Periodically, CAP Advocacy will feature one of the many CAP members who are champions for pathology in Washington through their PathPAC donations or at the state level through our grassroots and PAC programs. If you would like to get involved, you can join PathNET, contribute to PathPAC, or join your state pathology society.

Recently Advocacy Update caught up with PathPAC Chair Sang Wu, MD, FCAP who is an anatomic pathologist at North Dallas Pathology Services in Dallas, TX.

What made you interested in becoming involved with PathPAC?

Throughout my years of serving on the House of Delegates Steering Committee, I recognized the importance of the CAP’s advocacy efforts. I soon realized that contributing to PathPAC is the most effective way for pathologists to influence and educate our legislators on issues which are important to us.

Before you joined PathPAC, how did you engage with the CAP’s federal advocacy efforts?

I was a regular contributor to PathPAC and also attended “Hill Day” in Washington DC, which is now a part of the Pathologists Leadership Summit.

What are your duties as the chair of the PathPAC Board of Directors?

As chair, I represent the PathPAC Board of Directors on the Council on Government and Professional Affairs. The PathPAC Board develops strategies for growth in total contributions and number of contributors. The PathPAC Board also decides appropriate disbursements of funds to federal candidates.

What do you hope to accomplish during your time as chair of the PathPAC Board?

I hope to increase the number of PathPAC donors to reach 20% of membership, 20% of new-in-practice pathologists, and 20% of junior members. Also, to reassure donors that PathPAC remains bipartisan, and supports members of Congress who support pathologists, regardless of party affiliation.

Why do you think it’s important to support a political action committee or PAC?

The primary function of a Political Action Committee is to serve as the conduit for organizations such as the CAP to support federal candidates who support our causes on critical issues. There are hundreds of thousands of PACs in the United States, representing every conceivable issue and cause. PathPAC is the only PAC which represents the voice of pathologists, and pathologists alone.

Why do you donate to PathPAC?

I am a pathologist, therefore I should provide to the political action committee which represents my profession, PathPAC. This simple approach has been engrained in the mindset of many other professions (ie trial lawyers, realtors, CPAs). One can only imagine how much more we can achieve if and when pathologists begin to adopt this same mindset.