A couple of years ago, I wrote an article for the College’s Bulletin suggesting that the College needs the support of its members, and that volunteering to work with RCPath could be a very rewarding experience. It worked. Colleagues from across the UK stepped forward and got involved – and can still be identified by their glowing and contented smiles!

So here we are again. It’s Volunteers’ Week and I would like to take the opportunity to reflect on volunteering with the College. I’ve worked with members of various College teams and can thoroughly recommend it. This has included:

• public engagement – describing the most fascinating aspects of my job to stunned school pupils and their teachers
• examinations – question-setting and examining for the Histopathology Stage A exam, Part 1 and 2 FRCPath exams and the autopsy CHAT
• regional councils – being involved with establishing the work of the new England Regional Council, appointing new Local College Representatives and liaising with the Health Education North West Pathology School Board.

Fantastic support

It’s been good to give something back to the College and also to help steer it forward. I’ve found that the work is interesting, stimulating and provides variation to my schedule, complementing my routine diagnostic work as a histopathologist.

College work gives me a break from my daily routine, and I can fit it into an afternoon or evening each week. We’re all getting constantly busier and it becomes difficult to fit extra roles in, but my trust is supportive. I get professional leave support, which is appreciated.

Having the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the UK, find out what’s happening elsewhere, establish wider networks and share good practice has been very beneficial.

The staff at the College are, without exception, superb. Having the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the UK, find out what’s happening elsewhere, establish wider networks and share good practice has also been very beneficial.

Over the last few years, for example, I have worked with the Clinical Effectiveness team, as part of the Working Group on Cancer Services and as an audit evaluator. Clinical Effectiveness Manager Maria and Administrator Kate are fantastic to work with, very knowledgeable and supportive – and they also know when to nudge me and the other volunteers to get work back on time. I have been guilty of the Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) approach to deadlines: ‘I like the whooshing sound that they make as they fly by.’ Maria and Kate’s dedication is one of the main reasons why existing cancer datasets are constantly revised and new ones regularly published.

Give it a go

RCPath often makes the point that we – the members – are the College. We need to volunteer to support it and keep progressing its work. We are currently living and working through some of the most interesting times, with Brexit looming, the advent of digital pathology, the molecular revolution and more workforce rationalisations and re-organisations. The College needs our talent and input across its various teams to ensure provision of the highest quality pathology for patients and future generations of all pathology staff.

So please think about stepping forward to help out. Getting involved at the College is easy. Vacancies on the various teams are advertised on the website and in the President’s e-newsletter, and contact details for staff are online too. If you would like to get involved, it would be worthwhile getting in touch to see how you could help – I’ve found it to be a very worthwhile component to my work.