Dr. Linda Cunningham, associate professor of pathology and human identification,
University of North Texas Health Science Center

An anatomic and clinical pathologist, Cunningham attended Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed her training at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. She was named Outstanding Woman of the Year by the Fort Worth/Tarrant County Minority Leaders and Citizens Council. As a role model, she works to increase the number

of under-represented minorities in

educational opportunities, health careers and medical school. She is currently

focusing on laboratory management and medical education.

Are there many women and minorities in your field?

Women tend to gravitate toward the ‘almost’ flexible schedule that pathology can offer, so there are more women in pathology than general surgery. I suspect more women enter obstetrics and gynecology than pathology even with the demanding hours. It is basically personal interest that controls the number of women in pathology. Social and nurturing skills are needed in this profession, but most of what we do is examine body parts and it requires a certain type of personality to handle that. I did the first failed pediatric liver transplant autopsy and the first AIDS autopsy in my residency hospital.

I am an African-American woman and I have met few other African-American women or men in this profession. I think minorities who enter medicine tend to select primary care and specialty training over pathology.

Do you teach with patients or is the program lab-based?

Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine increased the use of instruction based on clinical cases. We use an audience response system to quiz students on their understanding of diagnosis and pathophysiology. We encourage students to develop skills in self-learning that will be necessary during their formal education and throughout their professional career. Through formal self-study, case discussions and examinations, we are helping students develop critical-thinking skills required to make decisions in the clinical setting.

What do you do for fun?

IÂ’m married to another physician so we try to blend our careers with our two sons and social activities. We enjoy Cowboys, Rangers and Mavericks games. I enjoy reading, so I collect books and go to the public library. The library is a good source for hard copies and books on CDs. I read in my car, too. I enjoy working in my flower garden; IÂ’m from the South, so I have great gardenias and azaleas.

Contact Dillard at bdillard@bizpress.net