3 Questions with Danielle Fortuna, MD, FASCP

For Danielle Fortuna, MD, FASCP, the decision to become a pathologist was the sum of many different experiences, slotted together like perfectly fitting puzzle pieces. When she first started medical school, she wasn’t aware of what a pathologist was or their role in patient care. But then she got her first puzzle piece--experiencing histology in her first year of medical school. She was fascinated by microscopic anatomy, how function correlated so perfectly to the tissue and organ, and how disease can be diagnosed in this way. More puzzle pieces came to her, and the picture started taking shape as teaching became a big part of her career. Dr. Fortuna continues to sort and add pieces to her pathology puzzle and see how new pieces fall into place.  

Here, Dr. Fortuna shares her thoughts on lessons learned, the future of the medical laboratory, and more.   

What motivates you in your role, knowing that your results influence a patient’s diagnosis and treatment? 

What motivates me is that everything we do has an impact…and it is more than OK that we don’t always see how things play out. I am very at peace with that. A good start is being fully present and letting our best flow from there. This applies to the whole day and all the things you do. Even the smile you give is significant and has an impact. Being in the lab is a beautiful illustration of the butterfly effect, and in that way, we are all very connected to medicine and the community. 

How do you envision the future of laboratory medicine evolving, and what steps are necessary to ensure its growth and visibility?  

I see the lab being more and more connected and visible to the community, and the momentum and energy behind this is so exciting! The key to ensuring continued lab visibility and growth is service through education. From education—thoughtful knowledge, skill, and information sharing—flows empowerment. Education is a necessary component of patient advocacy and empowerment, which is a critical value at the very heart of the lab.  

What are some of the lessons you've learned through the different volunteer roles you’ve taken on, in or out of ASCP? 

Some of my most valued experiences have been being a part of the ASCP Annual Meetings. Because the ASCP family represents the lab so beautifully, when planning and delivering sessions, it’s an awesome opportunity to be creative and engage colleagues in various specialties, different levels and areas of expertise, and with everyone coming together and bringing a variety of experiences. It’s a good and inspiring challenge to create truly accessible and engaging content. I believe I have really grown in this respect as an educator through these opportunities. Being a member and faculty at ASCP has been invaluable to me.