Diane Payton
Prof Hemamali Samaratunga
MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
A/Prof Rooshdiya Karim
Prof James Kench
Prof Graham Jones
KONRAD MULLER OUTSTANDING TEACHING AWARD
A/Prof Diane Kenwright
Board
of Education and Assessment Prizes
BARBARA WILLIAMS CYTOPATHOLOGY
MEMORIAL PRIZE
Dr Chih Kuan
DR ANNABELLE
MAHAR ANATOMICAL PATHOLOGY TRAINEE MEMORIAL PRIZE
Dr Yee Sing Lin
EVA RAIK HAEMATOLOGY TRAINEE MEMORIAL PRIZE
Dr Jessica Pearce
Basic Pathological Sciences
Examination Prize Winners
EDDIE HIRST MEMORIAL PRIZE FOR HIGHEST SCORING AUSTRALIAN BASED TRAINEE
Dr Caitlin Sweeting
NEIL PRENTICE MEMORIAL PRIZE FOR HIGHEST SCORING NEW ZEALAND BASED TRAINEE
Dr Malisa Mulholland
NON-TRAINEE CANDIDATE WITH THE HIGHEST SCORE (PRIZE ESTABLISHED BY JANE DAHLSTROM OAM)
Dr Reza Mirfakhraei
Perinatal Pathology Awards
PERINATAL PRACTISING PATHOLOGY AWARD
Dr Salona Roopan
PERINATAL TRAVELLING FELLOWSHIP AWARD
Dr Debra Hean
Dr Edward Kwan
Dr Angela Harris
PERINATAL CONFERENCE AND EDUCATION AWARD
Miss Belinda Brooker
Mrs Susan Guinane
Ms Kiki Hu
Ms Leonie Kent
Dr Stephanie Lau
Ms Kyra Lyell
Dr Paul O’Neill
Ms Saoirse Patton
Ms Emma Porter and Ms Cherie Martin
Dr Johnny Tiong
Mrs Heather Tonkin
Dr Joanne To
Dr Victoria Yachmenikova
In memoriam Australia Day
Honours 2025
OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AO)
A/Prof Thomas Gottlieb
For distinguished service to medicine as an infectious disease and microbiology specialist, author and researcher, as well as contribution to professional organisations.
MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AM)
Dr James Branley
For significant service to diagnostic pathology and medical administration.
King’s Birthday Honours 2025
COMPANION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA (AC)
Emeritus Professor Roger
Byard AO PSM
For eminent service to medicine, forensic pathology and tertiary education as an academic and researcher, and for services to the community.
