TABLE A1.
Self-reported characteristics of M-Path study pathologists who completed the baseline survey (N = 187)
| Physician characteristics | N (%) |
|---|---|
| Demographics | |
| Age (years) | |
| <40 | 31 (16.6%) |
| 40–49 | 56 (29.9%) |
| 50–59 | 63 (33.7%) |
| ≥60 | 37 (19.8%) |
| Gender | |
| Female | 73 (39.0%) |
| Male | 114 (61.0%) |
| Training and experience | |
| Affiliation with academic medical center | |
| No | 134 (71.7%) |
| Yes, adjunct/affiliated | 34 (18.2%) |
| Yes, primary appointment | 19 (10.2%) |
| Residency | |
| Anatomic/clinical pathology | 168 (89.8%) |
| Dermatology | 15 (8.0%) |
| Both dermatology and anatomic/clinical pathology | 4 (2.1%) |
| Training | |
| Board certified or fellowship trained in dermatopathologya | 74 (39.6%) |
| Other board certification of fellowship trainingb | 113 (60.4%) |
| Years interpreting melanocytic skin lesions | |
| <5 | 29 (15.5%) |
| 5–9 | 45 (24.1%) |
| 10–19 | 57 (30.5%) |
| ≥20 | 56 (29.9%) |
| Percent of caseload interpreting melanocytic skin lesions | |
| <10% | 79 (42.2%) |
| 10–24% | 72 (38.5%) |
| 25–49% | 28 (15.0%) |
| ≥50% | 8 (4.3%) |
| Average number of melanoma cases (melanoma in situ and invasive melanoma) interpreted per month | |
| <5 | 82 (43.9%) |
| 5–9 | 47 (25.1%) |
| ≥10 | 58 (31.0%) |
| Average number of benign melanocytic skin lesions interpreted per month | |
| <25 | 54 (28.9%) |
| 25–49 | 32 (17.1%) |
| 50–149 | 51 (27.3%) |
| ≥150 | 50 (26.7%) |
| Considered an expert in melanocytic skin lesions by colleagues | |
| No | 108 (57.8%) |
| Yes | 79 (42.2%) |
| Feelings/thoughts about interpreting melanocytic skin lesions | |
| In general, how challenging do you find melanocytic skin lesions to interpret? | |
| Challenging | 179 (95.7%) |
| Easy | 8 (4.3%) |
| Interpreting melanocytic skin lesions makes me more nervous that other types of pathology | |
| Agree | 129 (69.0%) |
| Disagree | 58 (31.0%) |
| In general, how confident are you in your assessments of melanocytic skin lesions? | |
| Confident | 161 (86.1%) |
| Not confident | 26 (13.9%) |
a
This category consists of physicians with single or multiple fellowships that include dermatopathology. Also includes physicians with single or multiple board certifications that include dermatopathology.
b
Other includes fellowships or board certifications in surgical pathology, cytopathology, hematopathology, etc.