Equality, diversity and inclusion
What equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) means to us
The Royal College of Pathologists is committed to equity of access, opportunity and advancement for all groups of individuals. We believe in the power of diversity, in valuing individuals for the different perspectives they bring and ensuring all individuals are represented in the College. We want to make sure everyone has a voice and an opportunity to participate in College work, and we are dedicated to listening and growing.
Our Equality policy
The College's Equality policy sets out our position on equality matters and the approach we take in each of our directorates.
How we support EDI
EDI online community - coming 2026
We will be establishing a new EDI online community for discussion, sharing and learning later this year – all staff and members will receive an invite to join later this year.
Impact assessments
Assessing the impact of new or revised policies and procedures helps to improve outcomes for those who may experience discrimination and disadvantage. So, the College seeks to ensure assessments are completed for all of our projects across all of our directorates.
Reasonable adjustments
We will do all we reasonably can to meet the needs of individuals who engage with the College and ensure everyone has equity of access.
Events
We will host events to celebrate diversity and inclusion in pathology, and share our content to these pages.
Race in Medicine webinar hosted May 2025 recap
The Race in Medicine webinar (May 2025), examined the lack of robust scientific evidence behind many race‑based medical assumptions. Speakers Professor Andrea Deyrup and Professor Joseph Graves Jr highlighted race as a social construct, the risks of misdiagnosis linked to outdated teaching, and the need to critically review medical education and pathology practice to improve equity in healthcare.
The webinar’s key themes included:
- Challenging race-based assumptions in medicine.
- Lack of robust scientific evidence for many race–disease associations.
- The concept of race as a social construct rather than a biological one.
- Implications for medical education and pathology practice.
The webinar was jointly hosted by the College EDI Network and the Pathological Society, featuring Professor Andrea Deyrup and Professor Joseph Graves Jr.
Data collection
As part of the College’s commitment to improving diversity and inclusion, we are gathering data on our members to determine how representative our College structures are and to work towards improving diversity and inclusion at the College. We want to understand if the diversity of our members is represented sufficiently in the College and whether or not any of our policies or processes create barriers to certain groups.