At Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, highly trained doctors, nurses and clinicians provide presidential care for service members and their families. These professionals are often seen as the face of Walter Reed, as they deal directly with the patients. However, behind the scenes are scores of dedicated technicians and experts who labor exhaustively to support the work of the forward-facing hospital units. Among these are the pathologists’ assistants (PAs) who work in Walter Reed’s Pathology Department. While the patients may not know much about them and what they’re doing, they play a critical role in delivering the world-class health care Walter Reed is famous for.

“The PAs are an integral part of our anatomic pathology team,” said Dr. Shilpa Rungta, Department Head and Lab Director of Walter Reed’s Pathology and Laboratory Services Department. "From a pathologist’s standpoint, they are my eyes and ears when grossing a specimen.”

“Grossing” is the technical term for the dissection and analysis of tissue specimens used for diagnostic information and microscopic analysis. PAs are responsible for grossing all the myriad samples submitted by every department in the hospital, including the Murtha Breast Care Center, the gastroenterology clinic, and operating rooms, among many others. These samples provide Walter Reed’s pathologists with thorough analyses, identifying areas of focus, such as potential tumors or lesions. These findings and determinations assist pathologists in making their diagnoses.

PAs are required to complete a two-year master’s degree program at an accredited school and then pass a certification exam for the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP). PAs must maintain their certification by completing continuing education credits for the length of their practice. While some states, like New York and Nevada, require a PA to be licensed, most states accept the degree and certification for purposes of qualification.

Walter Reed’s Pathology Department recently filled two PA positions. With 15-plus pathologists on staff, this creates a great deal of work for PAs, who gross specimens for each doctor. The hospital also has a residency program, which brings in several residents each year that study to become future pathologists. This highlights a critical area of responsibility the PAs have, which is providing those residents with training.

“Walter Reed brings in residents every year that we can help teach,” said Jessica Pottenburgh, a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore’s (UMB) Pathologists’ Assistant program, and the most recent addition to the Pathology Department. “Whether it’s through lectures or hands-on experience, we assist them when they gross their cases.”

Pottenburgh came to Walter Reed’s Pathology department after working as a PA for just under three years at Johns Hopkins Hospital. When asked what drew her to the PA program in the first place, she said, “I have a background in general biology for my undergraduate degree and have always been very interested in health care and medicine. I loved human anatomy and pathology…being able to see disease manifestations in real life and the variances between individuals. However, I decided I wanted a more non-patient facing job.”

According to the American Association of Pathologists’ Assistants, PAs are increasingly in demand due to their high degree of training, ongoing changes in the health care industry, and a dwindling number of experienced pathologists.

“I took the position for teaching,” said Emily Weschler, who joined the Pathology Department in July 2025 and is another graduate of UMB’s PA program. “I feel we’ve received good schooling, and that I’ve come away with a solid grasp of everything that’s needed to make a capable PA. So, for me, teaching and spreading that knowledge is my favorite part.”

Coming from a background in forensic biology and biology pre-med, Weschler discovered a love for anatomy and found she truly enjoys dissections.

“I initially wanted to go the autopsy route, and stick with that side of pathology,” said Weschler. “But then a bunch of my forensic peers found out about PAs while we were deciding which concentrations we would pursue. I fell in love with the surgical side, the medical side, instead of the forensic side, so I went the surgical route.”

Weschler and Pottenburgh both agree that the two-year degree was a factor. The role of the PA allows them to practice the hands-on, experiential side of anatomy without requiring them to invest so many years in medical school and residency.

Walter Reed’s Pathology Department also plays an important role in providing support for ill and injured service members returning from battle overseas. Following established wound blast protocols, the anatomic pathology section along with the PAs and residents examine wound patterns, explosive damage, and different levels of trauma effects to accurately determine the causes, and provide guidance on the management of effective triage, evaluation and treatment. Another important aspect of the PAs’ work comes from their analysis of the many specimens that they receive. As Weschler and Pottenburgh stressed, “everything that comes out of a hospital patient needs pathology,” making the pathology the root of every surgical patient’s diagnosis. Interestingly, while a specimen might be submitted for one reason, according to the PAs, incidental findings can occur. So, it’s possible that during a grossing session, the PAs might discover an entirely unexpected issue that could have gone undetected.

When it comes to the importance of the PAs, and their value to the pathologists, and to Walter Reed and its patients, Rungta expressed her full support.

“We as pathologists can’t begin reading our surgical cases until our PA’s and residents have done their part first,” said Rungta. “They’re basically telling the story of what they saw when grossing a specimen, and they’re giving me the template.”

She went on to conclude “When I know our PAs saw that specimen, I don’t have to go back and look at it, unless I have additional questions. So, they’re laying the groundwork for everything we must do, and what you end up having is pathologists working at the top of their licenses and the PAs working at the top of theirs. And then they’re also teaching our residents because they’ve already gone through that training and certification. They are the subject matter experts.”