In 2021, Michael Williams, M.D., a fellow in the UAB Department of Pathology, was motivated by the events surrounding the death of George Floyd to create a platform for more diverse voices in pathology. After being a guest on several podcasts, Williams decided to start his own.        

Williams moved to Birmingham for his Neuropathology fellowship after completing residency at the State University of New York’s Upstate Medical University in Syracuse. He says he spent months planning before launching Diversify in Path, a podcast that aims to highlight diversity in the field of pathology.

Michael Williams, M.D.

“It explores how investing in diversity can lead to a high return of investment in pathology and lab medicine by learning from the knowledge and experiences of diverse voices within the field,” Williams says.

Williams wants his podcast to provide an environment for the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) community in pathology to share their stories and experiences. “The ultimate goal is to grow a meaningful platform for each and every voice to be heard,” Williams says. He believes diversifying pathology will lead to growth in the field.

His active social media presence has afforded him many opportunities, such as presenting at the 2020 United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, and he has recruited numerous Twitter connections to be guests on his podcast.

His guests include Joye Carter, M.D., the first African American to be appointed a chief medical examiner in the U.S., and Bettie Yeboah, M.D., a PGY2 in the University of Virginia’s Department of Pathology, who discusses growing up with immigrant parents and the importance of recognizing disease manifestations across varying skin tones.

Williams has been recognized for his podcast in The Pathologist’s 2022 Power List. He was also featured in the American Society for Clinical Pathology’s Critical Values magazine “PRIDE in the Laboratory” for his essay, “Is there even a guidebook?,” which highlights the experiences of members of the LGBTQIA+ laboratory community.

Listen to the Diversify in Path podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms, or at diversifyinpathpodcast.com. – Tehreem Khan