3 Questions with Yembur Ahmad, MD

When 2023-2024 Resident Chair Yembur Ahmad, MD, first encountered pathology during medical school, she knew she had to find out if it could be the right fit for her. Read on to find out more insight from Dr. Ahmad about her career trajectory, how she got involved in volunteerism, and more.  

What initially drew you to the field of pathology and inspired you to pursue it as a career?

During my pathology course in medical school, I first became intrigued about learning the basis of diseases at a deep cellular level. After that experience, I decided to pursue a pathology elective rotation, and immediately fell in love! I felt right at home by the microscope in a way I hadn’t felt on my other rotations. If it weren’t for my initial exposure during my pathology class, I may have never realized the affinity I had for pathology. In this modern era of changes in medical school curriculums, I believe that it’s important for pathology to not lose its emphasis in preclinical education so that other students have the same opportunity for exposure that I did. 

What impact do you hope to make through your work in this field? 

 As a pediatric transfusion medicine specialist, I aspire to make advancements in our field’s understanding of pediatric transfusion practices, as well as make improvements in blood safety around the world through my global health research. Education is also an important part of my career, and through teaching medical students, residents, and fellows, I hope to help educate and empower the next generation of physicians and pathologists. 

How did you first get involved with ASCP?   

One evening in residency, I happened to stumble upon an email in my inbox from ASCP seeking applications for the ASCP Resident Council. I was not as familiar with ASCP’s activities at that time, but just based on its reputation I knew that it was an impactful organization, and this sounded like a great steppingstone to getting involved. I was selected to join the council, and it became one of the best career decisions I’ve made so far! A few years later, I’m chair of that same council and plan to continue volunteering with ASCP in the future. I’ve learned so much from my involvement with ASCP about advocacy for our specialty, the function of large medical organizations, and valuable leadership skills.