Over 1,000 members support us every year on a huge range of College activities, playing an essential role in delivering our key services to the pathology profession. Throughout the week, we will spotlight some of these members who generously give their time, skills and expertise to support the wider pathology community. 

Through their stories, we hope to highlight the breadth of opportunities to get involved, the personal and professional benefits this can bring, and the significant impact it can have on advancing pathology. 

We are kicking off the week with an interview with Dr Isobel Ramsay, a trainee in infectious diseases and medical microbiology who also volunteers on the College’s Infection Part 1 Exam Development Group. Dr Ramsay was nominated by the College’s Exams team, who shared the following recommendation: 

"We would like to nominate Dr Isobel Ramsay for recognition as an outstanding volunteer. 

Dr Isobel Ramsay is an Infectious Diseases Registrar and a member of the Infection Part 1 Exam Development Group, where she has demonstrated exceptional initiative and commitment. Of her own accord, she created an excellent presentation designed to guide examiners and item writers through the process of writing questions for the Part 1 examination. 

This work was self-initiated and reflects both her dedication and her understanding of the needs of the group. She worked closely and effectively with the College’s psychometrician, Ms Sabia Akram, collaborating well to incorporate additional information on standard setting. Throughout the process, she showed a high level of professionalism, cooperation, and responsiveness. She was particularly keen to follow instructions and carefully incorporated all observations and suggested amendments and was consistently thoughtful and accommodating in making changes requested by colleagues, including expanding guidance on how to submit questions through RISR, our new exam platform. 

The final presentation is of outstanding quality. It is clear, concise, and very easy to follow, providing practical and accessible guidance on how to construct high-quality Part 1 questions. It will undoubtedly be a valuable resource for current and future contributors. 

This piece of work represents a significant contribution to the group, and it is especially commendable that she undertook it in her own time. We are extremely grateful for her efforts and the positive impact of her work. 

We cannot thank her enough for this highly useful and thoughtfully developed resource." 

If you are interested in supporting our delivery of pathology examinations, we would love to hear from you. Please contact the Exams team for further information. 

Can you tell us a bit about your background? What drew you to pathology (and specifically microbiology) as a profession? 

I’m an infectious diseases and medical microbiology trainee, fast approaching the end of what has been a circuitous but immensely enjoyable training programme – alongside taking time out for a PhD and having 2 children. 

I have my preclinical pathology lecturers to thank for sparking my interest in infection. From parasites that can alter host behaviour, to bacteria with remarkably sophisticated mechanisms for resisting antibiotics, I quickly realised I had found what I wanted to do. The science was fascinating, but just as importantly, the clinical side of infection and microbiology was very engaging. Few specialties require such detailed exploration of a patient’s travel history, pets, and exotic hobbies – and it’s incredibly satisfying when those details help solve a diagnostic puzzle. You never quite know when a strange Salmonella isolate in the lab might reveal a patient has an alligator in their back garden. 

Beyond individual patient care, the role of a clinical microbiologist is hugely varied. One day might involve investigating hospital infrastructure like ventilation or water systems; the next could be managing an outbreak or evaluating new diagnostic technologies. I'm very unlikely to be bored! 

You currently volunteer on the Infection Part 1 Exam Development Group at RCPath. Can you tell me more about how you got involved and what this role entails? 

I’ve had a long-standing interest in medical education and assessment, question writing, running Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), and helping develop resources for revision at various points during my career.  

After passing my FRCPath, I applied to become a question writer for the Part 1 exam. When I learned that the College was seeking a trainee representative for the exam development group, I was very keen to get more involved. 

The role includes drafting and reviewing exam questions, ensuring they meet standards of fairness, reliability and validity. We also analyse how questions perform in each exam sitting and respond to feedback. A key aim is to ensure the assessment process is transparent and aligned with the competencies required for clinical practice. 

How does this benefit members and the wider profession? 

This exam is a crucial step in enabling candidates to practise as consultants in infection, so it must be a robust and meaningful assessment of clinical competence. Our goal is to ensure that questions are relevant to real-world practice and that the process is as fair and transparent as possible. 

Having sat these exams relatively recently, I appreciate how important it is for candidates to feel confident that their efforts are being assessed appropriately. The time and stress involved in preparing for these exams are significant, so maintaining trust in the process is essential. 

What do you enjoy about this work, and how has it benefited your professional development or practice? 

One of the most rewarding aspects of exam development is how much you learn in the process. Writing questions requires you to stay up to date with evolving guidelines and emerging evidence, and I often come away with new areas to explore further. 

It’s also incredibly valuable to work with colleagues from across the UK. Gaining insight into how different services operate and learning from others’ experiences has helped me reflect on and improve my own clinical practice. 

What have been the positives of volunteering with the College, and what advice would you give to others interested in getting involved? 

The opportunity to connect with a wide range of colleagues has been the highlight for me. It has broadened both my professional network and my circle of friends within the specialty. 

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would strongly encourage anyone with an interest in education or assessment to get involved. It’s a supportive and welcoming group, and a great way to contribute to the profession while also learning something yourself. 

What are your hopes for the future of pathology in your field/specialty? 

Infection is an incredibly dynamic field, and it’s an exciting time to be part of it. We’re seeing rapid advances in molecular diagnostics alongside major global challenges, including rising antimicrobial resistance, shifting epidemiology due to climate change, and increasing use of immunosuppressive therapies. 

I hope that over the course of my career, we can harness expanding datasets and diagnostic innovations to deliver more personalised, precise care for patients with infections. 

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Our thanks to Dr Ramsay for such an interesting and inspiring interview, and to all our volunteers for their continued enthusiasm, commitment and support. 

If you enjoyed this volunteer spotlight, look out for more blogs throughout the week that celebrate members who are doing amazing work across the College. We hope these stories inspire you to explore the many ways you can get involved with our activities and help champion pathology. 

If you have any questions on our member spotlights, or have an idea for a blog you’d like to write, please get in touch with the Member Engagement and Support team.