Eleanor Mackey is a second-year Einstein medical student and the new president of the Einstein Pathology Interest Group (PathIG)! The Pomona College grad brings a fresh perspective and a deep passion for pathology to her role. She shares more about her journey to medicine and the PathIG’s plans for the upcoming year.

Hometown? Middleton, WI, a suburb of Madison. It was the perfect mix of small-town vibes and a nearby city's perks.

Why medical school? I love solving puzzles, teamwork, and seeing real-time impact. I wanted to be in a field where we work together to directly benefit patients.

What sparked your interest in pathology—was there an ‘aha’ moment? Definitely! In high school reading Working Stiff, a memoir about a NYC Medical Examiner during 9/11, by Dr. Judy Melinek and T.J. Mitchell. From there, I dove into more books about medicine, and I knew this was my path.

Why forensic pathology? It's like solving the ultimate puzzle - you examine the whole patient story, both macro and microscopically. There’s something powerful about being the one who can provide the final diagnosis.

Favorite pathology experience at Einstein? We had a hands-on frozen section workshop with residents, where we prepared and analyzed real tissue samples. We even made our own slides from real tissue samples. It was an amazing hands-on experience!

What should other medical students know about pathology? The field is more diverse than people realize. Whether it’s hematopathology, microbiology, surgical pathology, or cytopathology, pathologists interact with many other specialties and play a huge role in the patient care team.

PathIG members l to r): Avigail Soloveichik (MS4), Hilledna Gregoire (MSTP student), Robert Ortega (MSTP student), and Eleanor Mackey (MS2)

Interests outside medicine? Playing volleyball at Falk and exploring NYC's food scene.

What fun and interesting events do you have planned for this year? We’re doing weekly brain-cutting shadowing workshops with the Montefiore neuropathologists and are planning a frozen section workshop with pathology residents. We’re also organizing a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bronx Zoo’s healthcare facility and pathology labs, and a talk by a NYC forensic pathologist.

The events are open to all medical students. Stay tuned!