CHICAGO, Ill– Ritu Nayar, MBBS, MD, FCAP, was appointed as a governor of the board of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) at the organization’s annual meeting in Chicago to fill the vacant Board of Governors’ seat after the election of Board member Qihui “Jim” Zhai, MD, FCAP, to president-elect.
Active Leader in Organized Pathology
Dr Nayar is a board-certified, actively practicing pathologist, educator, and advocate for the specialty of pathology. Over her career, she has held several leadership positions in professional organizations. Her work has focused on cytopathology practice, standardization of reporting, cervical cancer prevention including clinical guideline development, pathology training and certification, and organizational strategy. Currently, she serves as a trustee and President of the American Board of Pathology.
Dr Nayar has published over 180 peer reviewed journal articles and books. One of her major contributions was the co‐editorship of the Bethesda system for reporting cervical cytology atlas, which is used internationally for reporting Pap test results. The methods used for developing and disseminating this terminology have served as the prototype for the subsequent development of standardized reporting terminology in many other areas of cytopathology.
Over the years, Dr. Nayar’s contributions to her profession have been recognized through many honors and awards. In 2019, she received the CAP’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which is awarded to members who have made a broad and positive impact on the pathology profession over an extended period.
“I am excited to collaborate with my fellow board members to address the challenges and opportunities in the field of pathology,” said Dr. Nayar. “We are in a pivotal moment in healthcare, and pathology plays a vital role in patient care and research.”
Dr. Nayar received her medical degree from Delhi University in India, and she completed her anatomical and clinical pathology residency and a surgical pathology fellowship at George Washington University. She also completed a cytopathology fellowship at the University of Rochester. She is currently affiliated with Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she is the Director of Cytopathology. Dr. Nayar is also a professor of pathology and medical education and executive vice chair of Pathology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
About the College of American Pathologists
As the world’s largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, visit the CAP Newsroom, CAP.org and yourpathologist.org to watch pathologists at work and see the stories of the patients who trust them with their care.
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