CAP Review and Forecast: Membership 2025/2026

Dr. Guillermo Martinez-Torres:
For the first time ever in the history of the College of American Pathologists, we have greater than 20,000 members, which again is something that we're going to be celebrating heartedly.

Nancy Johnson:
Welcome to a series of conversations featuring council chairs from the College of American Pathologists. They highlight the successes of 2025, look ahead to 2026, and give us a window into who they are and why they're passionate about the work they do. I'm Nancy Johnson, and I'll bring you their stories. He credits the launch of the membership era as the reason the CAP reached a membership milestone. He says it's important to listen to the changing needs of members.

Dr. Guillermo Martinez-Torres:
And the way that they want to be communicated to is very different. The way that they learn or the way that we learn is different. You know, we like the bite-sized learning, whereas I would sit in a lecture for eight hours, you know, and so we have to really reimagine how we interact with our members, the value we provide to our members.

Nancy Johnson:
New offerings make members feel connected to each other and the CAP.

Dr. Guillermo Martinez-Torres:
This path together is sort of giving you that ability to give you a platform to communicate with others in real time. We expanded our mentoring offerings. You know, it's interesting. I've come across a lot of emeritus members that have told me that they feel maybe a little bit forgotten. They've provided service to the college, they've done so for decades, and now they're moving to a different phase of their life, and maybe they're slowing down or retiring. But many still want to contribute. I'm constantly looking for opportunities to bring them into the family again and be a part of that leadership development that our young pathologists are hungry for.

Nancy Johnson:
Dr. Martinez Torres didn't grow up in a family of physicians. Yet his mother says he spoke about becoming a doctor from the moment he started talking.

Dr. Guillermo Martinez-Torres:
I'm the product of a single parent household. So I think people would sort of look at me funny when they would ask, you know, are you going to be a fireman? Are you going to be a policeman? You're going to be a truck driver? And I would say, no, I'm going to be a doctor. And people would just pat me on the head and say, “Oh yeah, what a nice, what a cute little boy, you know, type of thing.” Thinking that that was just beyond reason or possibility at that time. But and again, I don't, my mom says, I've always said I was going to be a doctor. And I just, I guess I'm just so hardheaded that I followed through on it.

Nancy Johnson:
Something else he plans to follow through on is working hard to retain members.

Dr. Guillermo Martinez-Torres:
So now that we've hit a milestone with membership, it is going to be now even more important to make sure that those 20,000 plus members stay members of the College of American Pathologists. So that is something we're going to be actually laser focusing on is now that you're here, how do we make sure that you stay with us for the rest of your professional career?

Nancy Johnson:
The biggest motivator for Dr. Martinez Torres these days is his daughter Veronica. She will begin her pathology residency at Mass General Brigham in Boston.

Dr. Guillermo Martinez-Torres:
So I have skin in the game, not just for me, but for the next generation, which now includes my daughter. It adds that additional incentive for me and for the organization to make sure that we are relevant and viable for the next generation's generations plural, not just singular, because my daughter is now part of the family, or will be shortly.

Nancy Johnson:
Read the full annual report to learn more and be sure to check the show notes. In the days ahead, we'll visit with other council chairs to learn about their work and what's coming up this year. For the College of American Pathologists, this is Nancy Johnson. Have a great day.