Pathology Services in Developing Countries
For the Western-trained physician accustomed to the high standard of living, long life expectancy, and predictable disease patterns that are prominent in the developed world, practicing pathology in the developing world, where the majority of the world's population lives poses unique problems. As the sophistication of technology in our pathology laboratories improves, our capacity to fine-tune diagnoses improves and medicine becomes more individualized, the health care gap will undoubtedly deepen, while the most basic pathology services are difficult to come by in many impoverished countries. Many pathologists and health professionals have been motivated to try to bridge the gap. In the United States and Canada, as well as many other industrialized countries, there are a number of significant efforts. However, the situation on the ground is frequently complicated, and such initiatives may face obstacles ranging from educational and cultural to economic and political in nature. Pa...