LAS VEGAS (October 3, 2026)—College of American Pathologists (CAP) President Qihui “Jim” Zhai, MD, FCAP, called on pathologists to lead the changes transforming medicine, including artificial intelligence, digital pathology, molecular diagnostics, and precision medicine.
Speaking Saturday during the Meeting of the Membership at CAP26, Dr. Zhai said the CAP is entering this defining period from a position of strength, with membership surpassing 20,000 for the first time, and urged pathologists to act with urgency and help shape the profession’s future.
Below are Dr. Zhai’s remarks as prepared for the meeting:
I must say time moves quickly.
It is hard to believe that it has already been a year since becoming your president. That was when I made my promise…that in all of the CAP’s history, I’ll be its very best 39th president.
That day I shared something else, too. Three words. Connect. Inspire. Embrace.
Those were not simply the theme of our Annual Meeting. They were, and remain, a vision for our future.
Because I believed it then, just as I believe in it even more strongly today, that our profession would not be defined by the challenges we face but by how we choose to face them.
So today, I’d like to begin with a simple question. How are we doing?
The answer is: We’re doing well.
The CAP is strong. For the first time in our history, more than 20,000 members have chosen the CAP as their professional home.
This milestone is more than a number. Today, there are more pathology organizations than ever before.
There are more demands on your time. And many hospitals no longer cover professional membership dues. In other words, you have difficult choices.
And, you chose the CAP. You chose this professional home.
That tells me we are focused on what matters to practicing pathologists.
That we are creating value. That when pathologists look for a place to learn, to advocate, to improve quality, and to shape the future of our profession … they look here.
I am grateful for that.
It makes us stronger. I’ll also add that we are in a better place because over the past year, the Board has worked very intentionally to become stronger, too.
Stronger in governance and trust, of course. But also, stronger in collaboration and culture. We have learned to listen more. We have challenged one another, respectfully. And we have stayed focused on one guiding principle.
For every initiative, every program, every investment, every decision… we ask:
How does this help our members?
I’m very proud of what we have accomplished together. But being strong does not mean we should be too comfortable. Complacent.
The best time to prepare for change is when you are strong enough to shape it.
Medicine doesn’t wait. Technology doesn’t wait. And, the world doesn’t wait.
So, neither can we. And we don’t have to imagine the challenges ahead.
Right now, CMS is considering re-evaluating surgical pathology services—including 88305 and 88307. That could lead to significant payment reductions.
These are foundational services that help diagnose cancer and other serious diseases.
The CAP is fighting back. We’re bringing evidence to policymakers and defending the value of the work you do.
But advocacy alone is not enough. We must also prepare for what comes next.
Last year, I asked you to connect, to inspire, to embrace. Today, I’d like to add one more word to that call to action.
Bold. Be Bold.
It’s not a matter of the first three no longer being necessary. They are. In fact, they have prepared us for a defining moment for our profession.
Digital pathology.
Artificial intelligence.
Molecular diagnostics.
Precision medicine.
New discoveries. New expectations. New challenges.
Change is coming. Change is permanent. Change is uncomfortable. Nobody wants to change, except a wet baby. We, the dry babies, have to be adaptive to the changes.
We should lead the change and we should drive the change. We have to. We don’t know all the answers. But we do know how to bring the right people together to find them.
That has always been our strength. Our collective wisdom. Our commitment to patients does not change. Our mission does not change.
But how we fulfill it must. So, we listen. We learn. We adapt.
Isn’t that what pathologists have always done? We study, so we can understand.
And then, together, we turn challenges into opportunities.
That is what being bold means to me. It’s not about being reckless. It does not mean chasing every new idea. It means understanding the risks. Learning from one another. Drawing on our experience. And then having the courage to move forward… Even when the conditions change.
When conflict disrupted transportation across the Middle East, we faced a very practical problem: How do we continue getting proficiency testing materials to laboratories that depend on them?
Our teams explored new routes, new carriers, even new ways of packing shipments. We tested solutions, monitored them closely, and restored service.
That is what being bold looks like. It also means looking ahead. Looking two moves ahead.
Seeing the opportunities before others see them. Let me give you one example.
Earlier this year, a major Pharma company presented to our leadership. Years ago, people worried that working with industry meant compromising our independence. I do not believe that.
I believe we can work together while remaining completely committed to science, evidence, ethics, and patients. Think about precision medicine. Pharmaceutical companies develop remarkable new therapies. Pathologists identify the biomarkers.
Oncologists prescribe the treatment. And patients depend on every one of us. When those conversations happen too late … Patients suffer. When they happen earlier… Education improves. Implementation improves.
Patient care improves.
The same is true with artificial intelligence. Some people see AI and ask: “What will it replace?” Let’s ask different questions:
How can AI help pathologists?
How can it strengthen laboratory inspections?
How can it help our members spend more time practicing medicine and less time managing paperwork?
Those are the questions we should be asking. Because technology, by itself, changes nothing.
People change medicine.
Pathologists change medicine.
The CAP’s responsibility is to help every member apply these new tools wisely, responsibly, and confidently.
So, yes… we have challenges.
But we are not sitting still. We’re acting with urgency.
This year, we brought two of our councils together to become more aligned and more effective. We approved new strategies for membership and our international work. We are developing proficiency testing for digital pathology and AI. And we are building new collaborations with other pathology associations.
Concrete actions. Real results.
Because tomorrow cannot look like yesterday. We must stay engaged. And every member has a role to play.
Twenty thousand voices. Twenty thousand ideas.
Saying that out loud makes you wonder if you should be careful what you ask for. But in all seriousness… twenty thousand people committed to improving patient care…That is the power of the CAP.
With so much change, I think back to the small group of pathologists who founded the CAP about eighty years ago.
They could not have imagined today’s technology. Today’s opportunities. But they did understand something timeless. They understood that we can do more together than apart.
That our collective wisdom is greater than any one person’s expertise. That when pathologists work together…Patients benefit.
That belief built the CAP. It still defines the CAP and directs us to what’s next.
So, let us continue to connect, inspire, and embrace. And now…Let us also be bold.
Not every generation has the opportunity to help reshape a profession. We do.
And I have never been more optimistic. Because I know this profession. I know the people in this room. And I know what we can accomplish together. Thank you.