Paper short abstract:

ethnographic film screening and discussion

Paper long abstract:

Pathology plays an important role in the process of diagnosing disease. Yet for most patients, the labor of pathologists is largely invisible. Even professionals working in the healthcare domain know relatively little about how pathologists conduct their daily work. For example, how are tissue samples processed into images by lab assistants ? How does a pathologist arrive at a diagnosis? And what are the possible roles of new technologies like AI in these diagnostic processes? Our ethnographic film Samples to Slides attempts to make the field of pathology more visible. We explore the intricate habitual actions and behaviors in a Dutch pathology lab, as well as the complex integrations of skill, knowledge, and craftsmanship in practice. Samples to Slides is also intended to serve as a tool to stimulate meaningful debates and reflection about the possible uses of AI in healthcare. This Making & Doing contribution will start with a screening the film Samples to Slides (20 minutes), followed bya dialogue about current and potential future practices in pathology. We will also reflect together on the uses of film methodology in scientific research.