Congratulations to Aranza Pinedo, MD, M.Ed, M.MEd on receiving the Pathologist in Training Best Abstract Award from the Renal Pathology Society at the 2026 USCAP annual meeting!

Her abstract titled, “Training Gaps, Perceptions, and Career Interest in Nephropathology among U.S. Anatomic Pathology Residents: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study and Call to Action,” exposes the wide variety in training in nephropathology among all ACGME-accredited residency programs and is the first nationwide study to assess the availability and structure of nephropathology education during residency as well as trainees’ perceptions of training adequacy and career interest in nephropathology, thereby identifying existing barriers and opportunities for improvement in AP-residency training.

The study found that, despite strong resident interest in learning renal pathology, exposure remains limited. The declining pursuit of nephropathology fellowships reflects not only this lack of exposure but also persistent misconceptions regarding its scope, workload, and career opportunities. Early exposure among PGY-1s and PGY-2s is critical to competency development and fostering career interest, whereas delayed exposure in the PGY-3 and PGY-4 years can hinder engagement and limit pursuits of nephropathology fellowships. 

Her work advocates for structured and meaningful integration of nephropathology into residency training so future surgical pathologists can recognize the most common non-neoplastic renal abnormalities in biopsies, evaluate non-neoplastic renal parenchyma in tumor nephrectomies, assess donor kidney adequacy for transplantation, interpret renal findings at autopsy and navigate similar clinical contexts - ultimately facilitating accurate diagnoses and improving patient care.