Israh Akhtar, MD, MBBS, FIAC, FCAP
Dr. Akhtar is nominated for her sustained excellence in surgical pathology and cytopathology, transformative leadership in cytopathology service delivery, and long-standing commitment to education, quality, and the mission of the CAP. Board-certified in anatomic and cytopathology, she practices with subspecialty expertise in breast, endocrine, and gynecologic pathology.
For more than two decades, Dr. Akhtar has been an active CAP member and inspector, contributing to laboratory quality and patient safety through numerous inspections. She has also been a member of the CAP Surgical Pathology Committee and participated in the Engaged Leadership Academy.
A dedicated educator and mentor, she has trained more than 40 residents and cytopathology fellows. Her commitment to trainee development has been recognized with more than 10 faculty teaching awards.
As director of cytopathology at Temple University Health System (TUHS), Dr. Akhtar has advanced excellence in clinical service, quality improvement, and operational efficiency, including spearheading the implementation of telecytology across multiple TUHS hospitals and sites. Under her quality-focused leadership, the cytopathology service cited no deficiencies during the last two CAP inspections, and she helped expand effective molecular testing using cytology specimens, decreasing unsatisfactory result rates over the past two years. She is also relied upon for service coverage and leadership during periods of need—including serving as interim director of the Anatomic Pathology Section in 2024—and was recognized with the Temple Physician Kudos Award in April of that year. Through measurable improvements in diagnostic delivery, a sustained commitment to quality, and outstanding mentorship, Dr. Akhtar exemplifies the standards of continuous excellence and patient-centered leadership recognized by this award.
Dr. Akhtar is director of cytopathology and the cytopathology fellowship Program, as well as professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.