CROMed Interviews Anamarija M. Perry, MD and Ivan Damjanov, MD, PhD
CROMed: Thank you for starting a memorial fund, the Marin Nola Pathology Scholarship. Can you explain how this scholarship fund came about and whom it will serve?
Dr. Perry: The purpose of the Marin Nola Pathology Scholarship (MNPS) fund is to provide an opportunity for early career pathologists to get pathology subspecialty training in a pathology center of excellence in the US. The idea for the fund came about after the sudden and untimely death of Dr. Marin Nola in 2008. For us (i.e. Dr. Ivan Damjanov and myself) this scholarship is a way to honor the life and legacy of our dear friend Marin. Most importantly, we are sure that Marin, who was such a dedicated and passionate educator, would wholeheartedly support it. This project has been long in the making, but for various reasons we were unable to get it going until now. CROMed-USA and Dr. Ksenija Kos provided us with a framework and support for this idea, and we are very grateful for that.
CROMed: Why don't you tell us about Dr. Marin Nola?
Dr. Perry: Dr. Marin Nola was a Professor of Pathology at the University of Zagreb, School of Medicine. His area of expertise and research interest was hematopathology, but he was also a very solid general surgical pathologist. He was a brilliant teacher and mentor to countless medical students, residents, and young physicians (pathologists as well as clinicians). Above all, he was a great human being – selfless, persistent and stubborn, and an eternal optimist. He knew no limits, and believed that with hard work anything was possible. He was my very first mentor, cherished friend, and a person who showed me how great a career in pathology could be. He passed away nearly 15 years ago, but his life and legacy have been my inspiration, and I still try “to make him proud.” This scholarship is part of his legacy.
CROMed: What would you like to accomplish through the scholarship, that is, what are your short-term and long-term goals?
Dr. Perry: The short-term goal is to get all the little details in order (and there are quite a few), advertise the scholarship, choose our first “winner,” and bring him or her to the US (hopefully in the next year or so). We envision this as a 3-month “mini fellowship” in a pathology subspecialty of the scholarship holder's choice. If all goes well, we are hoping to award one scholarship every year.
CROMed: Why would a junior pathologist from Croatia apply for this stipend?
Dr. Perry: Great question! I think that the best way to answer this is to speak from my own experience. When I was a 4th-year medical student in Zagreb, already set on being a pathologist, I had an opportunity to spend six weeks with Dr. Ivan Damjanov at the University of Kansas in Kansas City. This experience was extremely precious for me. I was able to see how others do pathology and get a different perspective on pathology altogether. In fact, I liked it a bit “too much,” so I moved to the US for my pathology residency. What I am trying to say is that different experiences and input from different sources are very important in the early stages of our career. As I always say to my trainees, we are here to help you learn. Ultimately, you take from us what you like and what best fits your practice. Moreover, our pathology visitors will have an opportunity to see a large number of specimens from different subspecialties and to work alongside some great pathologists and teachers. And last but not least, this scholarship will cover nearly all expenses of our scholarship winners (i.e. travel, lodging, food, incidentals), which is significant financial support.
CROMed: Do you think that there is interest in Croatia for this type of educational experience? Did you talk with anyone in Croatia? Are there any other scholarships for junior pathologists in Croatia?
Dr. Perry: I think that there will be interest for this scholarship. I am not quite sure how many people will apply, but surely some will. I know that many pathologists in Croatia pursued some additional education in various foreign countries, either one of the European countries or the US. I did not talk to any junior pathologists yet, but I had an opportunity to talk to some of my more senior pathology colleagues in Croatia, who support this idea. As for other potential scholarships for pathologists in Croatia, I do not think that anything similar is available.
CROMed: When will you review the results and decide whether to continue this initiative, expand it, or change to something else?
Dr. Perry: Let’s bring our first pathologist, see how it goes, and of course get his/her impressions. We are committed to making this work for the benefit of the pathology community in Croatia and ultimately for our patients. On the other hand, it has been my experience that pathologists and trainees in the US love to work with pathologists from foreign countries. The exchange of knowledge and experience goes both ways, just as Marin would like it!
CROMed: Who is Anamarija M. Perry?
Dr. Perry: I was born in Zadar, Croatia in 1980, and in 2004 I graduated from Zagreb Medical School. I started my pathology residency in 2006 at the University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio), followed by a two-year hematopathology fellowship at the University of Nebraska. Currently, I am a hematopathologist and an Associate Professor of Pathology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I practice hematopathology, teach my numerous trainees, and also do translational research in lymphoma pathology. I published over 50 papers and 3 books. My husband Kyle is also a pathologist, and we have two daughters, 8 and 5 years old who keep us pretty busy.
CROMed: First, thank you for starting a memorial fund named the Marin Nola Pathology Scholarship. I understand that you worked very closely with the late Dr. Marin Nola. Would you mind telling us how you remember him and why you decided to start this scholarship?
Prof. Dr. Damjanov: Thank you for asking us to do this interview. As Anamarija responded to questions about the Marin Nola Scholarship fund, I have decided to write a letter to Marin about the scholarship fund and include in it some of my thoughts and memories of him. I am sure that this endowed scholarship would have pleased Marin. I believe, moreover, that that he would have approved the establishment of this scholarship, and for three reasons: he believed in education; he believed that young Croatian physicians could profit from spending some time in the US during their formative years; and he believed that by teaching other Croatian doctors and students about the lessons they themselves have learned in the US, these US-based Croatian doctors would show that teaching is the best way of learning. Hence, this letter.
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