Healthcare Science Week 2023 - Meet some of our scientists
Meet Dr Keen Shawn Foong, a Consultant Histopathologist, who microscopically analyses biopsies taken from patients - a role that is vital in the ongoing management and treatment of diseases.
.jpeg)
|
Meet Dr Keen Shawn Foong, a Consultant Histopathologist, who microscopically analyses biopsies taken from patients - a role that is vital in the ongoing management and treatment of diseases.
Speaking about his work and career Dr Keen Shawn Foong said:
The word "histopathology" basically means the study of disease in biological tissue. As the RCPATH (Royal College of Pathologists) would say: pathology is the "Science Behind the Cure".
In my daily work, I examine biopsies taken from patients to see what causes their illness. One thing in particular that I am always on the lookout for is whether or not the patient has cancer, and if so, what type!
People are always surprised as to the wealth of information that you can gather from something as small as a biopsy. Pathologists (of which there are many different types) like myself are responsible for the diagnosis in a large proportion of patients seen in the NHS. In addition, I attend and present my findings at cancer MDT (multidisciplinary team) meetings.
One thing in particular that I am very passionate about (other than the academic side of histopathology in which I have a great interest in is neoplasia), is the fostering and education of my junior colleagues in the discipline of histopathology.
This encompasses colleagues all the way from medical students to registrars – I am heavily involved in teaching pathology to medical students from both the universities of Sheffield and Nottingham and in supervising my pathology registrars. I believe that a sound understanding of pathology makes for sound clinicians, and I've made it my goal to pass on my enthusiasm of pathology to anyone I can!
Healthcare science, not just pathology, is an exceptionally rewarding career with both direct and indirect impacts on patient outcomes.
We'll be featuring more profiles highlighting the valuable but often 'out of sight' roles undertaken by our healthcare scientists throughout the week.
Go back
