American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP)

The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) is the world’s largest professional membership organization for pathologists and laboratory professionals. Our mission is to provide excellence in education, certification and advocacy on behalf of patients, pathologists and laboratory professionals across the globe. With more than 100,000 members, the society’s influence has guided the application and evolution of the pathology and laboratory medicine specialty since 1922.

The mission of the American Society for Clinical Pathology is to provide excellence in education, certification, and advocacy on behalf of patients, pathologists, and laboratory professionals. Since its founding in 1922, ASCP has been the leader in pathology and laboratory medicine. The society’s influence has guided the evolution and maturation of this medical specialty. ASCP is unique among pathology organizations in that its inclusive membership unites pathologists and laboratory professionals to advance the profession. Over the years, ASCP’s education programs and the ASCP Board of Registry certification programs have provided the foundation for excellence in the profession. In addition, the society’s foresight and influence in creating the American Board of Pathology, the College of American Pathologists, and the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences established the structure to ensure the long-term strength and viability of pathology and laboratory medicine. ASCP's membership comprises 130,000 pathologists, doctoral-level laboratory scientists, and a host of laboratory professionals, including pathologists’ assistants, medical technologists, cytotechnologists, histotechnologists, histologic technicians, phlebotomists, medical laboratory technicians, and numerous laboratory specialists. Long recognized for its excellence in providing continuing education for pathologists and laboratory professionals, ASCP sponsors hundreds of workshops, symposia, teleconferences, e-courses, and self-study programs annually. In addition, ASCP is a full-scale medical publisher of medical textbooks, reference manuals, slide atlases, audiovisual materials, and computer software, as well as Critical Values, a quarterly newsmagazine, and two prestigious journals, the American Journal of Clinical Pathology (AJCP) and Laboratory Medicine (LABMEDICINE).

The ASCP also promotes National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week (NMLPW) as a time of recognition for medical laboratory personnel and a chance to celebrate their professionalism and be recognized for their efforts. National Lab Week is held annually during the last full week of April. ASCP provides programs in education, certification and advocacy on behalf of patients, pathologists and lab professionals.

ASCP offers a broad range of continuing medical education programs in surgical pathology, cytopathology and all areas of laboratory medicine for pathologists, residents and laboratory professionals. ASCP is also the resource for pathologists’ Maintenance of Certification needs and laboratory professionals’ Certification Maintenance Program requirements.

ASCP is involved in increasing the capacity of laboratory diagnostics that support all cancer prevention, control and care. Currently we are involved in projects that expand laboratory infrastructure around the world with a concentration in Sub-Saharan Africa. ASCP is the premier membership organization representing more than 100,000 pathologists and laboratory professionals around the globe. Through our involvement in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the ASCP-led Partners for Cancer Diagnoses and Care in Africa, we build alliances that help us to improve the quality of laboratory infrastructure and the delivery of patient care in Sub-Saharan Africa.