The UAB Department of Pathology is grateful for the recent establishment of the Ona M. Faye-Petersen, M.D., Educational Support Fund, in support of the education of Pathology residency and fellowship trainees by Ona Faye-Petersen, M.D., professor, Anatomic Pathology.

“I very much believe in paying things forward, and this is one way to do that,” says Faye-Petersen, who started as a as a full-time practicing pediatric pathologist in 1987. “Despite the fact that my personal area of interest is focused, I think it’s crucial that trainees become exposed to and learn about the greatest variety of subjects that are going to be important to them in their immediate and distant future, so that they feel inspired to continue to learn.”

One way to do that, she says, is to provide trainees many opportunities to attend high quality, multidisciplinary conferences in which pathology plays an important role.

“Providing trainees additional funds during a time in their careers when they’re generally more financially limited is key,” she says.

Ona Faye-Petersen, M.D.

The fund will support trainees’ attendance of courses, workshops, and symposia at national and international meetings held in the U.S.  The additional opportunity for education they can obtain as residents and fellows is professional development that will have a lifelong effect, Faye-Petersen says.

“It will help form a foundation for their knowledge base. In the long term, it will contribute to their effectiveness and diagnostic acumen in their future practice,” she says. “I am hopeful that it will also inspire them to consider doing something similar to help fund the Department’s and the institution’s educational resources so that others can benefit the way they did.”

“The Department is extremely grateful to Dr. Faye-Petersen for her generosity in establishing this fund to further support the education of our trainees,” says George Netto, M.D., Robert and Ruth Anderson Endowed Chair, UAB Pathology. “Her legacy as a pediatric/perinatal pathologist is already well established internationally, and this contribution to the Department ensures it will continue in the professional development of deserving residents and fellows.”  Of note, Faye-Petersen has had a career long investment in medical education and previously established and ensured ongoing funding for an outstanding trainee, teaching award for multidisciplinary and medical student education, presented at a reception for outgoing trainees, each year.

Faye-Petersen retired from teaching in the spring of 2019, but continues to keep clinical hours, at UAB Hospital.